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GAINESVILLE, Florida (Ticker) -- Nobody expected Vanderbilt to give fifth-ranked Florida a tough game, especially the Gators. A four-touchdown favorite, Florida held on for a 13-6 victory over Vanderbilt in a Southeastern Conference East game in which the Gators were outplayed in "The Swamp." "On paper, we will get the victory," said colorful Florida defensive end Alex Brown. "But ask anybody in here and they won the game. We didn't beat those guys." Despite their struggle, the Gators (8-1, 6-1 SEC East) need only to beat winless South Carolina next weekend to secure a berth in the SEC title game for the first time since 1996. They also kept alive their national championship hopes, which were boosted by Penn State's loss earlier in the day. After finishing the conference slate, the Gators host top-ranked archrival Florida State and could climb even higher in the Bowl Championship Series rankings with a win over the Seminoles. If a couple of things break right, Florida could find itself in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on Janaury 4, playing for the national title. The Commodores (5-4, 2-4) almost wrecked those hopes. They had a chance to find the end zone with 17 seconds left, but on 4th-and-4 from the Florida 19-yard line, Greg Zolman's pass to Tavarus Hogans fell incomplete and secured Florida's ninth straight win in the series. "Having an opportunity to beat Florida here and losing that close of a ballgame really hurts," Vanderbilt coach Woody Widenhofer said. "We've got a lot going for us. We've still got a chance to be 7-4. We have two big, key games left. To me, holding these guys to 13 points in their own backyard is a great defensive effort." Vanderbilt fell to 3-1 on the road and remains a win away from bowl eligibility and a possible postseason berth for the first time since 1982. Its best shot at win No. 6 comes at home against Kentucky on November 13, since a trip to defending national champion Tennessee looms in the season finale. Florida's Doug Johnson, who was sacked five times, completed 14-of-24 passes for 143 yards, hitting Travis Taylor five times for 56 yards and Darrell Jackson six for 65. Earnest Graham carried 16 times for 124 yards, but Florida was held to its lowest point total and yardage (269) at home in the 10-year tenure of coach Steve Spurrier. "Earnest ran hard. He is the only guy who got a game ball," Spurrier said. "They completely outcoached us. I told Woody before the game, 'I know you have your guys ready, and our guys are ready, too.' "I've gotten to where I am scared to call a pass play; it's as if something bad is going to happen. I have never had quite this feeling in a long time. We really don't care where we are in the SEC battle, we will change whatever position we need to." Unthinkable in past seasons, Vanderbilt outgained the Gators by 100 yards, putting up 369. Jared McGrath had 125 yards on 20 carries and Zolman was 17-of-38 for 239 yards with one interception. "They had over 300 yards, they had more yards than the Florida offense," Brown said. "How can Vanderbilt have more yards than the Florida offense?" "They gave me a few things I had planned on," McGrath said. "When I scouted them, I saw some weaknesses that they had and I just took them. They like to overplay everything." It was Zolman's first game this season completing less than 50 percent of his throws. The Commodores' first possession was a precursor to the way the offense played the entire game. After linebacker Lamont Turner sacked Johnson and recovered a fumble at the Florida 40, Zolman threw an incomplete pass on 3rd-and-6 and John Markham punted from the 36. "We had a top-ranked team in their own house," Turner said. "We were whipping them up and down the field. We just gotta learn to finish things off." Vanderbilt had the ball in Florida territory on their second and third possessions, but punted -- or tried to -- both times. On Markham's second attempt, a 4th-and-8 from the Gators 35, he fumbled for an eight-yard loss. Florida made Vanderbilt pay for the mistake and drove 57 yards on seven plays for the game's only touchdown, a nine-yard run up the middle by Graham. "We have to beat South Carolina, then FSU, and then the SEC championship game," Graham said. "If we want to do that, we have a lot to work on." Markham had a punt blocked by Lito Sheppard on the ensuing possession, handing Florida the ball on the Vanderbilt 14. Johnson was sacked twice for minus-16 yards on the next two plays, then threw an 18-yard pass to Taylor to set up Jeff Chandler's 29-yard field goal that made it 10-0 midway through the second quarter. "We are not good in one area and bad in others," Johnson said. "We are not playing well in all areas. We just need to try to keep getting better. And hopefully our best game will be our last game." Zolman was intercepted by Marquand Manuel at the goal line to stop Vandy's next drive. Florida stopped the Commodores three-and-out after the second-half kickoff and then went on a 13-play, 70-yard drive that culminated with Chandler's 33-yard field goal. Johnson hit passes on 3rd-and-9 and 3rd-and-10 to keep the march going. Vandy responded with a 15-play drive that covered 63 yards and ate 6:37 off the clock, with Markham hitting a 28-yard field goal to make it 13-3. Jonathan Shaub sacked Johnson and Ryan Aulds recovered his fumble at the Florida 49, but Zolman threw three straight incompletions before another punt. Hogans fumbled away the ball at the Florida 30 on Vandy's next chance. Markham came through with a 44-yarder with 3:30 left in the game to pull the Commodores within a touchdown and set up the failed final drive.
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