GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- It's not easy to single out players for praise in the wake of one of the most surprising losses in Florida football history, but that's exactly what we'll do. Here are the Gators' standout individual performances from their 34-17 loss to Vanderbilt on Saturday:
Quinton Dunbar, WR: The junior led all receivers with 77 yards on a game-high six catches and extended his streak of games with a catch to 25. Dunbar's 35-yard catch and run to the Vanderbilt 9-yard line in the third quarter not only converted a desperately needed fourth-and-3, but it was the longest play of the day. Dunbar's catch set up a Kelvin Taylor touchdown run that actually got some fans' hopes up for a comeback. Those hopes, however, were short-lived as Vandy salted the game away with its ensuing drive.
Ahmad Fulwood, WR: The 6-foot-5 freshman continues to work his way into the offense. Slowly. Coming into Saturday's game, Fulwood had a catch or two in three straight games. Against Vanderbilt, he had three catches for 33 yards and did something rather memorable in scoring his first career touchdown. The pass went off Commodores DB Paris Head's hands, then his foot and into the air again. Fulwood bobbled the ball once and then reeled it in as he began falling out of the end zone. The points were meaningless, but the effort and concentration deserve recognition.
Ronald Powell, LB: There really weren't many good outings to choose from in this game. A couple of sticker-worthy candidates made mistakes that just couldn't be overlooked. So the last sticker goes to Powell, the junior edge-rusher who has made a nice comeback from two ACL surgeries and nearly a year and a half away from football. Powell, who has one of the best attitudes you'll find in sports, recorded his team-leading fourth sack of the season.
