Gators roll over Gamecocks 44-11

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 It feels good to beat Spurrier, and South Carolina. Once more the Gator defense was dominant, and the offense woke up in the second half. The special teams were huge too, helping us overcome some pathetic officiating early

Florida went 0-for-October last season, with humbling losses to Alabama, LSU, Auburn and Georgia.

It bothered coaches and players for a year.

It motivated them, too.

A year later, the Gators have a chance to end the month with a division title.

“I like this better,” coach Will Muschamp said. “So does everybody else.”

Jeff Driskel threw four touchdown passes — three of them after turnovers — and the Gators (No. 2 BCS, No. 3 AP) matched their win total from 2011 with a 44-11 drubbing of South Carolina (No. 7 BCS, No. 9 AP) on Saturday.

The Gators avenged consecutive losses to the Gamecocks, including one a couple of years ago that ended with Steve Spurrier and his players celebrating a division title in The Swamp.

“We remember the feeling, how bad it hurt,” center Jon Harrison said. “We even had guys getting emotional over it. We just used that as pure motivation to come out here and completely dominate this team.”

Florida’s latest whatever-it-takes win kept Muschamp’s team undefeated and put it on the cusp of the Southeastern Conference’s Eastern Division title. The Gators (7-0, 6-0 SEC) can clinch a spot in the league’s championship game by beating No. 13 Georgia next week in nearby Jacksonville.

Florida won this one with turnovers, stellar defense and more halftime adjustments — the kind of successful tweaks that are making Muschamp and his staff seem like the right fit in Gainesville.