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Gators coach Mullen plans to call his mentor for tips to defeat Michigan

UF

GAINESVILLE — To beat Jim Harbaugh’s Michigan Wolverines, UF coach Dan Mullen will look for an edge wherever he can find one. In this case, it is just a phone call away. Ohio State’s Urban Meyer has been Mullen’s primary mentor and Harbaugh’s principal tormentor.

Mullen plans to pick Meyer’s brain for some inside information to help the No. 10 Gators (9-3) upset the No. 7 Wolverines (10-2) Dec. 29 in the Peach Bowl.

“I’m sure I’ll touch base with him justto get a thought or two,” Mullen said Monday.

Meyer should have plenty to share on the subject of beating Michigan.

Since he arrived at Ohio State, no one has had the Wolverines’ number like the former Gators coach. Meyer is 7-0 against Michigan, including 4-0 against Harbaugh.

None of those victories was less expected or more emphatic than the Buckeyes’ 62-39 rout Nov. 24.

“They obviously had a great plan of attacking them and put a lot of points on the board,” Mullen said. “So that’s a game we’ll look at closely and see how they were able to do it.”

Behind star quarterback Dwayne Haskins, a likely invitee to Saturday’s Heisman Trophy ceremony, the Buckeyes eviscerated the nation’s top-ranked defense for 567 yards, averaging 8.5 yards per play.

Winners of three straight games, the Gators are finding their stride offensively, averaging 562 yards and 46.3 points during victories against South Carolina, Idaho and Florida State.

“One of the things is our guys are a lot more comfortable in the offense now,” Mullen said. “And I think when you get that comfort, you start to see us put up bigger numbers. So I think it’s just the confidence in what we’re doing and how we’re playing, and they’re picking it up and understanding the offense.”

But Michigan’s defense will be a quantum leap up in competition. The Wolverines lead the nation in total defense, allowing an average of 262.5