The College Football National Championship Game: Gators v. Sooners

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Off Topic
Posted on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 07:51:00 AM EST
Tags: (all tags)

Share This: Digg!

Tonight, the Fighting Gators of the University of Florida (UF) meet the Sooners of the University of Oklahoma (OU? Why isn't it UO?) for the BCS college football championship. The winner of this game will be voted number 1 in the Coaches Poll (the coaches of Texas and Utah have stated they will not follow the rules of voting (which they agreed to) and will vote their teams number 1, hopefully this leads to the end of the Coaches Poll, which is a travesty of conflict, even though it will not change the result of the poll) and likely the AP Writers' Poll.

What to expect tonight? If you care about this game, you already know that Oklahoma scored over 700 points this year, averaging 54 points and 540 yards of offense per game. Florida was not shabby on offense, averaging 45 points and 445 yards per game. Florida's defense was much much better than Oklahoma's during the season, both in terms of points and yards allowed. More . .

The Southeastern Conference, season in and season out, is the best conference in college football. This year the SEC seems to be a bit down. The Big 12 appeared to be having an up year, before the bowl results came in. It now appears the Big 12 was not as good as advertised. That said, I think Oklahoma is as good as advertised - on offense. The Oklahoma defense has to be considered a big question mark.

On paper, it seems to me the oddsmakers have the betting line about right - Florida a 4 to 5 point favorite. But bowl games have a way of surprising you. The keys to the game tonight are, in my view:

(1) No turnovers for Oklahoma, turnovers by Florida. Oklahoma can not turn the ball over. If Bradford throws a bushel of interceptions or if the OU backs leave the ball on the ground, it seems to me that not only has Florida proven to be opportunistic when opponents turn the ball over, Florida has been very efficient in the red zone (inside the opponent's 25 yard line) - they score TDs, not kick FGs. this is anther way of saying the Oklahoma has to be efficient with its possessions. To win this game, in my view, Oklahoma has to score over 40 points. I do not believe its defense can hold Florida to less than 35. On the other hand, I can see Florida's defense holding Oklahoma to 4 touchdowns.

(2) No special teams TDs. Oklahoma can not allow Florida to score on its special teams. The Oklahoma defense will have enough trouble stopping Florida from the line of scrimmage. It can not allow special teams or defensive TDs from Florida. Seems obvious I know, but it is my view that Oklahoma will have a lot of trouble even slowing down Florida from from the line of scrimmage. Here's why:

(3) Florida's running game. Florida averaged 6.0 yards per carry (playing in the SEC) compared to Oklahoma's 4.8 per carry (while playing in the defenseless Big 12.) Florida has the much better running game in my view - especially if . . .

(4) Percy Harvin is really healthy. The most explosive player in the game, if he is healthy, will be Percy Harvin. Harvin averaged 8.8 yards per carry (as well as 17 yards per reception) and scored 16 touchdowns. While missing 3 games. The flip side of a healthy Harvin is the fact that Oklahoma will be missing its fine running back DeMarco Murray. I believe Oklahoma will have trouble running the ball against Florida. Which puts it all on the shoulders of . . .

(5) Sam Bradford, the Oklahoma QB and the Heisman trophy winner. Bradford is finishing one of the most remarkable seasons ever turned in by a college QB. He threw for 48 TDs, completed 68% of his passes and averaged over 10 yards per pass attempt (compared to Tebow's 28 TDs, 65% completion rate and 9.3 yards per pass attempt.) Bradford is the real deal and he has tremendous receivers - especially TE Jermaine Gresham, who causes big matchup problems for any defense.

However, Florida has the best pass defense Bradford will face all year. The coverage will be better than anything Bradford has seen. The biggest question for the Florida defense will be how well its front can put pressure on Bradford, who basically has not been touched the entire season in the pocket. This is not a vintage Florida front line. It will be interesting to see if Oklahoma exploits potential Florida blitz packages.

For Oklahoma to win, in my view, Sam Bradford will have to play possibly the best game of his career. The Oklahoma running game will be suspect. The Oklahoma defense is suspect. And the Oklahoma special teams are just bad.

If this is Sam Bradford's night, Oklahoma will have a good chance to win. Otherwise, I think Florida wins.

I think the Gators win it tonight. I certainly hope they do. Go Gators!!

Speaking for me only

< Plastic Surgeon Gets a Year For Third DUI | Thursday Morning Open Thread >

Legal

Nothing on this site should be construed as legal advice. TalkLeft does not give legal advice.

TalkLeft is not responsible for and often disagrees with material posted in the comments section. Read at your own risk.

The College Football National Championship Game: Gators v. Sooners | 90 comments (90 topical)

Readers Must Login or Create an Account to Comment

BTD . . . I believe I made this very same comment (5.00 / 1) (#89)
by Same As It Ever Was on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 10:58:55 PM EST

in a post you did two years ago:

We are the boys from old Florida
F-L-O-R-I-D-A
Where the girls are the fairest,
The boys are the squarest
Of any old state down our way

We are all strong for old Florida
Down where the old Gators play
In all kinds of weather
We'll all stick together
for F-L-O-R-I-D-A

It IS Great to be a FLORIDA GATOR!!!

Yes Oklahoma's offense (none / 0) (#1)
by AlkalineDave on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 08:34:54 AM EST

is a beast, but like you said Florida's offense is no joke either. With Florida having a much better defense than Oklahoma, I really think it will be the gator's night.

In the trenches (none / 0) (#2)
by cal1942 on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 08:42:18 AM EST

just like any other football game.

If Florida's D line can apply pressure, game over.

I don't think Florida should do much blitzing, Bradford is too good and will probably be able to exploit the compromised coverage.

Florida just has too many strengths and Oklahoma has a significant special teams weakness that could blow the game wide open. Oklahoma may have trouble running the ball against the Florida defense in spite of their good offensive line; just too much Florida speed. It seems like everyone talks about Oklahoma's offense and whether Florida can contain them while ignoring the fact that Florida is a scoring machine in a very tough conference. The real conversation should be whether Oklahoma can slow down Florida's offense. I don't think that Oklahoma can stop Florida's offense.

Florida by two touchdowns.

Should be a lot of fun and the only real downer is that after this game we'll have to endure until August without college football.

: Time to savor another Gator (none / 0) (#5)
by Same As It Ever Was on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 08:48:14 AM EST

National Championship!

My Biased Preditcion: Gators 42 - Sooners 28 (none / 0) (#3)
by Same As It Ever Was on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 08:47:20 AM EST

The tale of the tape tells the story.

Oklahoma has the nations's top scoring offense at 54 points per game. Florida's is third. But Florida accomplished this while playing 10 of the nation's top 40 defenses. The average defensive ranking of Oklahoma's opponents was 77 -- more than half of the opposing defenses were ranked 86th or worse (out of 119).

Florida is ranked 9th in scoring defense. The Sooners rank 57th.

The lowest defensive ranking of any previous BCS champion was LSU's 17th-ranked scoring defense last season.

In agree that Oklahoma's defense is as good as advertised but not good enough to beat Florida. Florida will need to turn the ball over as it did in its loss to Ole Miss (how 'bout their bowl performance?) for Oklahoma to keep it close.

I just don't see it happening. The Florida offense is disciplined and patient. They take care of the football.

GO GATORS!!

I think Texas is best (none / 0) (#4)
by Saul on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 08:48:01 AM EST

but I am from Texas. They lost to Texas Tech their only loss in the last second of the game otherwise they would have won that one. Texas was the only team that played Oklahoma that beat Oklahoma. 45-35

Yep we need a college Superbowl system.

The problem with that is (none / 0) (#6)
by Same As It Ever Was on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 08:51:01 AM EST

Texas Tech just laid an egg against Ole Miss and got their doors blown off by the Sooners. Texas barely beat the number two team in the very weak Big Ten. All the Fiesta Bowl did for me is give me confidence that Oklahoma is not in the Gators league.

To be honest, even though I am a Gator fan if I were a voter I would vote Utah #1 after that Sugar Bowl performance. VERY impressive win. Going in they hadn't beaten anybody. But they embarrased a very good football team.


: Without a playoff system (none / 0) (#15)
by Farmboy on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 09:47:27 AM EST

there's no legitimate "national champion" possible. All opinion, smoke, and mirrors.
I know, this horse has been beaten into puree in multiple threads. That being said, go not Florida!

I am no expert (none / 0) (#7)
by lilburro on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 09:13:36 AM EST

but I wasn't overwhelmed by OU in their matchup against Oklahoma State.

In state rivalvry. (none / 0) (#9)
by easilydistracted on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 09:25:59 AM EST

Anything can and will happen in such contests. Especially with OU/OSU. Blood is just about as bad as that between OU and Texas.


Amen to that (none / 0) (#13)
by Farmboy on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 09:43:09 AM EST

Winning the ISU/UI game is the only highlight of most of ISU's seasons the last decade or so. Even when ISU doesn't win (which was most of the Hayden Fry era at UI), Clone fans get satisfaction from knowing their team scared the heck out of a bowl-bound team.


Dog help me... (none / 0) (#24)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 10:33:47 AM EST

...I do so love me some rationalization from Clown fans!

"scared the heck out of"? Ha! That's a good one. You guys wouldn't scare the last place team in the CIML.

But hey, Moo U. fans have to take their satisfaction where they can find it, right? For you it's your season/bowl game--for us it's just another pre-season game.

/looking forward to September in Ames


Man (5.00 / 1) (#25)
by Steve M on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 10:36:56 AM EST

You sound EXACTLY like the typical Wolverine fan!


Tee hee. (none / 0) (#26)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 10:43:28 AM EST

YOU TAKE THAT BACK!!! ;)

Michigan fans have a special place of their own--right along side those OSU fans.


Agree with Steve M (none / 0) (#27)
by cal1942 on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 10:47:38 AM EST

Sorry Mile Hi, your comments are a precise mimic of those people in Ann Arbor and they are insufferable. Thoughtless congenital smack talk.


Shrug. (none / 0) (#39)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 11:18:38 AM EST

No need for apologies. Might be smack talk, but it is true. Since you're not an Iowan, I don't expect you to know exactly what goes on with the ISU/Iowa contests.

Just like I don't know first-hand about MSU/Michigan. Except that I'm usually rooting for MSU.

For the record, I was born into a ISU family--so its certainly not congenital.


Well (none / 0) (#40)
by cal1942 on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 11:27:28 AM EST

it's the Moo U. thing and failure to show some respect and downgrading the UI - ISU game.

The Iowa State game is probably more important to Iowa's coaches than to their fans. It's for in-state recruiting.

Michigan people make the same snarky remarks regarding Michigan State, that the MSU - UM game isn't important. But I guarantee you that to M's coaches the MSU game is very important. M coaches target Ohio State to keep the fans on their side but know that beating MSU helps give them the material to beat Ohio State.


Ridiculous. The U of M/MSU game (5.00 / 1) (#49)
by oculus on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 12:01:15 PM EST

has always been very important to Michigan fans. Who wants to lose to MSU. I mean--really?


Right (5.00 / 1) (#55)
by Steve M on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 12:19:37 PM EST

It's important, but they don't like to admit it! They'd rather pretend that Ohio State is the real rivalry and MSU is just some dinky little ag school that's beneath their notice. Hey, I have degrees from both schools, I know how that rivalry works!


I suspect you have MSU inferiority (none / 0) (#61)
by oculus on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 12:46:00 PM EST

complex. I remember U of M/MSU game as being a very big deal, but that was "back in the day." And, of course, I've never been an MSU student.


I remember (none / 0) (#66)
by Steve M on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 01:55:00 PM EST

they used to drive up from Ann Arbor and throw blue and yellow paint on the statue of Sparty (imagine! defacing the world's tallest free-standing ceramic statue like that), until we started mounting 24 hour vigils to protect against those dastardly Wolverines.


Ooh.. I'm surprised old Sparty (none / 0) (#67)
by oculus on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 01:56:00 PM EST

wasn't kidnapped.


The original Sparty (none / 0) (#70)
by cal1942 on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 03:11:57 PM EST

The free standing ceramic is now housed in the lobby of the entry to the press box and private big shot suites.

The original was replaced with an exact duplicate bronze statue in the original location.


: DVD available: (none / 0) (#77)
by oculus on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 04:03:50 PM EST

Inferiority complex (none / 0) (#71)
by cal1942 on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 03:24:14 PM EST

my arse.


If the game was as serious... (none / 0) (#47)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 11:56:08 AM EST

...to the coaches as it was to the fans, they would take it much more serious. That is one of biggest gripes about KF--they always loose an early game or two that they shouldn't.

And as to your contention about in-state recruiting...

We're not like MI or IL, the talent pool is quite limited;
Like with BB (see Kansas), our best players usually end-up going out-of-state to places like Nebraska; and
Those who do stay in-state usually decide which school they're going to go to at a very early age. That is almost congenital. It doesn't hinge on one game a year.

In Ref. #2 (5.00 / 1) (#50)
by easilydistracted on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 12:04:47 PM EST

i.e, LaFrentz and Collison!


: And damned I miss them both (none / 0) (#51)
by easilydistracted on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 12:10:58 PM EST

In state (none / 0) (#75)
by cal1942 on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 03:58:52 PM EST

rivalries are very similar everywhere. The remarks you made regarding ISU are like the remarks that Michigan people make about Michigan State.

And those remarks are similar to what's heard from Indiana people about Purdue.


: They may be "very similar"... (none / 0) (#88)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 08:20:28 PM EST

..but keep in mind that Iowa and Iowa State play in different conferences, so that does make it different.
I root for ISU every Saturday except for one week in September. Can the average MSU/Michigan or Indiana/Purdue fan say the same thing (when its not in your own self-interest)?
Doubtful.

Thanks for illustrating my point (5.00 / 1) (#42)
by Farmboy on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 11:43:11 AM EST

For you it's your season/bowl game was pretty much what I was on about. We go to six bowl games in the last eight years, and yeah, that's fun. We knock off UI and end up 3-9 for the season like in '07, and hey, still a good year.

Be seeing you in September, my friend!


Should be fun! (none / 0) (#46)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 11:55:16 AM EST

Nothing like a glorious Iowa Fall day at Jack Trice Stadium. Can't wait...

What do you think about your new coach?


I'm trying to keep an open mind (none / 0) (#52)
by Farmboy on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 12:11:26 PM EST

It's still awfully soon after our abandonment.

Nothing adds to the insult of being worst in the Big 12 like having your rebuild coach walk away saying, "It's not you, it's me. I think we need some space. Maybe we should see other people." and then getting your old coaches' assistant as a rebound.


: Beg to differ... (none / 0) (#54)
by easilydistracted on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 12:18:17 PM EST

Biggest insult in the Big-12: Bob Huggins antics at K-State. Now us Jayhawks are not know as big fans of the mildcats. Yet even I felt a tinge -- albeit fleeting -- of sympathy for the folks in the little apple, after the Huggins' scam.

: Well... (none / 0) (#57)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 12:21:13 PM EST

...yeah, that is tough. At least he's a native Ankeny son though--that's something. Perhaps he'll be a little more invested in ISU's success?

Even I can attest to this... (none / 0) (#68)
by Thanin on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 02:45:22 PM EST

and I havent watched college football in about 15 years. Being born and raised here in oklahoma, I know that OSU considers OU its national championship game and plays it like each player is going to get 1 trillion dollars if they win; the OSU players always seem to want it more, so no matter who is ranked what, you never know the outcome (and thats coming from an OU fan).

And yeah, I have no idea why OU is called that and not UO... maybe because sometimes its referred to as Oklahoma University, I guess? Regardless, I think OU will lose tonight because defense > offense imo.


Don't the Sooners rack up a lot points (none / 0) (#8)
by ruffian on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 09:15:52 AM EST

year after year? I'm only a casual follower of college football, but it seems like they always score tons of points, and yet don't win the championship very often.

Go Gators!

One Question: (none / 0) (#10)
by easilydistracted on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 09:31:45 AM EST

If the gators are so dominant for the reasons those here assert, why were they not at the top of the BCS heap when all was said and done? Wasn't the BCS computer fed this same data and yet it produced a different result.

Actually no (none / 0) (#18)
by Big Tent Democrat on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 10:12:51 AM EST

The BCS computers are rigged - they collapse point spreads.

See my discussion of the Sagarin PREDICTOR ratings, which has Florida 6 points better than OU.

Indeed, that is why Florida is a 5 point favorite in the game.


Odds are a reflection of the market (none / 0) (#43)
by abdiel on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 11:46:40 AM EST

Not a statistical predictor of the outcome. Odds makers set the line in a way that the amount of bets will be roughly equal on either side, so that bookies can take money from the losers and use it to pay the winners (with a fee for themselves).

I think Oklahoma's only chance is to blitz Florida like Utah did to Alabama, shocking the team and scoring early and quickly. Florida wouldn't be able to overcome a 21 point handicap in the 1st quarter either.


: A nonsequitor (none / 0) (#48)
by Big Tent Democrat on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 12:00:56 PM EST

I was replying to the comment I replied to, not having a discussion on the merits of the computer rankings.

I am indifferent (none / 0) (#11)
by Steve M on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 09:34:50 AM EST

but my 2-year old is a big Gators partisan, so I have to support her. Plus, I think they will win. The Big 12 has not done well in bowls thus far, and unlike BTD, I do not think Oklahoma clearly demonstrated itself to be the class of the Big 12. So I don't expect anything extraordinary from them when the rest of the league was rather ordinary.

I'd love to hear your daughter's (5.00 / 1) (#53)
by oculus on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 12:12:34 PM EST

appraisal. Does she talk smack? Will she be dressed head to toe in Gator gear?


She has a little stuffed gator (5.00 / 1) (#59)
by Steve M on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 12:22:46 PM EST

that we bought her after she won the office NCAA pool by picking Florida, at the tender age of 8 months. She loves her some gator.

She's a little unclear on the rooting concept, though. The other day I yelled "defense!" during a game and now she's constantly yelling "defense!" regardless of which team has the ball. She's a cute little work in progress.


: I predict she will never complain her (none / 0) (#60)
by oculus on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 12:44:14 PM EST

husband watches too much football.

BTD (none / 0) (#21)
by Pepe on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 10:24:32 AM EST

said that Florida is the best passing defense OK has face all year. Not true. He conveniently left out TCU who among bowl teams ranks #3 behind USC and Ohio St.

When OU played the highly ranked TCU defense OK hung 411 passing yards on them and won by 25 points.

Conversely the Gator passing defense is ranked far below TCU which is an important point swamp drinkers.

I was 'almost' totally amazed at the Gator faithful here yesterday giving predictions without any stats to back it up. I say 'almost' totally because in all of college football there isn't a more blindly biased group of fans than those who drink swamp water.

I'll say this though. At least BTD has been smart enough to 'qualify' his prediction of a baby gator win when he said in this thread:

"I think the Gators win it tonight. I certainly hope they do."

Ha! Not exactly a verbal vote of confidence.

Sooners win tonight. They have the 10th ranked defense against the run among bowl teams. With more than enough time to dissect Tea-Bow on film and know his every move they should be able to slow him down enough to take away his meager 3.7 rushing average, making the baby gators a one dimensional team, but more importantly taking away the confusion of the option play. Then the question is can the baby gators execute a passing game without a Tea-Bow running game. Obviously the answer is no, not as effectively.

There have been a lot of top rated teams exposed this year as not all that the pollsters biasedly said they were. With the baby gators I predict - NEXT!


Sooners are 57th in scoring defense. (none / 0) (#28)
by Same As It Ever Was on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 10:49:05 AM EST

Good luck convincing anyone that that's a championship caliber defense. If the Sooners are going to win it will be because of the potency of their offense.


: Here we go again! (none / 0) (#41)
by Pepe on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 11:36:42 AM EST

I didn't say a thing about scoring defense. You didn't address a thing I said. And of course you also failed to mention that OK plays in the highest scoring league in the nation so yeah the scoring on their defense would be expected to be higher. If the baby gators played in the Big 12 their average points scored against them would be higher than it is too. Case in point Alabama a high scoring team scored more in losing to the baby gators than what the baby gators average their other SEC opponents to. Ole Miss an average scoring team racked up 31 points on the baby gators, well above their average. High power offenses are going to score more against the baby gators and do. Witness OK tonight.
What I did say was OK has to stop the Tea-Bow run. Do that and the baby gators are DOA because then they become an average one dimensional team. Given the Sooners better than average defense against the run I say they have a good chance of stuffing Tea-Bow.

Not so fast Pepe (none / 0) (#35)
by cal1942 on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 10:55:37 AM EST

Texas boasted about it's run defense. I believe that Texas led the Big 12 in run defense. Wells ripped them for 90 yards in the first half. If Wells had played the full second half the outcome of that game would have been different.

Oklahoma won't be able to stop Florida. If there's a one dimensional team in this game it's Oklahoma.


As they said on the broadcast (none / 0) (#45)
by Pepe on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 11:51:02 AM EST

of that game, Wells is a legitimate Pro running back playing in college football.

Tea-Bow is no Wells. Neither are the other baby gator running backs 'combined'. And Tea-Bow who runs twice as much as the other baby gator running backs is not a big yardage threat like Wells is. In fact Tea-Bow is 3 yards and a cloud of dust. That's it.

So you are going to compare the running of Wells against Tea-Bow? I think not.

And OK is a one dimensional team you say? Well they best the baby gators in total passing yardage 4635 to 2764. That is quite a 'one dimension'. But wait! In rushing offense the baby gators only hold and edge of 2987 to 2672. Over 13 games that is only an average difference of 24 yards a game!!!

You may want to reconsider who is one dimensional.


: Remember (none / 0) (#73)
by cal1942 on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 03:31:23 PM EST

that Oklahoma put up its numbers against Big 12 defenses.

Still on "pass defense," eh? (none / 0) (#74)
by Trickster on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 03:36:42 PM EST

I already taught you that it's "pass efficiency defense" that is a real stat that measures how good a pass D, not the stat called "pass defense." Go back and read our thread from yesterday. Read it for content, not just to finfd something to argue against.

"Pass defense" - which means how many yards of passing you give up per game - is about the most useless statistic they make. Most good teams are mediocre in that stat, and most of the top teams in that stat are mediocre.

That shows up loud in clear in your own post, when you state that TCU is 3rd in "pass defense" among bowl teams. Well guess what, TCU is 11th overall in "pass defense." That means that 8 of the top 11 "pass defense" teams didn't even make it to bowls! Since it only requires a .500 record to go to a poll, most of the top "pass defense" teams stink.

Really. Go back and read our thread and stop pimping that junky, worthless stat.

Florida is #2 in the nation at "pass defense efficiency," the stat that really counts at measuring pass D. Only USC has a better pass D than Florida.


Guess those baby gators (none / 0) (#90)
by Amiss on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 11:42:38 PM EST

grew up and chomped on some sooner arse!


The "Fighting" Gators? (none / 0) (#12)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 09:37:52 AM EST

Rules for voting in the polls? Man, I don't what you're ingesting, but you ought to save a little bit for the game--you just might need it. Especially if (when) Percy emulates LT.

/hoping for a tie and a 3 way NC vote just for grins and giggles

Dear Mr McNabb (5.00 / 1) (#14)
by CoralGables on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 09:45:56 AM EST

barring natural disaster, there are no ties in Division 1A college football. They will play until the proverbial cows come home, and then some.


That was a joke... (none / 0) (#22)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 10:27:19 AM EST

...or "snark" if you prefer.

And tell me again why you Florida fans don't deserve their reputation as being the worst. fans. ever.?


I sense (none / 0) (#29)
by CoralGables on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 10:50:12 AM EST

a bad case of Big 10 GatorEnvy which is so unlike the average Iowan.

You should still be very pleased with Iowa able to put the Big 10 in the win column this year. Without the Hawkeyes they might really be referred to as the Lesser 10.

And I am serious about Iowa... they have some of the best through the generations hometown college fans I have ever had the pleasure to meet when I attended the Iowa thrashing of Florida in 2004.


: Agreed. (none / 0) (#33)
by Same As It Ever Was on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 10:53:36 AM EST

I went to the Outback Bowl this year and thought the Iowa fans were solid. Good folks and knew their football (except for this strange belief they had in the Big 10 being the best conference in the country -- hard not to laugh at that).

: Naw, no envy... (none / 0) (#38)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 11:09:49 AM EST

...well, aside from the whole National Championship count thing--just giving you a hard time, CG.

OU and not UO (none / 0) (#16)
by rea on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 10:01:13 AM EST

(OU? Why isn't it UO?)

Back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, and I was a student at OU, the explanation is that it was Oklahoma University, not the University of Oklahoma. That's what it says on my diploma, anyway. The university's website, however, now calls the place "The University of Oklahoma. The italics may represent a subtle dig at OSU . . .

: My Alma Mater Kansas University (none / 0) (#32)
by easilydistracted on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 10:52:41 AM EST

is no different -- The University of Kansas. Yet commonly know as KU not UK (probably so as not to be confused with Kentucky)

i almost wish i had a dog (none / 0) (#17)
by cpinva on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 10:11:42 AM EST

in this fight, but alas, i don't. not only does college ball tend to bore the heck out of me, but va tech isn't in the game.

that said, since i'm an east coaster, i guess i'll be (sort of) rooting for UF.

truthfully, based solely on record (conference and non-conference games) i think Utah has a legitimate claim to the #1 spot, and by rights, should be playing OU tonite.

sorry BTD, what can i say?

Well there's you're problem . . . (none / 0) (#30)
by Same As It Ever Was on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 10:50:35 AM EST

College football would bore me too if I watched V Tech all the time.


: oh, i don't, trust me. (none / 0) (#63)
by cpinva on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 01:40:39 PM EST

College football would bore me too if I watched V Tech all the time.
frankly, it's rare that i even watch college ball at all. i do watch some tech games though, because they've scheduled some good, non-conference ones. it's interesting to see how they stack up against the perennial national powerhouses.
that, and my son is huge tech fan.

Gators, but... (none / 0) (#19)
by santarita on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 10:13:40 AM EST

USC deserves a nod. The Trojans made Penn State look bad and, after a while, I think they were holding back on scoring. But being a Californian, I might be biased, even if USC is, well, USC.

I just hope it's a good game, without too many fumbles and interceptions. In other words, I hope the Gators aren't like their big brothers, the Dolphins.

: Please don't relate the Gators and the Dolps. (none / 0) (#31)
by Same As It Ever Was on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 10:51:21 AM EST

It's making me physically ill.

As someone who previously taught at OU (none / 0) (#20)
by tokin librul on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 10:19:09 AM EST

you might expect my sympathies to be with the Sooners.

But I spent 30 years in Norman, between 1994 and 2000. Sorry if it annoys any, but never have I ever lived among people so incurious, so xenophobic, so narrow-minded, so anti-intellectual.

My cred? 18 yrs in NM, 5 in CA, 4 in WA, 10 in LA, 2 in TX and 1 in VA...

I hear Stillwater is better. (5.00 / 3) (#23)
by ThatOneVoter on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 10:32:53 AM EST

It must have been really bad, if 1994-2000 was 30 years for you. My sympathies.


: And even taught there (none / 0) (#36)
by easilydistracted on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 10:58:29 AM EST

Hey, BTD, you better hope there are no OU alums running the scoreboard this evening

If... (none / 0) (#34)
by CoralGables on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 10:54:44 AM EST

you spent 12 years between Louisiana and Texas and still feel that way about Stillwater, I will have to take your word for it.

But I still have to like Bob Stoops. After all, he was a Gator once.


: And Stoops (5.00 / 1) (#37)
by cal1942 on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 11:04:59 AM EST

is from Ohio as is Meyer.
The SEC and Big 12 get their best coaches from Big Ten country.

30 Years in Norman between 1994 and 2000 (none / 0) (#44)
by rea on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 11:48:41 AM EST

never have I ever lived among people so incurious, so xenophobic, so narrow-minded, so anti-intellectual.

Well, my experience there predated yours by a good many years (1972-1975). But, I was lucky enough to have some excellent teachers, and make some very good friends, several of whom I'd match up for intellectual brillance with just about anyone. Of course, there were some incurious, xenophobic, narrow-minded, anti-intellectual people there too--but there were people like that at the other university I went to, too (Michigan).

Also, I have a soft spot in my heart for the place, as it's where I discovered sex, drugs and rock & roll.

: In all my many years in Ann Arbor, (none / 0) (#56)
by oculus on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 12:20:12 PM EST

I can't recall meeting anyone who met this description: "incurious, xenophobic, narrow-minded, anti-intellectual people."
Although, some may have said I fit the description when I arrived as a college freshman from a city the same size as the great university.

Percy rates an entire paragraph. (none / 0) (#58)
by oculus on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 12:21:28 PM EST

Can't wait to see him actually play. But, oh wait, I'm going to a retirement party.

What's my best bet for seeing game highlights? ESPN?

The funny thing (5.00 / 1) (#65)
by CoralGables on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 01:52:58 PM EST

is. while everyone thinks Tebow and Percy make up the entire team, don't be surprised to see big time plays from running back Jeff Demps, kick returner Brandon James or receivers Aaron Hernandez and David Nelson.

The list of big time playmakers on this team is deep. The four rotating running backs combined to rush for 2192 yards averaging 8.1 yards per carry.


Urban Meyer: (none / 0) (#81)
by oculus on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 04:54:39 PM EST

"If I had my druthers, I'd rather coach a very mean, angry, nasty, upset team," he said. "I have to get to that point."

Also, AP reveals a recruit knocked over the BCS trophy the Fighting Gators won two years ago and it broke but was insured. Was the recruit offered a scholarship at FL? Did he accept? What position does he play?


Wow (none / 0) (#82)
by CoralGables on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 05:10:51 PM EST

you make it tough. Skip the stats and dive into the minutia.

Orson Charles knocked over the $35,000 Waterford BCS Trophy while posing for a picture next to Tim Tebow's Heisman Trophy.

Listed as the fastest Tight End recruit in the country (right up the Gator's alley) Charles is looking at Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Tenneseee, and Arkansas.


: Excellent research skills. I knew you (none / 0) (#83)
by oculus on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 05:13:32 PM EST

would have the details.
Next question: who is broadcasting the Big Game on TV?
Will Bradford have all the time in the world to pull off his plays? (Watching ESPN.)
Tebow is still unbelievably charming. (Same source.)

Leave the (none / 0) (#76)
by cal1942 on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 04:03:36 PM EST

retirement party early enough to catch the last part of the game. Otherwise you're stuck with Sports Center.


Although (none / 0) (#78)
by cal1942 on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 04:06:07 PM EST

Fox Sports may show an edited replay as they did of the Fiesta Bowl.


: Thanks. (none / 0) (#79)
by oculus on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 04:08:32 PM EST

I'd never have the patience to sit through the whole game even w/o the retirement gig. I'll watch the beginning, then listen on ESPN radio as I drive to party.
Only one disc left of Team of Rivals, so I'll make an exception and listen to football!

In all my many years in Ann Arbor (none / 0) (#62)
by rea on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 01:02:40 PM EST

In all my many years in Ann Arbor I can't recall meeting anyone who met this description: "incurious, xenophobic, narrow-minded, anti-intellectual people."

Well, but Oculus, consider where Ann Coulter went to school . . . :)

: OMG. Didn't know that. (none / 0) (#80)
by oculus on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 04:09:41 PM EST

Given her forced youthful appearance, I suspect we didn't cross paths unless she is really staving off all effects of again.

"The Southeastern Conference (none / 0) (#64)
by Makarov on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 01:41:53 PM EST

The Southeastern Conference, season in and season out, is the best conference in college football. This year the SEC seems to be a bit down."

In the regular season, the SEC's out of conference record as a whole was 6 wins and 9 losses. That's the worst record among FBS conferences.

I expect OU to "pull an upset" and win tonight, but I don't think that makes them the best team in the nation. This year, I suspect that team is USC.

Bowl games last 3 years (5.00 / 1) (#86)
by Trickster on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 05:23:25 PM EST

Coming into tonight's game, the SEC is 18-7 in bowl games the last 3 years.

The winning percentage means the conference is good.

The number of wins means the conference is deep.

Two straight blow-out wins in BCS championship games is fairly impressive as well. A 3rd should put this subject to bed at least until next year.


: ESPN: "As the sun sets on another (none / 0) (#87)
by oculus on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 05:27:04 PM EST

college football season, . . ."

I don't follow this (none / 0) (#72)
by Steve M on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 03:27:34 PM EST

Aren't there like 12 teams in the SEC? How can they have only 15 nonconference games between them?


: Each team (5.00 / 1) (#85)
by Big Tent Democrat on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 05:15:17 PM EST

played 4 non-conference games so there would be 48 non-conference games played by SEC teams.
Florida for 1 - was 4-0 out of conference, includings wins over bowl teams FSU, Miami and Hawaii.

Sooners (none / 0) (#69)
by Sherpa on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 03:05:03 PM EST

Oklahoma beat 7 teams that went to bowl games this year. Killed most of them. They probably won't win tonight but its not like they don't deserve to be there.

For all the Sooner fans (none / 0) (#84)
by CoralGables on Thu Jan 08, 2009 at 05:14:23 PM EST

You have a potential gift that has fallen in your lap if you think Oklahoma will win.

Florida has now moved to a 6 point favorite in most all sportsbooks, both in Vegas and offshore.