The Gators are as fired up as I knew they would be for several reasons and I knew it the moment they swarmed to the first Kick-off and damned near took Gilyard's head off. This is the hard hitting playmaking defense that was MIA in Atlanta and I emphasize both of those things. This is the hard hitting playmaking defense that has shown up in the big games for UF in the last two years and the offense is playing on the same high plane as well. With Kelly, Cinci would have had more of a chance for sure but the Meyer situation along with the need for defensive redemption almost ensured this outcome no matter what.
At halftime I would call this a total mismatch. Two completely different talent levels. Bama beat you from end to end in the trenches.... both ways. They have the better team this year.
This is that same hard hitting Gator defense we saw against Charleston Southern and Troy. Can't imagine where they went against the Tide.
The Gators look awesome. I think the biggest difference between tonight and the SECCG is that the Cincy defense is non-existent. UF has a top ten defense, Cinncinatti is maybe top 50. They are used to winning 47-45, 49-36, 45-44. That doesn't fly in the SEC or the Big 12 for that matter.
You're not going to suck me into defending Auburn. I think they thought they were playing basketball. They were trying to dribble the football. Obviously I am talking about the teams at the top. Alabama and Florida and Texas are all top 10 defenses and coincidentally they are at the top of their conferences and the national polls. Of course, it doesn't help that they lost their coach either.
I was really curious how this game was to play out. I thought the Florida defense would contain the Bearcats. What I did not anticipate was the great game Tebow had in his final outing. Somehow I think the Gators will be fine with or without Meyer next season. Don
Tebow played a virtually flawless game. The Bearcats got some good shots in on him and were trash talking him in the process yet he seemed completely unfazed. As a college football player he has few peers.... ever. UC was ranked 3rd? After this game I found myself wondering if they were even a Top 10 team.There was a startling difference in the talent levels of these two teams. I think there is a message in there somewhere. Meyer looked in a daze to me, like he was on medication of some kind. Or that he was making a concerted effort not to get excited about anything. I cringed when the through the ice water on him. Fortunately, the biggest challenge for him in this game was staying awake.
I don't know how good Cincy is. They were ranked 3rd, and every computer poll had them in the top 6. They beat U Conn and Pitt, pretty decent teams. I imagine they end up in the top 10 but am not sure. I really didn't thin Meyer looked in a daze but I did think he made every effort to stay calm. The way the game progressed he had little reason to be tense. I don't know if you saw the presentation afterward, but when asked about his future he said he was going to coach the Gators. His wife was on the stage with him and she was very emotional. Anyway thanks guys.
Cincinatti was literally one second away ( in the Big 12 Title game ) from playing Alabama for all the marbles. Frankly...when UF wanted to control this game on defense it was apparent that Cinci's offense had no chance to execute enough plays to win the game even though I think Gilyard and Pike will be stars on Sundays in the future. I think the fact that UF was going to score a bunch of points on the Bearcat defense was a given going in but after Fla's lousy performance on defense vs. Bama I had some doubts about the Gator's ability to stop Cinri because I was wondering who these new Gator defensive playets and coaches were as I had not seen them on the field this year until they surfaced in Atlanta. All I can say that is if this is the same team that Alabama easily handled in Atlanta then I take it back that Texas even has chance. If Bama beat this team.......then my new and final prediction on the BCS Title game is something like Alabama 38 Texas 17
Dave, there is a couple of things you need to accept. First no team plays at the same level all the time. Sometimes they are in a zone and sometimes they are not. The team on the other side of the ball has a lot to do with how your team plays. Alabama beat us and quit making excuses.
No excuses Bill......Alabama is one of the best teams I have seen play in college football and they proved it vs. the Gators and they will prove it again vs. the Longhorns.
Cinci just didn't have the talent level that UF has on the field. I'm not saying that Alabama took Utah lightly last year and paid for it, but I'm sure that the Gators did not take Cinci lightly. The Big East plays exciting football, I've seen some really great games watching Big East football. Those Pat White/Steve Slaton teams were amongst the most fun teams to watch during their run. But overall the Big East is a league full of 2* players, no doubt there are exceptions, but overall if you are a 3* player you are a big catch for any Big East team. For reference: UF put 31 top 100 players and 26 5* players on the field. While UC had 0 and 0, they only had 3 4* players on the roster compared to 48 4* players for UF. When we get down to 3* players finally UC had the edge!! 25 to 19. Over all avg star rating for UF is #2 behind USC at 3.87 compared to UC at #64 (of all the teams playing in bowls) at 2.26. There was just too much talent deficit for UC to matchup with UF. Sure maybe if UF had come out overconfident unprepared mentally etc, UC could have given them a better game and maybe even beaten them. But that didn't happen. To me this brings us to the crux of the problem. Emotionally people want teams like UC, TCU, Boise State, to get their shot. David vs Goliath. But practically you're more likely to get games like UF vs UC or UGA vs Hawaii, then you are to get Utah vs Alabama or Boise State vs OU. Then when you get those upsets everybody goes ....There you are, the little guys deserve the shot. Playoffs of course are the only real way to work this out and it has to be the 16 team variety inorder to allow enough of the little guys into the system. The +1 won't do it, nor will using the 4 major bowls as the quarterfinals. Terry
Wow Terry, I didn't know you were such a numbers guy! I also agree about your thoughts about what could happen in the BCS Championship game with some of these teams that should get their chance. It's a lot easier to go undefeated in the Mountain West, WAC, Big East and even the ACC than in the SEC, Big 12 or Big 10. I would like a playoff and like you believe most of those teams would disappear in the first round.
Terry....after watching Alabama manhandle all of that talent what are your thoughts on the Longhorn's chances in Pasadena? Do they have any?
Of course I think Texas has a chance. Although I agree with making Alabama the favorites. Using the same criteria Texas has more talent on their roster than Alabama. Texas has 24 Top 100 players and 15 5* players Alabama has 11 and 7. Everybody is looking at that Alabama/UF game and how impressive a win it was for Alabama while Texas was lucky to get the win vs Neb. I might take some solace in the fact that in Neb we might have already faced a tougher defense than Alabama, surely Alabama even with the great players it has can not match that Neb DL lead by Mr. Suh who might be the most dominant college lineman in the last 25 years. We'll see, I'll be surprised though if Alabama handles Texas as easily as it handled UF, might beat us sure, but I think we'll give'm a good game. :wink:
Question for you Gators. What do you expect from Urban Meyer now? They kept saying that starting today Steve Addazzio was the Interim Head Coach and Meyer would be on his leave of absence. Who is going to make the decisions on filling in the staff that you've lost, who is going to make the decisions with regards to recruiting? Who is going to make the decisions with regards to handling Spring Drills how they are run, the depth chart, tweaks to the offense (or not)? If Meyer decides ( or his doctor advises) that he can not coach in 2010, are you totally comfortable with Steve Addazzio? If Meyer makes all those decisions is he really on a leave of absence? If he's not really on a leave, what's the point?
Quick poll, worst BCS team ever... That UC team last night or Hawaii? (wild card vote, I will also take Illinois as an answer) My boss has been on my ass about this regarding the (in his eye) horrible hiring of Kelly... and the flaw in the game plan is that there is no running game. What you saw last night (as Terry pointed out quite well) was a simple mismatch of ability... However, that isn't to say that can't be countered. Kelly's offense has no running game.. nada, zip..zilcho.. When UC tried to run the ball, they gained a few yards here and there because UF stayed back playing pass and bull rushing their slow QBs. If you're going to beat Florida (and it can be done and be done by more teams than Alabama) you have to run the ball. You have to be a 2-way threat as an offense or they (like all great defenses) will throttle you. If you show up with your jocks and a one-dimensional game plan, you're screwed.. They will take away your strength, laugh at your adjustments and let you work yourself into a choker hold... If Kelly doesn't make some major adjustments to that offense, we're effed at ND. It won't work against the schedule we play. UC's defensive game planning for Florida was as if they'd never watched the Gators before. If you guys think we fired amateur hour at ND, let's hope that defensive staff doesn't get brought over to the Irish or you'll really see it.