Not quite the same implications as Notre Dame - USC. However this is the first time in a number of years that these two teams meet with both ranked in the top 10 and with National implications. If the Gators win and USC would win, horrors of horrors, it would be possible for another BCS Championship with 2 SEC teams. If FSU wins and there is some other upheaval they might sneak in also. Note that above I did not say probable if the Gators and USC win, only possible. Gators have lost two in a row to FSU and because of the lack of offense it is likely we lose this one also. However our defense has been stellar and I am hopeful. Gators - Noles
I think 99% likely is the result. The Gators would most assuredly be #1 in all of the computer rankings and I think the sentiment would be there by the voters too to keep them pretty high.... high enough. The only drawback.... that Georgia beats Bama and the voters actually drop Florida or keep them at bay to keep a Fla-Georgia rematch from happening. Of course... if Fla loses to FSU..... or as should be expected..... Notre Dame beats USC then ND vs. the SEC Champion will be the case. Of course I am not supposed to say that the UF-FSU game and the USC-ND game have any sort of a national tie-in together....or so I have been told..... :lol: :lol: 8) Let's put it this way... should UF defeat FSU then the Gator Nation will become most unlikely but huge Lane Kiffin fans at 8 pm on Saturday night. Heads will explode....... :wink:
I don't see this as a good matchup for the Gators. Your offense has struggled (to put it mildly) lately, and I'd almost think it would be better if Driskell doesn't play. A big part of his game is mobility, and if he's hobbled at all... he will be more detriment than asset. FSU has played a soft sched, but that doesn't mean they don't have talent. If they get a little ahead and force the Gators into a pass-first game... you will be in big trouble. I'll pull for the SEC, but I've got a bad feeling on this one. Hope I'm wrong. Don't worry Dave. ND is going to pound USC mercilessly so you can talk up the Sugar bowl if the Gators win.
Scott, Before the season I had zero NC hopes for this Florida team and maybe only a glimmer of hope for a BCS Bowl. If UF beats the noles then the BCS Bowl slot is guaranteed for at least being the #3 or higher ranked BCS team. Beating the noles hinges upon the fact that FSU has struggled on offense vs. good defenses and basically against good teams period. Re: the last three weeks for the UF offense I have read just this morning that Pease has had the Gators in plain vanilla mode..... and may be cooking up something different for FSU. ( one can only hope ) Even though UF played so poorly vs. Georgia they were a fumble away at the goal line from having a 2 point conversion attempt to tie the game with a couple of minutes left so even in defeat UF went down pretty tough to a team that might play for the National Title. One reason for the softer opponents in the last couple of weeks for UF is to allow some healing time for injured players and recharge the batteries after a grinding SEC schedule and I read this morning that the UF offensive line is 100% healthy for the first time since the LSU game in early October. That is a huge and important development for our chances and underscores why you want some breather games after consecutive grinders if you want to have a chance to compete at the highest level. Therefore.... I think the team is healthy except for maybe Driskel and I think the players will be as charged up and ready to play as any game they have been involved with this season. It's going to be a tough out for an FSU team that has not played anyone like Florida all season.
Unless the Gators find some offense I can't see them wining on the road. And at this point in the season if you can't find an offense vs ULaLa and have to rely on defensive magic then there is little or no chance that you will suddenly find an offense against a rival at their place. But that's why we play the games isn't it!! Good luck Bill! As far as another all SEC Championship game, nothing could be worse for college football IMHO.
"As far as another all SEC Championship game, nothing could be worse for college football IMHO." There is one team that I'm not supposed to mention in the same breath as Florida that can eliminate that possibility.... :wink: RE: the Florida offense The most important factor for the way UF plays offense is the offensive line and as I say it's 100% healthy for the first time since the LSU game. The biggest factors in most rivalry games is defense and special teams and I look for very superior play from UF in these areas on Saturday.... maybe enough to sway the game's outcome in UF's favor.
It's the biggest flaw in the BCS era allowing 2 teams from the same conference to play for the Nat'l Championship. Any other 1 loss team should play Alabama other than UF.
Terry, I agree with you in principal. However being human and a big Gator fan I would for sure not turn down the opportunity if it fell our way. As far as the Gators against FSU I would make us the underdog, however I would not sell our defense short and they are capable of keeping us in the game where we could win with minimal offense. Like I have said before I continue to be amazed at the Gator record this year with the offensive problems we have had. I will add one thing though, most of our offensive woes have much to do with the offensive line which has been riddled with injuries. I believe we are going to be closer to full strength in that area for this game. Sent from my macbook wearing my orange and blue glasses.
Bill I wouldn't expect anything but 100% support for your Gators from you. And none of us would turn down the chance at a championship no matter how we get there. Certainly the 2 most important games of the weekend are ND/USC and UF/FSU.
Georgia and Georgia Tech is kind of up there to Terry, Georgia cannot afford to lose that game and keep their National Championship game hopes alive. Right now three teams have their destiny in their own hands, Notre Dame, Alabama and Georgia. All the others have to hope for a Notre Dame loss. Unless Georgia would happen to lose Sat. I don't see that as very likely, but Georgia Tech takes it to Georgia every once in a while.
Either way the BCS Title game is going to be mucho fun this year: ND vs. the SEC Champ ( you know... the fake conference who doesn't do anything but play FCS teams... :wink: ) or.... my Gators in the title game which is a no brainer for me to like no matter who they play. or... ND and UF both lose and then a team I think really could belong ( not necessarily deserve ) ... Oregon vs. the SEC Champ. Sort of a can't lose situation with regard to how it plays out.
Driskel to start.... Gators healthy according Muschamp: http://www.gatorsports.com/article/20121121/ARTICLES/121129925?tc=cr I sure as hell am glad we didn't play say... Georgia last week..... or LSU... or Stanford..... or Oklahoma.... etc... The easy game last week vs. JSU had allowed all of these players to sit out and heal and now when the stakes are very high we are good to go......
I can't see the Gators getting housed. Their defense is just too good for that unless the offense is the one giving away the points. I think FSU has a better team, but they've played maybe 1 or 2 real opponents all year.. that bodes well for the Gators who play their share of cupcakes, but their conference lineup is a lot better than the ACC slate. Still, that being said.. I think FSU wins close.. I think it'll be close regardless. Rivalry games.. weird sh*t happens.
:idea: Regardless of schedules, both teams have a lot of talent if you believe the recruiting services and both teams are located in Florida, which has a ton of talent like Texas or California. It's been decades since either team was short of talent. Having noted that, I'm rooting for neither of them, but I put a few points on FSU. I think they have an offense that works sometimes and that just might be the difference...
Don, what did my 20 points get me????? Been waiting for some offense all year long and we finally got it. I am a happy camper.
Each team had gifts for the other and the Gators were flagged for about 110 penalty yards to five in the 3rd quarter but then.... in my best Will Muschamp vernacular...... THEY OVERCAME THE ADVERSITY ON THE FIELD!!!! 8)