Dr. Saturday - NCAAF

Florida 24, Oklahoma 14. I haven't read any other opinions, but I know the radio is describing this game as "sloppy" and "a dud." I don't agree. The test in a championship game is almost always which of two irresistible forces looks the most like itself, executing on its terms, on exactly the plan and plays that carried it into the game in the first place. Florida, finally, was the team here that danced with what brung 'em, and the fact that the Gators had to feel their way out from the better part of three quarters has to make it that much more satisfying for Urban Meyer in the end.

That's not to suggest the Gators were overwhelming on offense; for the bulk of the game, that wasn't true at all. For all the piling on "Big 12 defenses," Oklahoma, which came in allowing more points per game than all but two SEC teams, held Florida to its lowest point total of the season -- six points less than anyone in the SEC managed -- and became the first team to force Tebow into two interceptions. Overall, I thought the first half was one of the worst of Tebow's career as a passer -- baited into the pair of ugly picks, with only seven points on the board -- and if not for a pair of stands by the Gator defense inside the 10-yard line, Oklahoma threatened to run away with the thing.

At the half, Florida hadn't established anything on offense and the pace of the game was beginning to favor the Sooners, whose hurry-up attack had reeled off 38 snaps with marches of 65 and 74 yards in the second quarter, in just over two minutes apiece. They were running effectively between the tackles and the no-huddle seemed to have the Gator D a little winded and on its heels. The score was only 7-7, but barring the killer red zone turnovers, Oklahoma looked more like Oklahoma.

What makes the second half (and the fourth quarter, in particular) such a triumph for Meyer's offense is that the gameplan seemed to change dramatically -- from a very spread-y spread that balanced running and passing at almost exactly 50:50 and regularly passed on first down in the first half to a patient, run-oriented single wing that heavily emphasized the option in "spread option" -- and still hit every note. Florida is so diverse and has so many weapons, almost anything on a very wide spectrum can qualify as "what brung 'em." But if you wanted to see "the Florida Offense" as most of the SEC has known it all season, you only needed to see the Gators' three second half scoring drives:

This was really Florida being Florida: Tebow barreling ahead, Harvin (my most outstanding player, voters be damned) gashing into the secondary on misdirection runs out of the shotgun, Demps hitting the corner on the speed option, Hernandez hitting the seam on that sweet shovel pass that replaces the old fullback dive (this play, which worked twice down the stretch, is counted as a run in the above chart), the goal line jump pass for the knockout. And Tebow delivering when necessary with his arm, most notably on a 17-yard strike to Riley Cooper on 3rd-and-12 that kicked the icing touchdown drive into gear. That march, an 11-play, 76-yard marathon that milked 6:53 off the clock, should be playing on a permanent loop in Meyer's mansion for the rest of his life, right next to the 13-play, 75-yard touchdown drive in the third quarter that moved the chains almost exclusively on Tebow runs.

Meanwhile, Sam Bradford had the worst game of his season -- two sacks, no big plays and two interceptions, one of them an ice pick to the temple at the goal line at the end of the first half, after all the accolades for OU's unreal red zone efficiency -- and didn't have anywhere else to turn in the second half. This is in large part because he wasn't on the field; the Gators held the ball for 9 minutes in the third quarter, 11 minutes in the fourth. After the Sooners tied the game on a 77-yard touchdown drive to open the final frame, UF ran 23 plays for 157 yards and scored 10 points. Oklahoma ran eight plays for 21 yards and turned it over twice.

Florida's defense was outstanding, of course, holding the Sooners 200 yards and 40 points below their scalding season averages. But Bradford had no chance to answer Tebow's late heroics, because he was on the sideline, watching it while the seconds ticked away on OU's season (and possibly his career). You know: The best defense is a flexible offense.

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65 Comments

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  1. jeff b
    1. Posted by jeff b Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:32 pm EDT

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    Last night was mistake ridden football on both sides of the ball. No one dominated...The one making the least amount of errors won by default. Give it up to Utah who simply walked onto the field and beat up on Alabama better than Florida did and went undefeated, unlike Florida did.
  2. LongTrans
    2. Posted by LongTrans Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:54 pm EDT

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    OU SUCKS! OU STILL SUCKS! Hook 'Em Horns!
  3. LongTrans
    3. Posted by LongTrans Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:54 pm EDT

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    Congrats to Florida Gators. And who cares if the media blows up Tebow, I've never, ever seen a quarterback with as much heart as this guy has. Is he a Warrior or what? Next year will be a great one and who knows, maybe there will be a playoff by then.
    OU SUCKS! USC lost to Oregon State for pete's sake; so please USC fans just shut up. Or don't you remember when UT kicked your a$$? And Utah, please. C'mon man, have you LOOKED at their schedule? Can you say WEAK!
    Gators earned the NC. And I'm a Longhorn! Congrats again Gators.
  4. Joe S
    4. Posted by Joe S Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:38 pm EDT

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    Another one of these give away ball games. Oklahoma preys on these sorry teams and these dumb people vote them over Texas that beat them by 10 points. The Big 12 needs to wake up and smell coffee or whatever. Don't be like the big 10 and give away national championships because you have an easy schedule. Maybe they oughta change the head coach because he is sorry when it comes to bowl games. Oklahoma should have been up 21 to 7 first half. The big 12 stupid way of handling three-way ties give away championships or was it pay offs?
  5. SadSoonerFan
    5. Posted by SadSoonerFan Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:29 pm EDT

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    As a sooner fan I congratulate the Gators. Tebow didn't have a great first half but their D held OU at the goal line twice and forced a tie half. OU's penalties killed their chances as well in the first half. I am proud that the Oklahoma D was able to hold Florida as well as they did and it will hopefully show that Big 12 defenses can hold their own. They held Florida to their lowest of the season, and that was with key defenders out on injuries. Tebow is a powerhouse of a quarterback though and he seemed to rally his team and fans. Bradford is arguably (and I'm sure some will) a little better passer, and I wish they would have let him throw more with Murray out. Congrats again to Florida and BOOMER SOONER!
  6. JJ
    6. Posted by JJ Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:35 pm EDT

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    CHOKLAHOMA lays another bowl egg !!! And what's so great about Florida? They could only muster 24 points on that weak Big 12 defense. Texas strapped 45 on them. And USC ?? It wasn't that long ago that they were proclaimed the best ever team in college football, and Texas went to their home turf and whipped them. Now the pundits are saying it again. The only thing that Texas lost was the popularity contest. The only reason the voters put Choklahoma in the "championship" game is because they know somebody can beat em. HOOK EM HORNS.
  7. ggodsmackk
    7. Posted by ggodsmackk Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:08 pm EDT

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    All you Utah fans are a bunch of little B*tches, you didn't go to the national championship game because your schedule was WHACK and you didn't play anybody in the top 10 until your bowl game and Alabama is on the weaker half of the SEC. Get over it. Oh and there was some nut who said Utah would be voted #1 in the AP... GUESS WHAT!!!??? Florida's #1 with 3x the 1st place votes this morning and Utah is #2. Keep making excuses, until you schedule stronger opponents you WILL NOT GO TO THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. But keep dreaming big!
  8. Mark
    8. Posted by Mark Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:04 pm EDT

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    What I found interesting was how limited both Bradford and Tebow were as passers. They are good college quarterbacks, but scheme and talent around them make them far better. Both appear that they will need significant work to make it at the next level.
  9. CuseFanInSoCal
    9. Posted by CuseFanInSoCal Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:48 pm EDT

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    Eh. I wasn't able to watch the game (I've got other commitments on Thursdays), but none of the recaps I've read give me the slightest inclination to change the impression I had going into the game. Which was USC #1, Utah #2, BCS title game winner #3, Texas #4.
  10. Alex
    10. Posted by Alex Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:32 pm EDT

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    yes i am a longhorn fan!!!! but come on guys...usc lost to an unranked team in oregon state and even at that they are just number 24 now..........florida lost to an unranked team as well who is now number 20 and texas lost to a number 5 team who is now number 8 so you tell me.........i think texas would have beaten both teams that played last night and utah. dispite having trouble with ohio states running game texas found a way to adapt and win the game....... texas got jipped on so many levels....could it be because every is always jocking the usc's the floridas but yetthe big 12 had more teams in the top 10 then any other confrence. maybe we should go to the playoff format bc this computer thing is for the birs and is not worth the paper i wipe myself with.
  11. Peter G
    11. Posted by Peter G Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:48 pm EDT

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    Texas played themselves out of consideration by barely beating a terrible OSU team. They needed late game heroics to beat them. If they had really kicked the crap out of them, they would have gotten some first place votes, but I think the AP actually got it right (except for the ridiculous ranking of Ole Miss below Texas Tech). Of course I'd rather have a playoff, but I'd choose Florida slightly above Utah in the final poll.
  12. Jon
    12. Posted by Jon Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:28 pm EDT

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    Maybe this is not the right forum. But I hope FOX doesn't broadcast any BCS games next year. I was getting sick of hearing the bands play after every play. I'm assume the FOX director was in the band during college and probably has some great story from band camp, but during the game I like seeing the talent on the field, players and cheer leaders, not the band members. They can show the band once or twice but not after every play. Plus FOX showed more commercials than they do during the super bowl. If was a horrible broadcast of the game..
  13. two_smellyfeet
    13. Posted by two_smellyfeet Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:38 pm EDT

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    To JJ
    It is unfair to label Oklahoma as "CHOKLAHOMA". To imply that a team chokes, would be to imply that the better team lost, which is clearly not the case in these last 5 BCS games. Oklahoma over the years is very much like Ohio St. They are both overrated teams that always get the benefit of the doubt in the polls. Remember 2003 (losing the Big 12 title game and still playing for the NC) and 2004? I hope that this year will finally cause the pollsters to see Oklahoma as who they really are, an overrated team playing in a weak, watered down conference.
  14. Uncle Grandfather
    14. Posted by Uncle Grandfather Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:59 pm EDT

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    Tim Tebow would be nothing without Percy Harvin. 14 touches for 171 yards.
  15. swanson
    15. Posted by swanson Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:50 pm EDT

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    Ok Utah beat Alabama 17-31 and Florida beat Alabama 20-31 and yet Utah beat up on Alabama in a way Floriday couldn't...Yep 3 more points...big deal! Ok Texas put up 45 against OU, but again OU put up 35 points and how many teams have kept OU under 14 points this year besides Florida...NOONE... Texas lost to Texas Tech earlier in the year whom I believe we saw Ole Miss just destroy! Utah went undefeated and that's great, but if they would actually play somebody then they would get a little bit recognition. Even though they lost to Oregon, USC and Florida are the best 2 teams in the Nation. OU met up with a decent defense and looked what happen...Not so explosive!
  16. jeff b
    16. Posted by jeff b Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:32 pm EDT

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    I am actually a UT fan from Dallas, Texas, and I could go on about how UT is Better than both FL and OU, but that arguement is subjective and so I won't.
    Utah being the only undefeated team and beating Bama more handly than FL did in a big time game speaks for itself.
    In the end, no one can ever know who is No.1 because the BCS sytem makes it virtually impossible to find out. DEATH TO THE BCS...DEATH TO TYRANTS!!!!
  17. Redskins21
    17. Posted by Redskins21 Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:28 pm EDT

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    WHAT A GREAT GAME. expected a high scoring game, but nothing like 2 top defenses going at it, making each point scored that much more valuable. Tebow. I wasn't to sold on the kid, but I have to give him credit. He's a beast and he has my respect, and will probably go down as one of the top 5 players ever over all in college history..We need a Playoffs though.
  18. Danny L
    18. Posted by Danny L Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:35 pm EDT

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    This Game Sucked....and showed why many in the country were talking co-national champions talk. Also why many believed okalahoma didn't belong in the game or florida. florida only loss was at home. okalahoma got beat by texas and the utes, well....they play against average competition. which leaves USC, stuck for another year. At least they got beat on the road. Where the Home team is more likely to inspired football. Especially when you're playing the likes of a USC football team. Oh.. for anyone who says the PAC-10 is weak..5-0 in bowl games baby...WestSide homie.Playoff system now...before the interest the BCS created for college football turns into anger and fans will turn away from the game.
    Go TRoJans!!!
  19. jack
    19. Posted by jack Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:23 pm EDT

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    utah wouldn't last a half with florida, put utah in the sec and let them play an sec schedule and they would be 7-5 at best. get real will ya!
  20. Donnie D
    20. Posted by Donnie D Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:46 pm EDT

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    I think OU and Florida both played well. Florida got the win because they were more healthy. I think OU with Murrey (spelling?) would have dominated the game. Murrey is a star running back that would have probably turned at least one of those runs into a long touchdown. I know injuries are part of the game, but if Harvin was out with the ankle, Florida wouldn't have won. Amazing no one mentioned how much OU missed their star. Hands down to florida though. They handled their business.
  21. Kerry
    21. Posted by Kerry Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:29 pm EDT

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    ALEX a #13, lets think about it, FLA lost to a team that whooped Texas Tech which beat Texas, so no matter how you want to look at it. Texas is just like OU, they fold when they play any decent competition.
  22. wil s
    22. Posted by wil s Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:35 pm EDT

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    I'm sorry. This game was painful to watch. I have never been so bored watching a "BCS Chmapionship" game.
    OU was only effective when they ran the hurry-up offense. Unfirtunately, they didn't stick wth it in the second half because all they did was stand around til the last second then snap the ball. When their running game was working they went away from it too soon. Their receivers, with the exception of #18, were terrible.
    UF was just as bad. They wre able to turn it around in the second half because they made the least amount of mistakes.
    In my opinion, USC would've eaten up both these teams for breakfast!
    On a final note, Tebow is a fantastic college QB, but he will never make it in the NFL. He has all the classic tools of a typical UF QB and as most of you know never translates to the NFL. I hope someone convinces him to switch to a tightend. ASfterall, he is an exceptional athlete, but a pro QB he is not!

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