Posted on 12/03/2006 5:35:58 AM PST by indcons
ATLANTA -- Michigan had its chance against Ohio State and lost. Southern California couldn't even beat its struggling rival on Saturday, so the Trojans won't get an opportunity to play the No. 1 Buckeyes more than a month from now.
Florida is next in line, and after beating Arkansas 38-28 in Saturday night's SEC championship game at the Georgia Dome, the Gators deserve the opportunity to play Ohio State in the Jan. 8 BCS title game in Glendale, Ariz.
Florida finished 12-1 against one of the country's toughest schedules, won its first SEC title since 2000 and lost one game in a conference that is still regarded the sport's toughest from top to bottom.
"We certainly do," Florida coach Urban Meyer said when asked Saturday night whether he believes the Gators should get a chance to play Ohio State. "Florida belongs. The other team had a shot. We went 12-1, and I think the country wants to see the Southeastern Conference champion against the Big 10 champion. I think that's what this is all about."
But because of college football's inept system of determining which two teams will play for the national championship, voters around the country will decide Sunday whether the Gators or Wolverines will play the Buckeyes in the Arizona desert.
(Excerpt) Read more at sports.espn.go.com ...
Ping
Then why has Florida been rated in back of Michigan for several weeks
BTW the last one is just silly, especially considering the the number one team in the nation is the winner the conference.
Michigans loss is as forgivable as it gets, Auburn dominated Fla in their loss.
Take away the three point advantage of home field and Michigan and Ohio State are dead even, the makings of a GREAT game.
"I gather you still haven't read the article. I have even provided an excerpt for your convenience."
Nothing I have written requires me to read the article. Moreover, I'm entitled to form my own opinions. Having said that, yes, I've read the article. Florida is a very good team, as is Michigan.
I'm not weighing in on whether Florida, on the merits, deserves to go. I'm stating an opinion on the rules by which the winner is determined, and an opinion regarding Florida's coach, as well as fans of the SEC. We don't yet even know if he's lost, and yet he's already a poor loser.
By the way, I'm a Buckeye fan, and selfishly I would so much rather my team play Florida than Michigan. It will be great to beat both Michigan AND Florida; and no rational Buckeye fan would want to play Michigan a second time. As you no doubt know, with rivalries like this there is no telling what might happen the second time around.
But to repeat, what I WANT is irrelevant here ...
Michigan is probably the better team, but Florida did what it needed to deserve a shot, and I am a gator hator! This year really calls for a 4 team playoff, at least.
The an$wer e$cape$ me but there mu$t be $ome rea$on.
are you nuts?!!!
Auburn certainly didn't "dominate" Florida! You obviously didn't watch the game. Auburn didn't score an offensive TD and the game changing play was a terrible fumble call by the refs that was obviously an incomplete pass. Florida was able to move the ball on Auburn pretty well, just couldn't finish drives.
Dominate...please.
"Michigan is probably the better team, but Florida did what it needed to deserve a shot, and I am a gator hator! This year really calls for a 4 team playoff, at least."
If Michigan is the better team but Florida goes regardless, then wasn't the Nov 18 OSU-UM game the real national championship game? What do we then call the Florida-OSU game? If Florida wins, what are they, the team that beat the national champions?
If Michigan is the second best team, there is little choice but to send them rather than Florida. And we can argue all during the off-season how to fix the mess we're in.
Actually that is not correct. The final margin was 10, but the game was close to the very end, with Auburn scoring a defensive touchdown on the last play. Auburn never scored an offensive touchdown.
"are you nuts?!!!
Auburn certainly didn't "dominate" Florida! You obviously didn't watch the game. Auburn didn't score an offensive TD and the game changing play was a terrible fumble call by the refs that was obviously an incomplete pass. Florida was able to move the ball on Auburn pretty well, just couldn't finish drives.
Dominate...please."
My goodness. You just have to hand it to fans of the SEC. Pathetic just does not BEGIN to describe their whining. Such wonderful athletes and such cry babies.
HOney, the coach was obliged to speak for the fans, who all they heard were orgasms about ohio and michigan playing again from half time of that actual game, as they each ran up and down the field with little defense. The media decided then they just had to be the best two teams so hey, don't let anyone else have a shot. If USC played ohio or michigan now it would have a great chance of beating either. It was just sickening. at times i would listen to the radio and turn down the sound as the gators played, as they were given no respect.
Fortunately last night at least af few of the commentators i heard saw the light. The rest are probably just hard core big 10 teams. WHAT OTHER CONFERENCE HAD THREE TEAMS IN THE TOP TEN YESTERDAY? hMMMMMMMMMMMM? AND THE GATORS BEAT BOTH OF THEM.
I am glad to see that!
Besides, I want a scenario where Florida beats OSU and Michigan beats USC in the Rose Bowl, thus allowing both teams to proclaim themselves #1 and further throwing the BCS into chaos.
Bring on the NCAA football playoffs!
But that isn't the way it is. That's the point.
Without a playoff system it all comes down to personal judgment and prejudices, particularly in years like this one.
Meanwhile, Urban Meyer is getting slammed by Big 10 fans and their fawning media for "campaigning" for the right to play for the national championship. Lloyd Carr is praised for supposedly staying above the fray.
Meyer recognizes the BSC fraud for what it is: a political decision wearing a computer-ranking fig leaf of "objectivity." In deciding political matters, the campaign element is essential.
After demanding so much from his banged-up and battered team this year Meyer is working his own tail off to get them into the big event. That's loyalty flowing from the top down and potential recruits to the University of Florida are going to notice it.
Personally, I don't expect any team to beat Ohio State in the national championship game. But Florida has as good a chance as anybody, including Michigan which has already tried and failed more convincingly than the final score would indicate.
In any event, an incestuous championship game involving the number one and two teams from the same conference who have already played each other once and settled the matter, is just too tacky for my taste.
Let's give the Gators a chance.
OK maybe dominated was too strong a word I'll revise that to "outplayed" The Michigan OSU game was just about as even as it gets.
I feel confident that Michigan is a better team than Florida. However, Michigan had their shot and lost and the game was not as close as the score indicated. Either way, I don't see the game as being close. OSU should beat UF by 17 and I would think UM by 10.
"Michigan didn't even win its own conference. How is it logical to have a repeat of the Ohio State-Michigan game?"
It is completely logical if you believe that OSU and Michigan are the two best teams in the nation. Wether either team won it's conference is completely irrelvent.
If they're all Florida voters, I'd say they are pretty much screwed.
"why would anybody, except a Michigan fan,
want to see two teams from the same conference,
play in the big one?"
Perhaps those who think OSU and Michigan are the two best teams in the country would like to see a re-match?
BTW, FWIW, I'm an OU fan.
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