It was a late night but sleep is a luxury during football season so the Sunday Blog is up and at ‘em.
I want to tip my hat to the good people who work for the Florida State sports information department. Bob Thomas has always been a class guy and his entire staff was amazing on Saturday.
It was a surreal scene being on the field at the end of the game compared to two years ago when the stands were packed with screaming Seminole fans who were reveling in the end of a losing streak to Florida. It just goes to show you that everything comes around.
THE NOT-READY-FOR-PRIME-TIME
COLLEGE FOOTBALL TOP 25
1. Notre Dame: The Irish deserve credit for an unbeaten season.
2. Florida: Based on body of work, it’s easily the second best resume.
3. Georgia: Dogs are playing amazing football right now.
4. Alabama: Nick Saban could have scored 70 on Auburn if he wanted to.
5. Ohio State: Buckeyes just kept finding a way to win.
6. Oregon: Are the Ducks headed for the Fiesta Bowl?
7. Kansas State: The Wildcats may be heading there as well.
8. LSU: Tigers struggled but pulled out win against Arkansas.
9. South Carolina: That’s four in a row for the Gamies over Clemson.
10. Stanford: That is a really good football team to be ranked this low.
11. Texas A&M: Looks like Johnny Football will win the Heisman.
12. Oklahoma: One game I wish I had seen was Sooners’ win over Okie State.
13. Nebraska: Huskers heading to Big 10ish title game.
14. Florida State: Noles struggled in a physical game.
15. Clemson: So where do Tigers go bowling?
16. Utah State: Go check the resume, it’s pretty impressive.
17. Kent State: Golden Flashes assured of first bowl game since ‘72.
18. Northern Illinois: MAC Championship will be decided Friday.
19. UCLA: Rematch for the Pac-12 title with Stanford.
20. Oregon State: Despite tough second half of season, it was a good one for the Beavers.
21. Vanderbilt: Eight wins for Vandy? Does James Franklin upgrade to a better job?
22. Louisville: Tough finish for the Cardinals.
23. Penn State: You have to give these guys a lot of credit for winning eight games.
24. Texas: Loss to TCU will sting all off-season.
25. Rutgers: Big game Thursday against Louisville.
SEC FOUR-PACK
1. When the SEC haters are out in full force, we try to explain to them how tough it is to go through the weekly grind of this conference. Saturday was the perfect illustration of how this league toughens the hides of its teams. The SEC played the ACC in four games and won them all convincingly. It was especially evident in the Florida-FSU game where Florida was just the tougher team. For the two top teams in the ACC to both lose at home doesn’t do much for that conference’s rep.
2. I don’t know which stat is more impressive — that Steve Spurrier has joined Bear Bryant as the only coach to be the winningest coach at two SEC schools or that Jadeveon Clowney had 4.5 sacks against Clemson. Classic Spurrier after the game — “When we play Clemson, they don’t seem to play well.” And as far as Clowney goes, Spurrier said, “You can’t block Jadeveon one-on-one. We’ve got him one more year. Then we are going to shake his hand and thank him for what he has done.”
3. I see where Texas A&M has decided to let Johnny Manziel talk on a conference call Monday. So basically, it’s a policy unless a guy has a shot at winning the Heisman. Look, I still don’t agree with the censorship of Manziel all season, but it’s not his fault. And his numbers are too impressive not to vote for him.
4. If you are an LSU player or coach or fan, the Florida win had to be devastating. If UF had lost, LSU was likely headed to the Sugar Bowl. Instead, they could fall all the way to the Chick-fil-A. A&M will likely get the Cotton, the league will push for the title game loser to go to the Cap One and then it’s up to the Outback to decide between LSU and South Carolina. Again, it shows how good this league is when a team that lost two games to top five teams by a total of 12 points ends up in the sixth-best SEC bowl.
Can’t wait to hear from all those talking heads who said Florida wouldn’t see the end zone against the nations best defense, YEA RIGHT!!!
What a day for the SEC, pounding 4 ACC teams, need we say more?!
Pat is this the best Gator defense ever? It was seemingly as if everytime Florida needed a big stop this season the defense rose to the occasion. Alot of those guys are gonna play at the next level. Go Gators! Great coaching and a great TEAM effort!
Dear Mr. Doolitle,
Have you already picked the Gators to lose to whoever they play in a bowl game?
I’m sure you will soon.
Your usual routine. Why waste time on analysis. Pick the Gators to lose so if they lose people will think you did some analysis and are smart. And if you are unlucky and the Gators pull through and win the bowl game, you figure, people will be so happy the Gators won that the people won’t focus so mcuh on your lazy, uninformed pick.
After all, your play it safe (secretly pull for the Gators to lose) approach has been working for years. You have pulled this routine so many times (and agin this year against the SOW) over the years it worn out like you.
Who cares who Florida plays in their bowl game, I for one hope it’s Kent St. or the Big East champion, either way, unless you’re playing Notre Dame in Miami, who really cares about any other bowl game. I do hope we suffer no serious injuries, and that all underclassmen return next season healthy and ready to make a serious run at the title; we have three concerns next year, SC, LSU and Georgia. My wish for next season is that Floyd and Elam return, and Aaron Murray turns pro. We get back a healthy Ronald Powell, Dominique Easley and a host of other talent that should make the Gators a pre-season top 5 threat to win it all, Go Gators!!!