Sugar Bowl UC.vs. Florida [Archive] - RedsZone.com - Cincinnati Reds Fans' Home for Baseball Discussion

SunDeck

01-01-2010, 10:49 PM

I'm starting to see why Quinn hasn't gotten a head coaching job in the past, the play calling on offense has been horrible.

Isn't he UC's offensive coordinator?

Anyway, I am not watching this game, partly because I can't take the stress, partly because I stayed out late and need to get some sleep before working tomorrow, but mainly because I just can't see how UC can compete defensively. Hope I'm surprised in the morning.

Redsfan320

01-01-2010, 10:50 PM

Another pathetic drive. Pike sacked on the 1st, incomplete on the 2nd and 3rd downs; 4th and 18, punt. This is ridiculous.

320

Joseph

01-01-2010, 10:51 PM

Negative rushing yards....yikes.

CTA513

01-01-2010, 10:51 PM

UCs offense did nothing again and the defense will continue to have problems until they get players that fit the type of defense they are trying to run.

CTA513

01-01-2010, 10:52 PM

This game might be over before they even get to the second half.

Reds4Life

01-01-2010, 10:53 PM

Isn't he UC's offensive coordinator?

Anyway, I am not watching this game, partly because I can't take the stress, partly because I stayed out late and need to get some sleep before working tomorrow, but mainly because I just can't see how UC can compete defensively. Hope I'm surprised in the morning.

In name only, he was the OC. Brian Kelly called the plays himself on offense.

George Foster

01-01-2010, 10:54 PM

Florida will not call off the dogs....they could score 60.

Officially a blow out... Brian Kelly would not have made that much of a difference.

Redsfan320

01-01-2010, 10:55 PM

I think we can now officially call this a "blowout".
Absolutely pathetic.

320

redhawkfish

01-01-2010, 10:55 PM

Florida is getting pressure with only 3 rushers! Pike is having to throw into double and triple coverage.

George Foster

01-01-2010, 10:57 PM

Florida wants to finish #2 in the final polls. They will score a lot to make that happen.

CTA513

01-01-2010, 11:17 PM

UC finally scores but its only a field goal then they quickly give up a long TD pass to make it 30-3 Florida.

This game is pretty much over unless UC can get the Saints to play for them in the 2nd half.

dabvu2498

01-01-2010, 11:17 PM

Welcome to our world, Bearcat fans.

Scrap Irony

01-01-2010, 11:25 PM

Welcome to our world, Bearcat fans.

Yep. Florida's been doing this for decades to the lower echelon of SEC squads. Tebow looks absolutely phenomenal throwing the ball-- maybe the best of his career.

traderumor

01-02-2010, 12:07 AM

Boy, I've seen this script before. Sorry, Bearcats fans. :(

flyer85

01-02-2010, 12:23 AM

they have been unmasked tonight

macro

01-02-2010, 02:12 AM

Florida wants to finish #2 in the final polls. They will score a lot to make that happen.

Florida is the second-best team in the nation, so they should be #2 in the polls. I'm guessing it will go to the winner of the Fiesta Bowl, but you never know.

If nothing else, the outcome of this game makes me feel a bit better about UC not getting chance at the National Championship game. Had they beaten Florida, we would always have wondered if they could have been champions, and forever would have had to live with the fact that a 13-0 season wasn't enough to give them a shot at it.

HeatherC1212

01-02-2010, 02:20 AM

That game was painful to watch tonight. :( After the great Rose Bowl win by the Buckeyes I was hoping the Bearcats could at least hang tough with Florida but I guess it just wasn't meant to be. I feel bad for the Bearcat fans who were down there watching in person, although most of them might have drunk themselves to a point where they weren't even paying attention to the game in the second half, LOL :laugh:

KronoRed

01-02-2010, 03:43 AM

What a great game http://lastperson.suncircle.org/Smileys/default/Woohoo.GIF

Boston Red

01-02-2010, 05:44 AM

Florida did the same thing to UC's defense that UConn, Illinois and Pitt did. Florida just happened to play on the other side of the ball as well.

Razor Shines

01-02-2010, 06:48 AM

Florida is the second-best team in the nation, so they should be #2 in the polls. I'm guessing it will go to the winner of the Fiesta Bowl, but you never know.

If nothing else, the outcome of this game makes me feel a bit better about UC not getting chance at the National Championship game. Had they beaten Florida, we would always have wondered if they could have been champions, and forever would have had to live with the fact that a 13-0 season wasn't enough to give them a shot at it.

I really don't think you guys are giving Texas or Nebraska for that matter enough credit, but I guess we'll have some of an idea after the 7th.

paintmered

01-02-2010, 08:05 AM

My thoughts from the sixth row last night:

Florida is legit and they played with something to prove. UC was moving the ball early, but some penalties and a sack later they were down 9-0 and panicked. And the rout was on.

Florida fans were talking lots of serious smack about the big east after the game. Is there a conference champion they play who they don't beat by 20? I still have them as two touchdowns better than Texas.

Urban Meyer knows how to keep it claasy. You call those plays with a minute left against your alma mater. As far as I'm concerned, he's disowned from the family for that crap.

The PA announcer was the worst I've ever heard. Just awful.

New Orleans is a fun town and I'm glad I made the trip.

GAC

01-02-2010, 08:06 AM

Florida is getting pressure with only 3 rushers! Pike is having to throw into double and triple coverage.

When you basically don't have a running game to speak of this is what I expected one of the best defenses in the country to do.

Believe me.... I am no Florida (Meyer) fan, and wanted the Bearcats to win or at least do well in this game; but I left the family get-together at halftime because it just wasn't looking good.

I woke up this morning to check the final score because I knew that Meyer would not call of the dogs regardless.

As far as I'm concerned, and I stated this a few weeks ago, the Bearcats played the 2nd best team in the nation. The SEC Championship game was the NC game IMO.

LoganBuck

01-02-2010, 09:10 AM

My wife wanted to know why Rush Limbaugh was wearing a UC shirt and headset during this game.

Good season UC. Start prepping for Oklahoma.

OSUredsFAN

01-02-2010, 10:58 AM

As far as I'm concerned, and I stated this a few weeks ago, the Bearcats played the 2nd best team in the nation. The SEC Championship game was the NC game IMO.

Most people said the same thing after the 2006 OSU-scUM game, and look what happened......I'm just saying, don't count out Texas

HokieRed

01-02-2010, 11:04 AM

Not only is UC unmasked but maybe also Brian Kelly. Will be interesting to see if he can actually do much more than anybody else recently at ND. Where would UC finish in the SEC?

Sea Ray

01-02-2010, 11:17 AM

Boy, I've seen this script before. Sorry, Bearcats fans. :(

The SEC does this to teams...

Roy Tucker

01-02-2010, 11:34 AM

Unfortunately, this game went about as I thought. I was hoping UC's offense would show better. I just didn't see how UC's defense could compete. Just a total dismantling.

And actually, I think Brian Kelly would have made some difference. I thought UC was way too high and playing out of control in the first quarter. I think Quinn didn't have the faintest idea how to prepare the team and control them. They came out with entirely too much bravado and bluster and not enough discipline and focus. Making your head coaching debut against a top echelon SEC team and best coach in the country can make you look pretty bad.

But ultimately, I don't think it would have mattered. They might have been able to make a game of it for a half, but UC just doesn't have the horses for Florida. Very few teams do.

Caseyfan21

01-02-2010, 11:42 AM

Most people said the same thing after the 2006 OSU-scUM game, and look what happened......I'm just saying, don't count out Texas

I think Texas will beat Alabama. I know I'm in the minority on that one but I think it will happen.

Scrap Irony

01-02-2010, 12:09 PM

Where would UC finish in the SEC?

I'm guessing middle of the pack. A solid nine or ten win team this season, depending on their schedule. Though their lack of talent defensively may have meant a couple more losses.

2009-10 UC reminds me a little of UGA's Matt Stafford-led squads, in that they could score in bunches. (Though their team speed is below that of the Bulldogs and they have nothing close to Moreno.)

Caveat Emperor

01-02-2010, 01:12 PM

The PA announcer was the worst I've ever heard. Just awful.

I've never heard a PA announcer before who couldn't enunciate well enough to distinguish between "Pass is complete" and "Pass incomplete" -- he was atrocious. It's not the same guy I remember from my Tulane years, and I hope to heaven that Saints fans don't have to endure him on a weekly basis.

Other thoughts from the game:

- This team looked exactly like a team that didn't have a head coach and had assistants who were playing things out for a game check and had flights booked to Indiana or New York once the game was over.

- I'm now very happy that Jeff Quinn did not get the head coaching job. The playcalling was absolutely horrible. We were sitting in the stands and wondering if Kelly had taken his playbook to South Bend with him. Too many designed roll-outs (why shrink the field when your top WR operates best on the run and in space?), not enough quick passes, and every run play seemed slow-developing. It was just a bad gameplan for a team like Florida.

- UC has no playmakers on defense. They got through the season on 50% luck and 50% the strength of their offense. To compete at the proverbial next level (which, for UC, the next level is the elite 5-10 teams in college football), they simply need more talent on defense than they've had. They lack the DBs to play press coverage, which is a must against guys like Riley Cooper, who don't want to play physical football. They lack the front-7 to pressure the passer. They don't do anything well, and last night it got exposed.

- It's been said before, but I'll say it again -- UC's band stinks and it's an embarrassment to the university that they put it on the field for games. It sounded like a pep-band compared to Florida. If you aren't going to do it right, leave them at home because it makes the school look mid-major.

Otherwise, I had a fun time in New Orleans. Looking forward to next year's road trip to Arizona when UC gets the crap beat out of them in the Fiesta Bowl. :thumbup:

Hoosier Red

01-02-2010, 01:40 PM

The SEC does this to teams...

Really? The SEC does this? UK would have done this? How about Mississippi State? Do you think South Carolina would have put up half a hundred on UC?

Florida does this, Bama would have done this. UC would probably beat the rest of the SEC teams.

KoryMac5

01-02-2010, 02:00 PM

Really? The SEC does this? UK would have done this? How about Mississippi State? Do you think South Carolina would have put up half a hundred on UC?

Florida does this, Bama would have done this. UC would probably beat the rest of the SEC teams.

LSU wouldn't have done it either. :thumbup: UC was a good team that lost their head coach, that ran into a great college QB playing his last football game, for a coach that is going to be taking some time off for health problems. You could have never scripted this scenario. It was the perfect storm that the Bearcats ran into.

I truly believe that Cincy is a top 5-7 college team this year that a majoruty of teams would have had trouble with. Until we get a playoff I don't think we will ever know what teams would have done what. It's all just speculative.

kaldaniels

01-02-2010, 02:06 PM

LSU wouldn't have done it either. :thumbup: UC was a good team that lost their head coach, that ran into a great college QB playing his last football game, for a coach that is going to be taking some time off for health problems. You could have never scripted this scenario. It was the perfect storm that the Bearcats ran into.

I truly believe that Cincy is a top 5-7 college team this year that a majoruty of teams would have had trouble with. Until we get a playoff I don't think we will ever know what teams would have done what. It's all just speculative.

Of course it's all speculative...I'd have UC in the 12-15 range myself.

KronoRed

01-02-2010, 03:27 PM

Urban Meyer knows how to keep it claasy. You call those plays with a minute left against your alma mater. As far as I'm concerned, he's disowned from the family for that crap.

Uh huh, UC certainly didn't stop trying to score so why should Florida? if the shoe had been on the other foot I bet UC isn't taking a knee at the end.

Caseyfan21

01-02-2010, 04:18 PM

- It's been said before, but I'll say it again -- UC's band stinks and it's an embarrassment to the university that they put it on the field for games. It sounded like a pep-band compared to Florida. If you aren't going to do it right, leave them at home because it makes the school look mid-major.

Yeah, I was watching it on TV and I was thinking "Really, that's the size of your band?" when they first came out. They were small and sounded small. I would have assumed they would be better based on the CCM's reputation. I guess a lot of those music majors don't concern themselves with marching band.

dougdirt

01-02-2010, 04:32 PM

Not only is UC unmasked but maybe also Brian Kelly. Will be interesting to see if he can actually do much more than anybody else recently at ND. Where would UC finish in the SEC?

Third. The rest of the SEC hasn't looked all that good in the bowl season have they? Auburn almost lost to Northwestern. South Carolina is being shut out at half time against UCONN. LSU lost to a Penn State team who had 0 top 25 wins this year (though I do believe PSU is a quality team). Kentucky lost to Clemson. Georgia beat up a .500 Texas A&M team. Tennessee got blown out by Virginia Tech. The two teams at the top of the SEC are incredibly good. The rest of the conference this year was ho-hum.

Reds4Life

01-02-2010, 04:40 PM

Uh huh, UC certainly didn't stop trying to score so why should Florida? if the shoe had been on the other foot I bet UC isn't taking a knee at the end.

:rolleyes:

They were up by 27 points with 8 seconds left, the game is over. There is no point in running the ball. Take a knee. Classless move by Meyer.

Alabama could have scored again against Florida in the last minute of the SEC title game, but Saban called off the dogs. Think Florida fans would have been happy if Bama tacked on another 7 there? I don't.

KronoRed

01-02-2010, 04:58 PM

:rolleyes:

They were up by 27 points with 8 seconds left, the game is over. There is no point in running the ball. Take a knee. Classless move by Meyer.

Alabama could have scored again against Florida in the last minute of the SEC title game, but Saban called off the dogs. Think Florida fans would have been happy if Bama tacked on another 7 there? I don't.

Sorry, but I don't see classless, I see a 4th string running back who doesn't get to play often getting some carries on national TV, it's the other teams job to stop them, taking a knee IMO is more of an insult, if Bama had scored again I would not have cared, who would care? a loss is a loss.

jojo

01-02-2010, 05:10 PM

The SEC does this to teams...

The SEC is really, really top heavy this season. There is Alabama and Florida. LSU is a distant third. Then there is the rest of the league lumped together each roster having some significant flaws. Don't come ready to play and they can womp you but most of the 2009 SEC is beatable.

But really it's Florida and Alabama. Truthfully, Florida is the best team but they have a couple key guys out either because of stupid or an injury and they just absolutely failed to execute in the SEC title game. They are an explosive/dangerous team in all aspects of the game. Alabama has some issues but they executed flawlessly in the SEC title game. Still, if not for a dropped swing pass and a miracle open field tackle by their punter, Bama would've been down by 8 to Florida at the half....

Florida is the best team in college IMHO. I think a Cincy/Alabama game might have been more compelling.

paintmered

01-02-2010, 05:12 PM

Yeah, I was watching it on TV and I was thinking "Really, that's the size of your band?" when they first came out. They were small and sounded small. I would have assumed they would be better based on the CCM's reputation. I guess a lot of those music majors don't concern themselves with marching band.

CCM strongly discourages their students from playing in the band. Believe it or not, the band grew about ten perecent from last year and is improved overall. There is a very long way to go and they are largely neglected by the university.

KoryMac5

01-02-2010, 05:30 PM

:rolleyes:

They were up by 27 points with 8 seconds left, the game is over. There is no point in running the ball. Take a knee. Classless move by Meyer.

Alabama could have scored again against Florida in the last minute of the SEC title game, but Saban called off the dogs. Think Florida fans would have been happy if Bama tacked on another 7 there? I don't.

Classless or not that is college football these days. If you don't beat your opponents by 20-30 pts you lose a spot or two in the ranks. I don't like running it up myself but this is what the rankings and BCS have created.

Boston Red

01-03-2010, 08:36 AM

The SEC does this to teams...

UConn beat South Carolina 20-7 yesterday. The Big East does that to teams.... (makes about as much sense).

Sea Ray

01-03-2010, 12:31 PM

Really? The SEC does this? UK would have done this? How about Mississippi State? Do you think South Carolina would have put up half a hundred on UC?

Florida does this, Bama would have done this. UC would probably beat the rest of the SEC teams.

You're right. There's 12 teams in the SEC and even though ten of them made Bowl games, not all twelve would have blown out UC. But as you admit, two of the SEC teams would have and no other conference can say that. As for how many SEC schools could beat UC, I agree with what was posted earlier. UC would be in the middle of the pack in the SEC, which is not to diminish UC's season. I for one enjoyed it immensely.

Boston Red

01-03-2010, 12:34 PM

UC would be in the middle of the pack in the SEC.

If by middle of the pack you mean third, I agree.

Sea Ray

01-03-2010, 12:35 PM

Third. The rest of the SEC hasn't looked all that good in the bowl season have they? Auburn almost lost to Northwestern. South Carolina is being shut out at half time against UCONN. LSU lost to a Penn State team who had 0 top 25 wins this year (though I do believe PSU is a quality team). Kentucky lost to Clemson. Georgia beat up a .500 Texas A&M team. Tennessee got blown out by Virginia Tech. The two teams at the top of the SEC are incredibly good. The rest of the conference this year was ho-hum.

A Texas A&M team that nearly beat #2 Texas.

No SEC team is as good as Alabama or Florida but so what? Very few teams are. Ten teams in Bowl games is very impressive. You really can't do better than that. That's an incredible feat for a 12 team conference

Sea Ray

01-03-2010, 12:37 PM

UConn beat South Carolina 20-7 yesterday. The Big East does that to teams.... (makes about as much sense).

Yeah. 20-7 resembles 51-24. I get it...

Sea Ray

01-03-2010, 12:41 PM

The SEC is really, really top heavy this season. There is Alabama and Florida. LSU is a distant third. Then there is the rest of the league lumped together each roster having some significant flaws. Don't come ready to play and they can womp you but most of the 2009 SEC is beatable.

Take the top two teams out of any league in college football and the rest will have serious flaws. One of those teams with serious flaws easily could have beaten #1 Alabama (Tennessee). They also played Florida very close. Due to injury, the team that we saw in the Peach Bowl vs Va Tech was not the same, but those middle of the road SEC teams are awfully tough.

Boston Red

01-03-2010, 12:42 PM

Yeah. 20-7 resembles 51-24. I get it...

In the end, it's pretty much the same. Neither game was ever in doubt.

Sea Ray

01-03-2010, 12:44 PM

If by middle of the pack you mean third, I agree.

I was agreeing with this written earlier:

I'm guessing middle of the pack. A solid nine or ten win team this season, depending on their schedule. Though their lack of talent defensively may have meant a couple more losses.

Sea Ray

01-03-2010, 12:49 PM

In the end, it's pretty much the same. Neither game was ever in doubt.

I disagree. The PapaJohn's Bowl was 13-0 entering the 4th qtr. The Sugar Bowl was 13-0 in the first qtr on the way to a 5 TD deficit at halftime. I see a difference, you apparently don't, but disagreements are what this Board is all about...:beerme:

jojo

01-03-2010, 12:50 PM

A solid ten win season would make Cincy 3rd in the SEC....just saying...

You won't find a bigger SEC fan than me but this year, it was a very top-heavy conference. Auburn for instance, won 8 games basically without a senior class....

Boston Red

01-03-2010, 12:58 PM

I disagree. The PapaJohn's Bowl was 13-0 entering the 4th qtr. The Sugar Bowl was 13-0 in the first qtr on the way to a 5 TD deficit at halftime. I see a difference, you apparently don't, but disagreements are what this Board is all about...:beerme:

I agree about the disagreements (as strange as that sounds), but entering the fourth quarter South Carolina had about as good a shot at winning that game as UC did entering the fourth quarter in New Orleans (i.e. none).

dougdirt

01-03-2010, 01:47 PM

A Texas A&M team that nearly beat #2 Texas.

No SEC team is as good as Alabama or Florida but so what? Very few teams are. Ten teams in Bowl games is very impressive. You really can't do better than that. That's an incredible feat for a 12 team conference
A bunch of teams made it to the bowls, but beyond the first two teams there was one other good team all year in the league, LSU and then several solid teams.

Oh, and its also the same Texas A&M team who lost by 50 to Kansas State and 55 to Oklahoma. They were 6-7 this year. The fact that Georgia rolled them up shouldn't impress anyone. They weren't a good team this year.

Caveat Emperor

01-03-2010, 02:12 PM

Take the top two teams out of any league in college football and the rest will have serious flaws. One of those teams with serious flaws easily could have beaten #1 Alabama (Tennessee). They also played Florida very close. Due to injury, the team that we saw in the Peach Bowl vs Va Tech was not the same, but those middle of the road SEC teams are awfully tough.

Tennessee also got 23 points hung on them by Ohio University. What's your point? They don't play consistent football. That's the very definition of 'mediocre.'

OUReds

01-03-2010, 02:37 PM

Tennessee also got 23 points hung on them by Ohio University. What's your point? They don't play consistent football. That's the very definition of 'mediocre.'

Hey now! We won the MAC East and went to a bowl! There's no shame in giving up a few points to the Bobcats!

Sea Ray

01-03-2010, 03:03 PM

Tennessee also got 23 points hung on them by Ohio University. What's your point? They don't play consistent football. That's the very definition of 'mediocre.'

My point is that a "mediocre" SEC team very easily could have beaten the #1 team in the land.

Point #2 is that they had a lot of serious injuries to its defense and that's why it doesn't look like the same team it was in early October

Caveat Emperor

01-03-2010, 03:27 PM

My point is that a "mediocre" SEC team very easily could have beaten the #1 team in the land.

Point #2 is that they had a lot of serious injuries to its defense and that's why it doesn't look like the same team it was in early October

And if Florida had a bad game on Friday (as Alabama did when Tenn. played them), UC probably could've hung close with them too.

HokieRed

01-03-2010, 03:32 PM

I do think you have to take into account the cumulative pounding a team will take in the SEC (something that used to be true in the Big 10). It causes you to end up losing games you might think, in the abstract, that you'd win. I think UC would go .500 through an SEC schedule but would find it hard to do better.

BuckeyeRed27

01-03-2010, 03:45 PM

I think UC would go about .500 in the SEC, but if they played in the AFC West would probably go 12-4.

jojo

01-03-2010, 03:50 PM

And if Florida had a bad game on Friday (as Alabama did when Tenn. played them), UC probably could've hung close with them too.

Or as they did (Florida) on Dec 5th.

I'd say Ohio State and Cincy would be pretty evenly matched and both would probably be #3 in the SEC this year.

MWM

01-03-2010, 03:58 PM

Good lord, if anyone wonders why folks have grown so incredibly weary of hearing about the SEC, look no further than this thread. Florida beats UC soundly and somehow this is because of the SEC. Hilarious!

The strength of the SEC can't stand on its own. It gets diminished when people try to make these kinds of silly arguments.

jojo

01-03-2010, 04:04 PM

HokieRed

01-03-2010, 06:07 PM

dabvu2498

01-03-2010, 06:16 PM

I've great respect for the SEC and think UC also had a great season--I say this so as not to get identified with anybody's argument here. One note, though: having 10 teams get to bowls means zilch; everybody goes to a bowl anymore--it depends more on the way you set up your non-conference schedule than on anything else.

Quite alot of truth to that. SEC could've had 11 bowl-eligible teams if Miss St. had watered down their nonconference schedule a bit.

Win 2 SEC games and have a weak nonconference schedule and you're in. Of course, that's the same way in most conferences.

*BaseClogger*

01-03-2010, 06:55 PM

Hey now! We won the MAC East and went to a bowl! There's no shame in giving up a few points to the Bobcats!

And they fought hard in the Little Caesar's Pizza Bowl! :)

Caveat Emperor

01-03-2010, 07:01 PM

My take: Florida womped Cincy because Florida is the best team in the country talent for talent and Cincy just didn't match up.

This pretty much sums it up.

OnBaseMachine

01-03-2010, 07:12 PM

I think UC would go about .500 in the SEC, but if they played in the AFC West would probably go 12-4.

LOL. I would give you 100 points of rep if I could.

Good lord, if anyone wonders why folks have grown so incredibly weary of hearing about the SEC, look no further than this thread. Florida beats UC soundly and somehow this is because of the SEC. Hilarious!

The strength of the SEC can't stand on its own. It gets diminished when people try to make these kinds of silly arguments.

Yep.

IslandRed

01-03-2010, 10:03 PM

Good lord, if anyone wonders why folks have grown so incredibly weary of hearing about the SEC, look no further than this thread. Florida beats UC soundly and somehow this is because of the SEC. Hilarious!

I remember back in the '90s, when FSU and Florida were playing epic games nearly every year, it didn't matter how the game came out. If Florida won, it was because they were battle-tested from playing tough SEC games every week. If they lost, it was because they were worn out from playing tough SEC games every week.

But I guess that's how it is for most fans. Top Team barely squeaks past Midpack Team? If it's your league, it proves how tough Midpack Team is. If it's some other league, it proves Top Team is overrated.

Cyclone792

01-03-2010, 10:20 PM

Just got back from New Orleans earlier tonight.

First, while I'm glad I visited New Orleans and got to experience Bourbon Street and the New Year's atmosphere, I can also say that I probably wouldn't be disappointed if I didn't make another trek down there.

On to the game, and this seemed like a pure example of a game won and lost on the line of scrimmage. Florida had a massive advantage on the line on both sides of the ball, and they were able to exploit that advantage very well. I saw that advantage opening up in the first quarter, and I immediately thought that UC was going to have to be +2 or better in the turnover battle to win the game.

Florida's defensive line put an immense amount of pressure on Pike - the most pressure he's seen since Virginia Tech last year - and that's pretty much the only way to slow down UC's offense. And unfortunately, the Gators could get a fair amount of pressure. Pike was scrambling around, and most of their effectiveness was in short, quick passes. Due to the pressure and Florida's line, UC didn't have much of a chance to open up and go down field all that much.

Defensively, UC's line was pretty much pushed around. Tebow had all day, and he just picked the secondary apart. This was pretty much the type of game where it'd have been nice if we still had Barwin, Byrd and last year's secondary, because at least then we'd have had some chance to slow Florida down. But games aren't won and lost on what ifs, and those guys are gone.

I thought the two biggest missed opportunities early on was UC's first drive which stalled due to stupid penalties, and then Pike just absolutely missing Binns on the trick play. UC was moving the ball on their first drive, and they were likely going to at least get a field goal on that drive before penalties killed it. If Pike sees Binns wide open on the following drive, that's a touchdown. Right there were 10-14 missed points, and while UC lost by much more than that, it'd have been nice to have had that hot start early on.

OUReds

01-03-2010, 11:00 PM

And they fought hard in the Little Caesar's Pizza Bowl! :)

Heck yes!

The most important thing, however, is that it has been 1,505 days since that school in Oxford has defeated us in football!

Sea Ray

01-03-2010, 11:25 PM

Win 2 SEC games and have a weak nonconference schedule and you're in. Of course, that's the same way in most conferences.

Exactly. The SEC schedules the same as any other conference.

If it's so easy to get ten teams into Bowls then why doesn't it happen very often? It's never happened in the SEC before. I'm not aware that it's ever happened before in another conference.

For those of you who poo who the SEC, fine, but at least acknowledge that they've done something that's rarely if ever been done before. Sending teams to Bowls helps the conference. It pads their coffers and looks good to recruits.

dougdirt

01-04-2010, 01:21 AM

Exactly. The SEC schedules the same as any other conference.

If it's so easy to get ten teams into Bowls then why doesn't it happen very often? It's never happened in the SEC before. I'm not aware that it's ever happened before in another conference.

For those of you who poo who the SEC, fine, but at least acknowledge that they've done something that's rarely if ever been done before. Sending teams to Bowls helps the conference. It pads their coffers and looks good to recruits.

No one poos on the SEC. They just don't pretend it the greatest thing since the invention of fire either. Some SEC fans sure seem to think that way.

paintmered

01-04-2010, 01:29 AM

Sea Ray

01-04-2010, 11:05 AM

No one poos on the SEC. They just don't pretend it the greatest thing since the invention of fire either. Some SEC fans sure seem to think that way.

This is the hey day of the SEC so that is to be expected. I think the SEC slipped a notch this year but they couldn't expect to continue as they have the last few years.

Caveat Emperor

01-04-2010, 02:39 PM

On the way out of the game, I overheard some Florida fans who were actually angry that UC didn't put up a better fight. To quote one of them, "This is what happens when you play (explicative) UCONN and not a real schedule!" The irony is not lost on the team he chose for his example.

We heard the same thing. I had one guy curse me out when I had the audacity to suggest that maybe, if HIS team had put up a better fight against Alabama it wouldn't be such an issue.

traderumor

01-04-2010, 02:52 PM

This is the hey day of the SEC so that is to be expected. I think the SEC slipped a notch this year but they couldn't expect to continue as they have the last few years.Maybe so, but I still find all the conference superiority arguments pointless. For the most part, teams have to build their program to compete where they are going to play 80% of their schedule if they hope to have any type of success. Trying to determing what a current roster of some team would do in the current context of another conference is just not how it works, as I have seen attempted to "rank" OSU and UC if they were in the "mighty" SEC. Well, if they were in the SEC, those programs would likely have a different recruiting strategy.

For example, imagine an SEC team trying to slog around in the muck and mire more regularly like LSU was forced to in the Capital One bowl, or UF to play a cold weather game in the Midwest with a bunch of boys from the Southeast. Kinda leveled the playing field, and actually swung it in favor of Penn State, who had experience playing in foul weather.

That is one thing the NFL has over the NCAA, whereby sometimes a warm weather team, that is built for optimal field conditions, ends up in a late season or playoff game without the personnel to play in tough weather conditions. This rarely, if ever happens in the NCAA.

I know these are not new arguments, but that is why "conference strength" arguments are really fruitless exercises, whereby there is really no objective measurement to back up these arguments.

paintmered

01-04-2010, 06:57 PM

Maybe so, but I still find all the conference superiority arguments pointless. For the most part, teams have to build their program to compete where they are going to play 80% of their schedule if they hope to have any type of success. Trying to determing what a current roster of some team would do in the current context of another conference is just not how it works, as I have seen attempted to "rank" OSU and UC if they were in the "mighty" SEC. Well, if they were in the SEC, those programs would likely have a different recruiting strategy.

For example, imagine an SEC team trying to slog around in the muck and mire more regularly like LSU was forced to in the Capital One bowl, or UF to play a cold weather game in the Midwest with a bunch of boys from the Southeast. Kinda leveled the playing field, and actually swung it in favor of Penn State, who had experience playing in foul weather.

That is one thing the NFL has over the NCAA, whereby sometimes a warm weather team, that is built for optimal field conditions, ends up in a late season or playoff game without the personnel to play in tough weather conditions. This rarely, if ever happens in the NCAA.

I know these are not new arguments, but that is why "conference strength" arguments are really fruitless exercises, whereby there is really no objective measurement to back up these arguments.

A good example of this is the annual USF dive once they enter Big East play. That team simply can't play in cold weather.

Another example is UC's defense. They're built to stop (or this year, slow) a zone-read or spread offense. Undersized but fast. That doesn't work against balanced offenses (see Florida, Pitt and UCONN). But it's effective against USF and WVU.

Also, I didn't want to give the impression that many of the Florida fans were pretentious blowhards. Many of them were quite respectful and enthusiastically cheered for their team.

*BaseClogger*

01-09-2010, 02:59 AM

Heck yes!

The most important thing, however, is that it has been 1,505 days since that school in Oxford has defeated us in football!

I don't like where this is heading haha... :)

GAC

01-09-2010, 05:41 AM