Mr2Bits
Gator Fan
By Robbie Andreu
Staff writer
An impressive four-game winning streak has opened potential paths to the BCS National Championship Game for Florida.
There is a lot of ball to be played yet, and there are all kinds scenarios that could play out over the next month. But the Gators, sitting at No. 5 in the latest BCS standings, clearly are in a position to make a run at Miami.
Veteran Sun football beat writer Robbie Andreu takes a look at what has to happen for the Gators to reach the national title game:
1. Win out
This is the one thing Florida can control. If the Gators beat Vanderbilt (to clinch the Eastern Division), South Carolina, The Citadel and Florida State, then defeat No. 1 Alabama in the SEC Championship Game, there's a good chance UF would emerge as the highest-rank one-loss team in the final BCS Standings. If that occurs, there's even chance for a 12-1 Florida to leapfrog 12-0 Penn State, which does not play in a conference championship game. The key here is the Gators need Alabama to win out also and enter the SEC title game ranked No. 1. A win over No. 1 in the SEC Championship Game would carry a great deal of weight. If Alabama doesn't win out, it's going to be tough for UF to finish in the top two in the BCS standings.
2. Everybody loses one
If Alabama, Texas Tech and Penn State all lose a game down the stretch, it would really scramble the standings and leave possibly Utah and Boise State as the only undefeated teams remaining in the standings, and neither will have the computer rankings to rise into the top two spots. Still having to face Oklahoma State and Oklahoma (in Norman), Texas Tech will have a tough road to finish undefeated. The team that appears least likely to lose is Penn State, whose toughest remaining game is Saturday at Iowa. But if Penn State is upset and Alabama and Texas Tech also fall, there's a good chance we'd have a Florida-Texas matchup in Miami.
3. Chaos
Things really went crazy down the stretch a year ago, so there's a chance a number of unexpected things could happen over the closing weeks if things get way out of whack again. What if Alabama loses to LSU, then to UF in Atlanta, Penn State falls to Iowa, Texas Tech loses two games (which is possible) and Texas takes a tumble? Crazier things have happened. If the Gators stay the course and win out and lots of weird things happen at the top of the standings, it's off to Miami for Florida. The whole key for the Gators is they have to win out. Another loss would cripple their chances.
Staff writer
An impressive four-game winning streak has opened potential paths to the BCS National Championship Game for Florida.
There is a lot of ball to be played yet, and there are all kinds scenarios that could play out over the next month. But the Gators, sitting at No. 5 in the latest BCS standings, clearly are in a position to make a run at Miami.
Veteran Sun football beat writer Robbie Andreu takes a look at what has to happen for the Gators to reach the national title game:
1. Win out
This is the one thing Florida can control. If the Gators beat Vanderbilt (to clinch the Eastern Division), South Carolina, The Citadel and Florida State, then defeat No. 1 Alabama in the SEC Championship Game, there's a good chance UF would emerge as the highest-rank one-loss team in the final BCS Standings. If that occurs, there's even chance for a 12-1 Florida to leapfrog 12-0 Penn State, which does not play in a conference championship game. The key here is the Gators need Alabama to win out also and enter the SEC title game ranked No. 1. A win over No. 1 in the SEC Championship Game would carry a great deal of weight. If Alabama doesn't win out, it's going to be tough for UF to finish in the top two in the BCS standings.
2. Everybody loses one
If Alabama, Texas Tech and Penn State all lose a game down the stretch, it would really scramble the standings and leave possibly Utah and Boise State as the only undefeated teams remaining in the standings, and neither will have the computer rankings to rise into the top two spots. Still having to face Oklahoma State and Oklahoma (in Norman), Texas Tech will have a tough road to finish undefeated. The team that appears least likely to lose is Penn State, whose toughest remaining game is Saturday at Iowa. But if Penn State is upset and Alabama and Texas Tech also fall, there's a good chance we'd have a Florida-Texas matchup in Miami.
3. Chaos
Things really went crazy down the stretch a year ago, so there's a chance a number of unexpected things could happen over the closing weeks if things get way out of whack again. What if Alabama loses to LSU, then to UF in Atlanta, Penn State falls to Iowa, Texas Tech loses two games (which is possible) and Texas takes a tumble? Crazier things have happened. If the Gators stay the course and win out and lots of weird things happen at the top of the standings, it's off to Miami for Florida. The whole key for the Gators is they have to win out. Another loss would cripple their chances.
