The clocks fell back and I woke up late after staying up to watch the west coast games so this comes at you a little late. Not that I’m apologizing.
1. The comparisons between Will Muschamp and Ron Zook will never die and one reason is that things keep happening that are so similar. Chalk up one more. The last time Florida beat an Associated press top 10 team when the Gators were unranked was 2004 when Zook beat FSU in his final game as Florida’s coach. Saturday might have been the final game for Muschamp had Florida not won. Instead, he’s getting ready for Vandy and Georgia fan base is left to wonder if Mark Richt is one of those coaches who is really good but can’t find great with a flashlight.
2. Have you see the video of Steve Spurrier’s walk-off press conference? He talked for 45 seconds, announced that he didn’t need to take questions and left the stage. You blow three two-touchdown. fourth-quarter leads in one season and you’d be ticked off, too. The reality is that the Gamecocks could finish with a 5-7 record after being picked in the top 10 in the preseason. And they have five straight games of over 500 yards of offense. So what chances does Lorenzo Ward, South Carolina’s defensive coordinator, have of being retained?
3. Hey, Ole Miss. Welcome to big boy football. Because this is what can happen in big boy football. You build up expectations, celebrate wins and find out it’s a weekly game with heartache around the corner. I’m not sure any team has ever gone through back-to-back weeks like the Rebels have. To lose on what appeared to be the go-ahead touchdown before review and lose your big-play receiver on the play and lose your chances to be in the playoff all in a few seconds, well, the Toddies aren’t so Hotty right now.
4. My friend Scott Carter of Gatorzone.com asked me after the game where I’d put this in a list of improbable or unexpected wins for Florida in its history. Today, I’m ready to answer that question.
1. Houston, 1969. The Cougars had scored 100 points in the previous season and were ranked No. 1 by Playboy.
2. FSU, 1971. Florida was 0-5 and FSU was 5-0. That’s all you need to know.
3. FSU, 2004. Zook’s last game came on the night they dedicated the field to Bobby Bowden and FSU was ranked 10th.
4. Saturday.
5. Alabama, 1987. They unleashed the Emmitt that day in Birmingham as No. 11 Alabama fell.
6. Auburn, 1986. People forget that unranked Florida took down No. 5 Auburn that day and Kerwin Bell was not expected to play. He did.
7. Georgia, 2002. As the teams ran onto the field for Zook’s first game he ran to the wrong bench. Then he took down the 15th-ranked Doggies.
