It All Comes Down to This
It's been a long season, as it always is. And while there are other teams across the nation (namely Texas) that believe they have the right to compete for the nation's title, it will be #1 Oklahoma and #2 Florida duking it out in Miami for top honors this year. As many predicted, OU's Sam Bradford nabbed the Heisman over fellow QB Tim Tebow as the top college player, but neither will have that on their mind as the Title is now within reach for both field generals.
While both defenses are clearly capable units, this one should really shape up to be an offensive battle. The Gators and the Sooners have compiled some truly impressive offensive stats-it's just a matter of who shows up come January 8th. Oklahoma holds the advantage in nearly every major offensive category (with the exception of rushing yards) and you can thank Tebow for the advantage there. Bradford is not nearly as mobile as the Gator junior, but he more than makes up for it with his arm. This year's Heisman winner eclipsed Tebow by nearly 2,000 yards through the air and threw for 20 more touchdowns, while committing only four more interceptions. But the danger Tebow poses on the ground is certainly something Bob Stoops' squad will be contending with for all four quarters. At the size of a typical NFL linebacker, Tebow has proven he is a force to contend with, and will do whatever it takes to put the ball in the end zone-as proven by his 12 rushing touchdowns.
Unfortunately for the Gators, their quarterback is their biggest ground threat, while Oklahoma has a pair of backs that are likely to give the Florida defense even more to worry about. The Sooners' dynamic duo of Chris Brown and DeMarco Murray combined for over 2,100 yards rushing and 34 touchdowns-roughly twice that of Florida's backfield of Chris Rainey and Jeffery Demps in both categories. The Sooners' offensive numbers are frankly impossible to overlook. They were first in the nation with a staggering 54 points per game, shattering Hawaii's previous record for most points in a season. In addition, Oklahoma hung over 61 points on their last six opponents they faced, with their last three regular season games featuring teams ranked #2, #12, and #20 in the nation.
The Gators have amassed some momentum of their own, however, and will be looking to keep things going in their Title run. Florida is currently riding a 9-game winning streak after dropping a heartbreaker to Ole Miss, and finished the year toppling then-ranked #1 Alabama 31-20 in the SEC Championship game-a win that certainly put their confidence at an all-time high.
While the much maligned BCS system has been criticized as it is every year, it has truly produced a monster match-up between arguably the two best teams in the nation. With so much talent on both sides of the football, this year's winner is nearly impossible to predict. But one thing is certain-this one will keep college football fans on the edge of their seats until the final snap.
"That's the big picture look. What's being said around campus and by the alumni? For Oklahoma, click here. For Florida, click here