Alabama 32, Florida 13 (Final); Tide headed to BCS title game. Plus: Owls Owls Owls!

The Miami Hurricanes (9-3), Central Florida (8-4) and Florida State (6-6 but enhanced in a macabre sort of way by Bobby Bowden's retirement announcement) are state big schools off this weekend and awaiting bowl news. By the way, UM athletic director Kirby Hocutt is right, of course. It isn't fair to Miami or Canes fans that the Gator Bowl would bypass The U for a sentimental nod to Bobby Bowden and FSU. If the records were comparable, I could see Bowden factored as a tiebreaker. But with FSU 6-6? No way. An insult to logic, and Hurricanes. Enough rant. On to the large game in Atlanta...

No. 2 Alabama 32, No. 1 Florida 13:

FINAL: What an enormously impressive show by Alabama. Full credit to Nick Saban. Gators with nothing to be ashamed of. Click here for my column off the game from Atlanta.

FOURTH Q: Gators appear ready to score and make you think they might have a miracle comeback in them -- then Tebow is intercepted in the end zone! ..... Mark Ingram blasts in from 1 and Tide no with a commanding 32-13 lead early in final quarter after failed two-point conversion pass. Ingram's third TD of night.

THIRD Q: Tide about to score again as quarter ends ..... Greg McElroy 17-yard TD pass to tight end Colin Peek gives Alabama a 26-13 lead. Gators seemed to have momentum for a while, but Tide just grabbed it back.

SECOND Q: Gators draw within 19-13, settling for FG after 59-yard Tebow pass to Riley Cooper had given UF a first at Tide 21 ..... Mark Ingram counters for Tide, goes 69 yards to Gators 3, then scores and Alabama up 19-10, 3:32 before half  ..... Tim Tebow 23-yard TD pass to David Nelson after two nice runs by Tebow. Gators within 12-10. New ballgame, children ..... Bama adds a FG for a 12-3 lead with 6 minutes left in half. Tebow & Company being dominated so far, "so far" being the key pharse there.

FIRST Q: Gators finally on board and within 9-3 with 28 seconds left in quartter ..... Oh my. Mark Ingram bulls in from the 7 and Alabama is in charge early, 9-0, after blown extra point kick.

PREGAME: Prediction: Gators 27, Tide 17 ..... Very cold in Atlanta. Temps in 30s with biting wind. I have never been happier to be inside a dome ..... Crimson Tide appear to have slight edge in number of fans.

Original post:

Here's a challenge for most South Floridians. UM fans were raised to hate Gators. Dolphins fans came to hate Nick Saban. So who are you rooting for? Or who are you the least against? Most major sporting events are not as big as they think they are. They're overhyped. Not this one. This is 1 vs. 2. This is 12-0 vs. 12-0. This is winner plays for the national championship and loser feels crushed. It's Urban Meyer vs. Saban. It's Tim Tebow vs. Mark Ingram for the Heisman. It's just about as big as sports gets. I'll be there, by the way. At this point in my career, most assignments feel like work. This one feels like a gift. Gators a 5 1/2-point betting favorite. That line feels fat to me, although I do think Team Tim will find a way to win if not cover. (Winner here would play No. 3 Texas in the BCS national championship game assuming the Longhorns beat underdog Nebraska Saturday night).

Other state-college FBS Division 1 games:

FAU 28, FIU 21: So what if the now 5-7 Owls and 3-9 Golden Panthers are bowl-less and bad? It was the Shula Bowl! It's the budding local rivalry between contemporaries and it's special and it matters. Dammit. FAU has dominated the brief history of this series, now leading 7-1,. Howard power! Owl power!

Connecticut 29, South Florida 27: USF's Bulls now 7-5 and bowl-bound, but you'd have been forgiven rooting for a UConn squad in it season finale playing through the recent murder of Miamian Jasper Howard.

COTE'S TOP 30-PLUS

Rank Team Points (Last week)

1  FLORIDA   1,257   (1)

2 Texas    1,202   (2)

3 Alabama    1,186   (3)

4 Boise State  995   (4)

5 TCU 913   (7)

6 Louisiana State     900   (6)

7 Southern Cal 898   (5)

8 Ohio State    861   (8)

9 Cincinnati     855   (9)

10   Penn State   838   (10)

11   Virginia Tech    778   (11)

12   Georgia Tech   691   (13)

13   Oklahoma State   690   (12)

14   Iowa    639   (14)

15   Oregon    625   (16)

16   MIAMI     613   (15)

17   Brigham Young    519   (18)

18   Oklahoma    480   (17)

19   Mississippi 429   (19)

20   Pittsburgh   428   (21)

21   Houston 422   (20)

22   California     392   (22)

23   Utah   354   (23)

24   Nebraska    282   (24)

25   Kansas  246   (25)

26   Georgia  197   (26)

27   Oregon State 181   (30)

28   Notre Dame    163   (27)

29   North Carolina     162   (28)

30   Wisconsin 147   (29)

34   SOUTH FLORIDA    116   (32)

40   FLORIDA STATE   77   (40)

Comments

[scUM]

fau SUCKS!!!

[Jose]

I strongly dislike the Gators but I absolutely despise Nick Satan! For one game, and one game only, I hope the Gators kick some serious behind in the GA Dome today.

[Diggity Dave]

I hate Saban much more.

[GoOwls]

GO OWLS!!!

[Tom]

Bama to beat the Gaygotors and then lose to Texas in the big game. That would be a perfect end to this perfectly shitty season.

[Tom]

FSU taking a spot in the Gator Bowl is an outrage. I am very supportive of Bobby Bowden but if he accepts this slot I will lose most, if not all, of that respect. Bowl games are rewards to players for their seasons and FSU has not earned their way into that game.

[U-M fan]

i dislike saban but hate the gators very much i rather alabama win i hope they get distroyed and honestly think they will bamas defence is no joke. gators are not that good and will be exposed today.

[r. duke]

I can't root for Saban. I can't! I can't! I think Henne will be ok but some insurance from draft wouldn't hurt.

[THE ANTI CHRIST]

I'am sorry, But if I have to hear Lil Timmy Tebow thank his lord and savior i'll puke brimstone.... ROLL TIDE ROLL or should i say Hail Saten, I mean Saban.....

[Gonzalo]

The Anit Christ is a complete idiot!!! Satan is the correct way to spell the word!

[THE ANTI CHRIST]

MY bad Gonzalo, i stand corrected "HAIL SATAN"............

[THE ANTI CHRIST]

And I will be looking for you soon sir...

[r. duke]

Congrats anti christ. It would appear that the Lord hath forsaken the Virgin Tim Tebow. You're right Tebow prays enough to even get on God's nerves. I don't like Saban but I do so love a dominate running game...

[GATOR NATION ARE BITCHES!]

They are getting DOMINATED!!! TEABOW is gone and The U is Back!!! IT's Great to be a MIAMI HURRICANE!!!! 5>3!!! 32-13!!!!

[Don]

Well my fellow Cane fans you shouldn't be paying attention to the Gators losing. What you should be focusing on is the fact that in 3 years Nick Saban has Alabama on the verge of a national championship and in Randy Shannon's third year we are here bickering about the worthless Gator Bowl!!!! How the mighty have fallen!!!! If we don't go to a BCS bowl next year Shannon must go!!!! I would let him go into the final year of his deal next year without an extension. If he succeeds reward him handsomely if he fails fire him.

[the shadow knows]

boys,

USC exceeded the three losses i had down for them by losing to arizona. taylor mays is a horrible free safety in pas coverage and will be a linebacker in the pros. after tonight, i am reasonably sure that colt mccoy will win the award. toby gerhart had a better year running than mark ingram.

[JC]

Don, Bob Stoops won in this third year and hasn't won since. The three year thing is a coincidental and fluky number. Moreover, Saban had a ton of head coaching experience and Shannon had none. Also, Shula left some talent and Coker left none. I'm not saying as a Canes fan I'm thrilled with 9-3, but the trend is the right direction. Its not like they could have won a national title this year with so many undefeated teams and starting unranked. Miami can't afford the uber hyped coaches, and besides, Miami makes the coach, the coach does not make Miami.

More importantly, it SUCKS to BE a Florida Gator!

[TheSergeantMajor]

Hey Greg,

I agree w/ Tom if Bowden and company do indeed accept a bowl greater than what FSU deserves. Bowls should be about the kids, not the coaches. I don't care who's retiring. No coach is above the players and above the spirit of what college football is supposed to be.

Coaches are there to win games by mentoring, teaching, molding, developing, and serving young collegiate athletes. Bobby did that pretty well through all his years. He has a legacy; he doesn't need anything more. He must know what folks at Miami are saying, and that Miami players rightfully earned a spot over his Seminoles, but that Miami might be denieda spot in Jacksonville (if said bid were offered of course) because people want to hold a final retirement party for Bowden.

I'm hoping that FSU does the right thing, but I'm not holding my breath. I know all about the $$$ thing. Money talks and you know what walks. If the shoe were on the other foot though, I wouldn't want my Hurricanes playing over a more deserving team in the same conference. Randy Shannon would never do that. I too will lose a measure of respect for FSU and Bowden if this all goes down as is being reported.

I believe UM President Donna Shalala should fire off a letter to the FSU President with fairness as her theme. If the FSU President, along w/ Bowden's blessing, have the power to let this reported bid go, but don't, then Miami should use this as bulletin board material for years and years to come.

[the shadow knows]

men,

texas is looking pathetic against nebraska, which is looking equally pathetic against the longhorns on offense. shutting texas out for any length of time is good, but the longhorns are about to get the ball on the 40.

[the shadow knows]

boys,

it didn't look to me like #12 got in, but he disappeared into the pile. i think UT will need another play.

[the shadow knows]

boys,

guess not!! nebraska with 29 yards in the half so far; will they get to 50?

[the shadow knows]

fellers,

WR drops a 75 yard TD that would have sealed nebraska's fate!! texas ain't showing much but the cornhuskers have a less than high school offense.

[Tom]

The GayGotors sucked......the world is right again. Next year 7-4 at best. They are returning to their rightful place in college football. Unranked.

[rogperu]

gators wont matter for 10 yrs !

[Jimbo]

Jacory Harris couldn't carry Tebows jock and you guys know it. 3 Championships, Heisman trophy, etc. Trying to drag down the Gators ain't gonna make the mediocre Hurricanes any better.

[Jimbo]

Texas had a hard time with Nebraska,, come on,,, Nebraska. Alabama is going to roll over Texas by 30 pts in January.

[Jimbo]

shadow, my guess is Mark Ingram gets the Heisman this yr.

[Tom]

Jimbo

Tebow is gone and so are all the players that made up those 3 championship teams. Gators are headed back to mediocrity. This has nothing to do with making the Canes better.

Ok so who wins the Heisman? Tebow off that horrible performance? McCoy off of almost making the dumbest mistake in the history of college football? Mark Ingram off a very good but not great game? Did Tebow and McCoy play themselves out of the trophy last nite? Does Gerhart get it? It's gonna be interesting.

[the shadow knows]

Jimbo,

texas is not gonna get destroyed by alabama. texas has been finding ways to win in big games- 2 rose bowls and last year's fiesta bowl, and mack brown is an excellent coach. nebraska had a very, very good defensive plan and and #93 played one of the finest games an interior DL has played in years. as mentioned, one dropped pass that wouldhave made it 17-6 would have put the game away. i'll take the longhorns and the points and straight up.

[the shadow knows]

Tom,

i am glad you saw that mark ingram had a "pedestrian" game against florida running; cj spiller and toby from palo alto had better years than he did. as did dion lewis of pitt, quiz rogers of oregon state and many other runners; mark ingram is good, but wait till next year for him.

[Jimbo]

shadow, I think after Florida, Alabama, LSU, Texas is a distant 4th and the 3 schools of TCU, Boise State, Cincinnati are further down the tier. Have to argue that Oregon is better then the previous 3 mentioned. Texas' schedule is weak comparatively speaking to ACC, Pac 10, Big Ten and particularly SEC. Nebraska? comm'on, U can dress up a pig, but it's still a pig. Alabama's O line and team speed will kill any hope Longhorns have at competing.

RB Ingram is my guess on the Heisman this yr. The bigger arena, higher ranked teams play a role in who is selected.

Tom, if what your saying about Florida's drop off after this season,, Urban Meyer packs it in for Notre Dame.... just a long shot theory but hey.. what else we gotta talk about?

I'd be upset if I were a Canes fan and FSU was awarded a better bowl because of Bowdens impending forced retirement send off.

[Tom]

Jimbo

As you know I've been very critical of FSU for how they have handled Bobby Bowden. It's an outrage. But if he accepts an undeserved bowl bid away from team that earned it on the field(and it's not just the Canes because this has a ripple effect), I will lose a lot of respect for him and FSU. I'm sure they will take the bid, but he'll regret it because of the negative reaction that will follow.

[Jimbo]

Tom
as always.. good point and your right. However, there looms the possibility that he would take the game for one last shot at winning a bowl game. The reasons wouldn't be selfish but to generate $ for the school and give his players a chance to play on New Years.

[the shadow knows]

Jimbo and Tom,

A) don't underestimate texas

B) a year in which five schools went undefeated is amazing!

C) bobby bowden taking a spot that he doesn't deserve (6-6!! lost to miami at home!!) is absurd and the ACC officials ought to be embarassed for even considering this.

[Jimbo]

shadow,

A) sorry buddy, still don't agree with ya and if I knew ya I'd bet $100 on that game, you taking Texas straight up?
B) true that.
C) I think this is a sentimental showing for a guy who got kicked to the curb. There are a lot of embaressed people looking to cushion Bowdens departure. Can't argue allowing a 6-6 team a bowl game either, just pointing out why they are considering it.

D) Mack Brown is an excellent coach. Big 12 is a Junior Varsity Conference, ain't no sugar coating that one at all.

[oscar_g]

New name for UM - University of Miami Crying Babies