The Florida Gators are the national champions for the second time in three seasons, and in a game that was supposed to be all about the offenses, defense stole the show.
Though the final numbers on the scoreboard don’t reflect it, both teams put up a lot of yards on offense. However, the difference in the game was Florida’s defense. Sure, Percy Harvin racked up 170 yards, and sure Tim Tebow stepped up after throwing two first-half interceptions to lead an inspired second-half performance, but Florida’s defense stood tall to stop Sam Bradford and the Sooner offense from having an explosive night.
They bent, but they didn’t break, and that’s something you can say for many defenses that have faced Bradford in the last two seasons. Is this one of the greatest defensive performances in recent college football history? Sure, Oklahoma got their yards, but when you hold one of the most prolific offenses in college football history to 14 points, it’s a performance worth remembering for years to come. Heck, to hold them to 14 points in a half given what they’d done this season would’ve been an accomplishment, but in a game?
In the end, it may not have fully lived up to the hype and not delivered the shootout that many expected. There were a lot of mistakes on both sides, including costly penalties by both teams. But, it was a close game throughout, until Ahmad Black picked off Bradford in the fourth, and Tebow subsequently drove the Gators down the field for a backbreaking touchdown and the final margin.
As blasphemous as it may be for me as a Seminole to say anything positive about Florida, they were my preseason #1, so for the sake of being right (for once!), I feel pretty good right now.
After the dust has settled and all of the confetti has been cleaned up, the discussions will shift to whether or not Tim Tebow and Sam Bradford will return to school for another season, and on Oklahoma falling short in a BCS bowl for the fifth straight time and in the national championship game for the third straight time.
Bob Stoops has to wonder how he let one get away again, but it’s just a case of Florida being the better team. Given that Oklahoma has made the BCS national title game four times in Stoops’ nine seasons, you can expect them to be back in this situation again before long. Does it tarnish his legacy? No, but when you’re used to getting there, you want to do more than just say, “Oh, we got there, and that’s all that matters.”
I’ll leave it to the resident Gator to really weigh in on tonight’s game (once he sobers up and has time to come down from cloud nine), and while it’s never too soon to look ahead to next year and the possible matchups for the next BCS title game, I’ll save that for another day. For now, it’s time to reflect on what was a great college football season. Oh, and me being right, because lord knows it’ll be a while before that happens again.
