The 2008-2009 college football season has come to an end but a familar theme remains present: the BCS National Championship returns to its rightful home in Gainesville, Florida. Two years ago, the No. 2 University of Florida Gators upset the No. 1 Ohio State University Buckeyes 41-14 in Arizona to win the National Title. The No. 2 Gators reclaimed the National Title on Thursday night with a 24-14 victory over the No. 1 ranked University of Oklahoma Sooners in Miami.
The game featured the last two Heisman Trophy winners in sophomore Sam Bradford of OU and junior Tim Tebow of UF as well as two of the highest scoring offenses in the country. The three big questions entering this game was the health of the Gators dynamic playmaking wide receiver/running back, junior Percy Harvin; if Oklahoma's "average" defense could stop the Gators quick offense and if the Gators quick defense could stop the Sooners high-octane offense.
Harvin played in the game and played well as he accounted for 122 yards rushing and a touchdown while also making 5 catches for 49 yards on an ankle that he said was "90%" healthy. Tebow did not play his best game as he had his first 2-interception game of his career but he still completed 18 of 30 passes for 231 yards and 2 touchdowns while also rushing for 109 yards on 22 carries.
Florida and Oklahoma played a very sloppy first half as the Gators had two turnovers while Oklahoma had one. Both teams high-powered offenses failed to muster more than a touchdown apiece at halftime. UF's defense may have bent during the game but never broke as sophomore free safety set the tone for his team early in the game with a crushing hit on OU senior wide receiver Manuel Johnson. The Gators defense was able to consistently pressure Bradford and came up with two critical goal line stands in the first half along with a fourth down stand by sophomore defensive tackle Torrey Davis. UF was also able to block afield goal try by the Sooners in the Third Quarter. However, the Gators took control in the fourth quarter as Tebow led UF to the go-ahead score on his patented "jump pass" to junior wide receiver David Nelson. Sophomore strong safety Ahmad Black from Lakeland High School recored a key interception that helped put the game away.
Tebow will be returning to the Gators for his senior season and will be looking to lead essentially the same team to another National Championship in the Rose Bowl while also becoming the second player to win the Heisman Trophy twice.
You'll forgive me if I say that those Bradford interceptions were pure stupid luck, not his fault at all.
ReplyDelete