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Johnston column: Gators Can't Capitalize On Chance At Redemption

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Joey Johnston/The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 7, 2007

BATON ROUGE, La. - Opportunity lost.

Massive opportunity lost.

When it mattered most, by the nose of a football.

LSU 28, Florida 24.

Where, exactly, did it get away? Here, a mistake. There, a questionable chain-gang measurement. Here, a carom that turned into a game-altering interception. There, an inability to make the big play at crunch time.

But here's the bottom line for heartbroken Florida.

On a Seismic Saturday in college football, the Gators swung and missed at what would have been an evening-capping shocker.

They couldn't hold a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter against the top-ranked Tigers. The UF defense couldn't get a positive ball spot during LSU's final, frantic drive, which culminated with Jacob Hester's 3-yard scoring run on third-and-goal with 1:09 remaining.

The biggest moment came earlier on fourth-and-1, when LSU coach Les Miles disdained a shot at the tying field goal attempt and went for the victory. Hester appeared to be stopped for no gain, being dragged down from behind by Ryan Stamper.

But after the players unpiled, the measurement said otherwise (barely).

'If it wasn't for second effort by Hester, I don't know if he gets it,' Miles said. 'They LSU players were asking me to bow my neck. They were already bowing their necks.'

Now the Gator-O-Meter is spinning away from the BCS Championship Game, perhaps creeping closer to the Outback Bowl.

After leading throughout the entire game, the Gators nearly put away the Tigers and got everything back. Their top-five ranking. Their swagger. Maybe even a legitimate shot at defending their national championship.

Then it all unraveled.

Madness In The Top Five

What an enormous statement it could have been for Florida.

Before a well-lubricated sellout crowd bent on hostility, in a ferocious night-game setting when many lesser teams might have been challenged just to cross midfield, the Gators nearly left everyone to ponder this:

We're still the champions.

And we're not going away.

But they couldn't finish.

It would have been UF's second-most significant victory under Coach Urban Meyer - kind of difficult to surpass a national championship game, isn't it? - and the perfect ingredient to place the Gators back in the thick of this season's hunt for No. 1.

With Florida in control, other precincts already were decided.

No. 2 USC - beaten (by Stanford, not a misprint).

No. 5 Wisconsin - beaten (by Ron Zook's Fighting Illini, still not a misprint).

One week after coming out flat and losing to Auburn, the Gators were nearly back.

Back in the top-five rankings, more than likely, after the voters shake out Saturday's seismic results. Back in contention for the BCS Championship Game. Back with their swagger in the SEC.

Then it all unraveled.

Diversity In UF's Offense

LSU's defense was surrendering just 39 yards rushing per game. By halftime, Florida already had rushed for 83. The Tigers were allowing 6.4 points per game. By halftime, Florida had 17 points - on three time-consuming, wonderfully executed scoring drives.

'I can't tell you how many missed tackles we had,' Miles muttered to a CBS-TV sideline reporter as he hurried toward the locker room.

Missed tackles? This was about UF's precise play-calling, some conviction by its offensive line and the poise to block out jet-engine noise level at Tiger Stadium.

There was also Tim Tebow, UF's ultimate weapon, the sophomore quarterback who surely appears in the most wicked nightmares of LSU's defensive players. He nearly did it again to the Tigers, baffling them in the first half.

There was a would-be keeper, turned into a touchdown pass, then a 9-yard scoring run on third-and-goal. But the UF offense - finally - wasn't all about Tebow. Kestahn Moore (79 yards) was a rugged runner. Percy Harvin was utilized with creativity. Cornelius Ingram was involved in the passing game. Tebow was asked to orchestrate, not dominate.

'People will say, 'You didn't stuff them,'' Miles said. 'But we were playing a great football team in Florida.'

Florida and LSU could meet again - in the SEC Championship Game at Atlanta. Despite two consecutive defeats, the Gators (4-2) remain in control of their destiny in the SEC East (unless Tennessee wins out, an unlikely prospect).

Large goals are still realistic.

But UF's biggest opportunity - a massive opportunity - was lost.

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