TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

In This Crazy Season, Don't Count UF Out

ADVERTISEMENT

By Mick Elliott, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 21, 2007

Updated: 10/21/2007 12:15 am

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Why not?

In a college football season long ago voided of logic and convention, two losses isn't a death sentence. It's a full-color, glossy-paged resume. After Saturday's 45-37 victory against eighth-ranked Kentucky, the Florida Gators are 5-2. Does anybody really want to tell them the rest of this season could best be spent working on table manners?

Not Florida coach Urban Meyer. His message could not have been more contradictory. Sitting home last weekend watching television while his team was enjoying an open date, Meyer sprang from his easy chair when No. 1 LSU fell to upset-hungry Kentucky and immediately began speed dialing his way through Florida's roster.

The coach's messages were brief - what, no weekend plan? - but filled with purpose.

'I sat there for an hour just calling our players,' he said. 'Making sure that they, first of all, are living right, and second to be sure they understand the opportunity that's there for them.'

By the slim chance someone didn't understand coachspeak, Meyer's message pointed out that still there for the taking is another SEC championship. And no telling what else.

After Saturday's head-spinning shootout with Kentucky, the Gators are one of five teams in the SEC East with two conference losses. What makes UF different, however, is that by winning out the Gators can make their way back to the SEC title game.

By then, who knows? No. 1 Hawaii, the nation's last undefeated team, gets upset by East Utah Methodist and what's a two-loss season? That's easy. Brilliant.

We interrupt this programming to bring you a call for sanity.

'You go look at those young guys in our locker room and if we're worrying about anything other than going to Jacksonville next weekend against Georgia, then you are mistaken,' Meyer preached. 'Yes, it's wide open. It was wide open last week; who beat who. Just take care of business.'

Florida did that Saturday. At least for the most part.

Kentucky football no longer is the Kentucky football opponents had come to know and love. The Wildcats jumped to No. 8 in the rankings after taking out LSU last week, and showed no signs of the predicted emotional drain expected.

At least, not if rolling up 512 yards of offense is not operating on an empty tank.

Nevertheless, Kentucky could never get over the hump against the Gators.

Did You Hear That?

In the strange land that is the nation's top 10, the Wildcats' fans seemed to still be in the process of understanding what meaningful college football game days are all about.

The game could not have been much bigger. ESPN's 'GameDay' was in town broadcasting from outside the school library. Tickets were in red-hot demand, to a point police were looking for counterfeits. When Big Blue Madness, UK's annual evangelical tip-off to basketball practice, was held last week, football coach Rick Brooks received the loudest ovation.

Yet, the noise that rose from Commonwealth Stadium throughout the afternoon was more a muffled plea than an encouraging roar.

Florida beat the yell out of them.

'If they drive down and score a touchdown, you've got to answer,' quarterback Tim Tebow said. 'It can get out of hand, especially with an offense and quarterback like that. You can't let them get momentum.'

Florida locked shut a lot of jaw muscles among the record crown of 71,024.

Anything Kentucky did, Florida answered just a little bit better.

Wildcats quarterback Andre' Woodson did nothing to hurt his Heisman hype, completing 35 of 50 passes for 416 yards and five touchdowns. Tim Tebow did much to help his Stiff-Arm Trophy chances, throwing for four scores and running for another.

Took Their Best Shot

Kentucky took its first possession 78 yards for a 7-0 lead; Florida scored on its next ownerships, Tebow throwing touchdowns of 10 yards to Cornelius Ingram and 66 to Louis Murphy.

Kentucky kicked a field goal with 2:38 left in the second quarter to get within 14-10. Florida's Brandon Jones returned the ensuing kickoff 61 yards to the Wildcats' 38 and Tebow threw his second-annual jump pass for a 1-yard touchdown to tight end Aaron Hernandez with 14 second left in the half for a 21-10 lead.

When the Wildcats closed to 31-24 at the end of three quarters, Florida answered by using more than six minutes to go 80 yards in 12 plays. Three times the Gators overcame first-and-15 situations to keep the drive alive.

And finally, after Kentucky rallied yet again to close to within one TD with 3:35 left the play, Tebow answered with a 57-yard drive that iced the victory.

'When it gets down to one score, that's when the ulcers and the gray hair start,' Meyer said. 'That's when you have to match them and our offense did a heck of a job. We had to.'

He's right. Three losses is going to be a stretch.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT