Harvin? Not Out Yet

Maybe it's wishful thinking on Coach Urban Meyer's part, but the Florida coach is not counting Percy Harvin out yet.

The Gators receiver/running back multiple threat suffered a sprained ankle against Florida State and was immediately listed as doubtful for Saturday's SEC Championship Game against No. 1-ranked Alabama.

Monday afternoon, however, Meyer was talking optimistically about Harvin's chances.

"News in the training room today is very positive," he said. "Very positive; a lot of thumbs up including from the player. Big thumbs up. A smile on his face. He's as competitive a human being as I've ever been around. He plays well in this game, he made that very clear to me - a couple of thousand times in the last two days."

Two years ago, Harvin was carried off the field in Tallahassee with a concussion after being hit in the head by an FSU defender's knee. He returned a week later for the SEC Championship Game and was the MVP.

"I think he's doing everything he can possibly do and our training staff is the best in college football," Meyer said. "That's all positive.

"The negative is it's a sprained ankle and we know what sprained ankles mean. We're going to boot him and he will not do anything until later in the week."

HOW DO YOU FIGURE?

Undefeated Alabama is the No. 1 ranked team in the country - according to the AP poll and, more importantly, the BCS.

Florida is No. 2 in the AP and No. 4 in the BCS, which decides the national championship matchup.

Saturday's game is in Atlanta's Georgia Dome - a neutral site. Florida opened as a 10-point favorite.

What's wrong with this picture?

NO. 1 VS. NO. 2

Alabama is No. 1 in The Associated Press poll and Florida is No. 2.

Saturday's meeting will be the 40th game pitting the two highest-ranked teams in the AP poll. The top-ranked squad has a 23-14-2 record in the previous contests.

Alabama and Florida each have been involved in three previous No. 1-vs.-No. 2 matchups, with each going 2-1 in those games.

Also, the game marks the seventh time that teams from the same conference have played each other when ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the AP poll.

The last time it occurred was Nov. 18, 2006, when No. 1 Ohio State defeated No. 2 Michigan 42-39 in Columbus. The Alabama-Florida game marks the first time in SEC history that teams have played one another when ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the AP poll.

DONE IT BEFORE

Alabama will be vying for its league-high 22nd SEC title and first since 1999. Florida will attempt to win its eighth SEC title and first since 2006. Alabama's Nick Saban has two SEC titles; UF's Urban Meyer is going after his second conference crown.

This will be Alabama's sixth appearance in the SEC title game, started in 1992, while Florida is in the game for the ninth time. The Tide are 2-3 in their previous visits to Atlanta, while Florida is 6-2. All of Alabama's appearances have been against Florida, while the Gators also have met Arkansas (1995, 2006) and Auburn (2000).