SEC powers Florida, Alabama in line for BCS title shot

By David Moorman  |   Monday, November 17, 2008  |  Comments( 1 )

College Football
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Barring unforeseen circumstances, the Southeastern Conference all but has a representative in the BCS national championship game. The only question is whether top-ranked Alabama or third-ranked Florida can give the league a third consecutive national champion.

The two already have clinched their respective divisions to set up a showdown in the SEC championship game on Dec. 6. If they both win their remaining regular-season games, the survivor of their postseason battle will earn a ticket to the national title contest.

It’s possible that either team could stumble before reaching Atlanta on Pearl Harbor Day, but it’s highly unlikely. Florida (9-1) can all but name its score against The Citadel on Saturday before visiting instate rival Florida State in the regular-season finale Nov. 29.

FSU isn’t what it used to be, but anything is possible when instate foes meet. If junior quarterback Tim Tebow has anything to do with it, though, Florida will win. Since Tebow vowed to do everything possible to help the Gators prosper after losing to Ole Miss, 31-30, Florida has been the most explosive team in the country.

During its six-game wining streak, Florida has outscored the opposition by an average of 49.8-10.5. The Gators have scored at least 42 points in five consecutive games to match the second-longest such streak in school history. Tebow must be a prime candidate to repeat as the Heisman Trophy winner if only for the manner in which he makes everyone around him better.
Even if his statistics should fall short of other Heisman candidates, there appears to be no better leader than Tebow.

As for Alabama, it has been resourceful and opportunistic, which is typical of a Nick Saban-coached team. It helps that the offense has a senior at the helm in quarterback John Parker Wilson, but the Crimson Tide wouldn’t be where it is without freshmen Julio Jones and Mark Ingram. Jones, one of the country’s best young wide receivers, has set school freshman records with 43 receptions for 687 yards. Likewise, Ingram has established his own school freshman mark with nine rushing touchdowns.

In beating Mississippi State last Saturday, 32-7, Alabama’s special teams contributed a blocked punt for a safety, a punt return for a touchdown and another one that set up a score.

Alabama has an open date this weekend before playing host to Auburn in its final regular-season game Nov. 29. An upset certainly is possible in the Iron Bowl, and Auburn has the talent to pull it off. Don’t count on it, however.

Ultimately, nothing should stray Florida and Alabama from the collision course that will propel one of them into the BCS national championship game.


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About David Moorman

Dave Moormann is an award-winning journalist, who has covered LSU athletics since 1980. He began his coverage with the Baton Rouge Advocate, where he was a writer and editor from 1980-98. In 1996, he authored a book on the history of LSU football entitled, "Fighting Tigers Handbook: Stories, Stats ...
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