Posted November 27, 2001

Next few days loom large for Gators, Hurricanes

-- The Big Game is Saturday. That's all you need to say. Nothing more, nothing less. Everyone knows what those five words mean: Florida-Tennessee.

With the game having been moved to the last game of the season because of the events of September 11, it sets up a winner-take-all showdown between the No. 2 Gators and No. 4 Volunteers in the Swamp. Incredibly, this game is not even the talk of the town as much as The Battle of Twisted Knee. See Florida, FSU game for earlier details.

Florida once again has been dealt a favorable hand by Lady Luck because of Colorado's unbelievable thrashing of Nebraska and Oklahoma State stunning defending national champion Oklahoma. A win against the Vols, who have not won in Gainesville since 1971, would set up a match-up with either Auburn or LSU in the Southeastern Conference Championship game in Hotlanta. From there, it would be a trip to the Rose Bowl for the National Title.

Ah, but that's not all. Now the Miami Hurricanes are right where they thought they deserved to be all along, No. 1 in the regular season football polls and No. 1 in the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) poll, a.k.a., the poll that really counts. (Florida is currently No. 2 and Tennessee is No. 6.) The Canes now hold their own destiny in their hands and all things being equal, Miami looks like a lock to be the first team to smell the Roses.

We all laughed at the Canes' weak schedule at the beginning of the season, how anybody could smoke Penn State, Rutgers, or Pittsburgh. When Boston College game Miami all it could handle, the pundits figured they were bound to stumble, it was just a matter of time.

Then Miami showed everybody why they are No. 1 and THE favorite to win it all. The Canes only thrashed No. 13 Syracuse 59-0 and No. 12 Washington 65-7. No big deal. Just business as usual.

Unreal.

There is just one more obstacle for Miami to hurtle, Michael Vick U. Virginia Tech is champing at the bit to get a piece of the Hurricanes and they can't wait to send Miami home with an "L" and no Rose Bowl.

Not gonna happen. Miami is playing too good right now and I'd be flabbergasted if the Canes didn't do the Hokie-Pokie all over the Fighting Gobblers, let alone Va. Tech actually winning the game.

So, the best case scenario for the state of Florida is to have the Hurricanes and Gators both win out and meet for all the marbles under the California sun. You talk about a no-holds-barred, knock-down, drag-out, this is it. After the Brawl on Bourbon Street at last year's Sugar Bowl, these teams were hoping they'd get a chance to meet again before they start regular season play in 2002. Two-high powered offenses going toe-to-toe. Both defenses among the top among NCAA Div. 1 teams. Beautiful. I'll certainly be glued to the set for that one.

One final note to think about. With all of the upsets we've seen this season, here is an interesting question to ponder: What would happen if,

Miami loses to Virginia Tech?

Florida loses to Tennessee, then Tennessee loses to Auburn or LSU?

Texas loses to Colorado?

Oregon loses to Oregon State?

Answer: Nebraska and Colorado would meet for the National Title, although Miami could likely squeak in despite one loss. If all that happens, I'll put salt on my Kansas hat and bite into it.