Talkin` Gators, Part III: Final Thoughts From A Florida Fan

by ccmachine on Jan 5, 2009 12:56 PM CST in Football Comment 14 comments

We hooked up one more time with our man Gatorpilot from Orange and Blue Hue, an outstanding Florida fansite, to get his final thoughts on the national championship game Thursday night. You can head over there later this week to find my thoughts for the Gator fans but for now let’s see what Gatorpilot has to say.

CC Machine: What match-up concerns you most in this game?

GP: Bradford vs. Florida's secondary. Our hope is that the UF defensive backfield is the best that Oklahoma has seen this year and that Bradford will have a tougher time getting the balls to his playmakers. This concern has more to do with Bradford's amazing ability and less to do with any fear that our secondary isn't up to par.

CC Machine: Where do you have the most confidence?

GP: Tebow. First, last, and always.

CC Machine: Oklahoma has to play the Gators in the state of Florida. Does that provide UF a little extra advantage and motivation to win a championship in their home state?

GP: We're hoping it will be a home game atmosphere. The weak economy might keep the ratio a little more evenly-distributed than it would be in better years, but the general thinking is that this should be a home-field advantage for the Gators. Most fans who live in Florida can drive to Miami -- the cost of tickets is another matter.

CC Machine: Keys to the game. What must Florida do to win this game?

GP: In our view, Murray's absence hurts Oklahoma most in terms of field position; the other disadvantage comes on third down, where we've found Murray to be one of Bradford's favorite targets, particularly on flare-outs and screens, and/or checkdowns when his primary targets are covered downfield. The question is, can Mossis Madu fill in that role?

So if Florida can get the short field on kickoff, and keep Oklahoma near their 20 when kicking to the Sooners, there's a built-in advantage for the Gators' offense.

During the game, if Florida is able to put Bradford in 3rd-and-long consistently, Florida wins this game. So it comes down to Florida's defense. If they play to their ability we believe the Gators' chances to win the game are reasonably good.

CC Machine: Give us your score prediction.

GP: Florida 42, Oklahoma 34.

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Comments

This really isn't

breaking news here. The only thing he forgot to mention is the winner of the turnover battle should win the game. We know that this is almost a home game for UF…we know that in Tebow they trust…and we know that DeMarco Murray’s loss hurts a little. I’d rather he told us something that we don’t know about their offensive and defensive lines.

by Sooner71 on Jan 5, 2009 3:01 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Yeah

I wish he would have mentioned how he thinks the 4th best QB in the Big 12 is going to score 42 points against an underrated and pissed off OU defense.
But, if Florida does somehow manage 42 points, then they’ll only lose by about 15.

by Dave Sieger's Jumpshot on Jan 5, 2009 4:20 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

HA!

You’re my new favorite person on this site! Playing on your teams, in your systems and against your opponents, Tebow’s numbers would be just as good as Braford’s, McCoy’s or anyone else’s out there. And while I think your defense might be underrated, that doesn’t mean that they’re actually good, it just means that they’re not as putrid as their stats suggest. But thanks, because your belief that the Sooners will score just about 56 points in this game makes me feel a little better about calling a 49-24 Gators romp myself. Let’s just see what the boys have to say about all this talk on the field, shall we?

Here we go again: http://thefulldeck.blogspot.com/

by ejruiz on Jan 5, 2009 4:29 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

On behalf of Gators everywhere...

… we appreciate your sentiments. We truly do.

Keep them coming.

See you Thursday night!

Orange and Blue Hue: The World through GATOR-colored Glasses -- http://www.orangeandbluehue.com

by Gatorpilot on Jan 7, 2009 8:11 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

If you are a believer that Tebow is no better than the 4th best QB in The Big 12, you must have been very disappointed in the 3rd best QBS recent performance (HArrell) .

by realitybitez on Jan 5, 2009 6:18 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Not 4th best

I’m just repeating what Dominique Franks said when he said that they’ve already faced the best three QBs in the land.
Personally, I’d put Daniels and Zac Robinson and maybe Todd Reesing as well ahead of him and let Tebow battle it out with Freeman and Griffin for seventh or eigth best QB in the Big 12.

by Dave Sieger's Jumpshot on Jan 6, 2009 9:21 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

You'd Be Wrong.

But then again, since the only defenses worse than yours that we’ve faced are Arkansas, Hawai’i and The Citadel, I could see why you’d think that.

Here we go again: http://thefulldeck.blogspot.com/

by ejruiz on Jan 6, 2009 9:37 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Well

It’ll be interesting then since the only teams with worse offenses than yours that we have faced were Chattanooga, Washington, and Texas A&M.

Hey, what’s up with your blog link? The one you’ve got there on your posts hasn’t been updated since August 5th. I wanted to read your full breakdown of this 49-24 romp you’re predicting.

by Dave Sieger's Jumpshot on Jan 6, 2009 11:10 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Oops.

I’ve been meaning to take that down, since I stopped blogging a while back. Maybe I’ll pick it up again and I’ll be happy to have you join me over there.

By the way, what measure are you using to evaluate our offense? We’re 3rd in the country in PPG and 17th in total yardage. That’s better than at least half of your schedule, despite the fact that the defenses we’ve faced blow those that your opponents saw clean out of the water. I wasn’t just making my claim up, I was using the numbers…

Here we go again: http://thefulldeck.blogspot.com/

by ejruiz on Jan 6, 2009 1:50 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

We're talkin' bout numbers?

Now you’re just getting all scientific on me with actual numbers and stuff. That’s just mean.
I’m using a revolutionary and very complex formula that I call the OU Factor. I plug the opponent into the equation (Florida) and the computer spits out all the relevant facts: in this case – Florida’s offense is about 10th best among oppenents, 8th best QB if he played in the Big 12 (but could be a backup fullback at OU), Percy Harvin would have to be a walk-on at OU, Urban Meyer would be OU’s special teams coach, and the speed of the Gator defense is highly overrated as is the whole SEC in general.

Don’t ask me to break down the formula for you, because it’s complex and partially faith based in Crimson and Cream colors, but hey, who cares about numbers? Numbers are misleading anyway. See also: Alabama. And, we’ll ask Florida what numbers were misleading after they get spanked on Thursday night.

by Dave Sieger's Jumpshot on Jan 6, 2009 2:45 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

HAHAHA!

See? This is why you’re my new favorite poster! I appreciate your fandom and optimism, misguided as it may be. The funny thing is that if you flip those insane things you said about Florida’s stars and OU’s team to be the other way around, they’d be true.

Oklahoma’s D would be lucky to be 10th best in the SEC, your best defensive player wouldn’t crack the top eight at his position in our conference, Sam Bradford might beat out Brantley for our back-up QB job, none of your WR could even walk on to our team, Bob Stoops was our D coordinator and he’d be lucky if he could get his job back from Charlie Strong, and, finally, Big XII offenses are grossly overrated.

This is all in good fun, no? I actually respect your team, school and fanbase. I wish you luck and all that jazz. I do believe my Gators will beat your Sooners rather handily, but I don’t think it’ll be all that bad. I can’t wait till Thursday night!

by ejruiz on Jan 6, 2009 3:18 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

your post = FAIL

you try to be funny, but it comes off as a ‘Mr. Knowitall’ but with a tinge of obnoxiousness. Then you end each post by being a typical jerk.

FU’s only hope for your inflated numbers indicating a romp will only happen if OU plays with the intensity they did in the past several BCS games. FACT for you homie, the is guaranteed not to happen.

In a tight game with OU having the ball on the last possession, can you remember that stupid SI cover, that is exactly what TBOO’s jaw will be doing, dropping. Meyer’s will drop as well.

OU playing it’s top game, we will get slammed for running up the score. Believe me, if Stoops and his players get the chance to run it up, I guarntee you the will, to shut you peoples mouths, to shut the FEC mouths, To shut UT’s mouths, and to let the media freaks know it is time to kiss off.

Dave has been nice to you. I will not. I have tolerated you for a couple of weeks, never went to any wussy faced FU boards, there’s no need to because the whole world knows what the FEC clowns are going to say before they say it. I letting you talk smack on our site without calling you out.

Good game. Ha ha.

by scarab on Jan 6, 2009 10:20 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Drunk Much?

I hoe you’ve been drinking, cause that’s a sorry excuse for a slam piece. Then again, the “Mrs.” thing just screams junior highschool, so perhaps it’s not alcohol talking… Dave and I were just having some friendly smack talk and you had to come in and make it personal. If you need to know the truth, I think it’ll either be a close game with both teams in the 30’s or a two possesion win for my Gators. I respect your team, school and all that jazz. I hope it’s a good game because I truly believe both of our teams deserve to be there. And if my team does win, blowout or not, I won’t be here to rub your face in it. If anything, I’ll come tip my hat to a worthy opponent and vibrant fanbase. Now, would you do the same? Nevermind, I think I know the answer to that question…

by ejruiz on Jan 7, 2009 6:38 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs