Tonight's BCS Championship Game displayed a fine exhibition of college football at its best. The Florida Gators prevailed over the Oklahoma Sooners 24-14 in a game most experts picked correctly as a close Florida win. What few certainly expected was such a low-scoring game between teams that averaged 45 (Gators) and 50 (Sooners) points a game.
There was a high level of skill at all positions. The lines, linebackers and offensive and defensive backs and ends were sharp and well-coached. Even the punters were excellent. It's easy to see that the top programs in college football have their pick from among the premium athletes. Without a "draft order" such as pro sports teams have, the top 12-15 schools can corner a very high proportion of the nation's best high school talent.
After watching parts of most of the 34 bowl games this year and seeing what other schools had to work with, the difference is clear. The players at this level are not only bigger, but the big guys have agility that the ones at lower levels don't. The receivers consistently make tough catches in traffic. The quarterbacks have arms strong enough to get the ball far downfield and to zip it through tight coverage. And the ball carriers and defensive backs have lightning in their legs.
What is predictable and rather disappointing is how the commentators award practically all the credit to the offense, and the quarterback in particular. Oklahoma typically gives up about the same number of points Florida scored on them in this game. They lost not because Tim Tebow, who played a grittily effective game, led the Gators to 24 points but because the Florida defense held the nation's highest-scoring offense led by Heisman-Trophy-winning quarterback Sam Bradford to only two touchdowns. Oklahoma this year averaged 35 points by halftime!
The Oklahoma attack looked highly efficient in the beginning but ground down. Early in the game Florida stuffed it in four tries at the goal line. Later they blocked a field goal. At a critical juncture a defensive back showed cobra reflexes in ripping a reception out of the hands of an All-American end as both hurtled though the air for a drive-killing interception.
The game was suspenseful and close because the defenses kept both explosive offenses under control most of the time. They had to earn every yard tonight, and even when big plays moved the ball down the field, more often than not the defenses dug in and refused to give up a touchdown. In a game like this I wish they'd give a little more love to the defenders--tonight's unsung heroes.
2 comments:
I feel that late game interception was the key play of the game. The way Oklahoma was moving the ball at that time, I think they would have scored, probably taking the lead.
As it was, the momentum moved the other direction and Florida was able to drive down and score the deciding touchdown. It was a great game.
Utah is a deserving #2.
I think you're probably right about the key play. I can't argue with Utah #2, either, though it could as easily be USC or Texas.
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