AP
ATHENS, Ga. -- Florida's 31-30 loss at home to unranked Ole Miss raises two questions:
1. Did the Gators make a mistake by attempting a Tim Tebow run on fourth-and-inches instead of a field goal just shy of 50 yards?
2. How does Florida's loss Saturday change the way we view USC's defeat Thursday at Oregon State?
The answer to the first question is no. After West Virginia's loss at Colorado nine days ago, I wrote that the Mountaineers should have run their best play with their best player at the moment of truth. I still believe that. Tebow is Florida's best player, and his history suggests that he is nearly automatic on fourth-and-short. Florida dared Ole Miss to beat its best play, and the Rebels were up to the challenge.
The answer to the second question is more complicated. What should happen is that USC and Florida fall an equal amount because each team lost a game it shouldn't have against an inferior opponent. What probably will happen is that USC will be punished more severely for losing to a team in what is perceived as a relatively weak Pac-10. Florida, by virtue of its membership in the SEC, won't take as much of a hit because, as we sportswriter-types always tell you, anybody can beat anybody in the SEC.
While the SEC is the better conference top-to-bottom, it isn't so much better that it deserves a double standard. USC lost on the road to a program that has won three bowl games in the past four seasons. Florida lost at home to a program that hasn't played in a bowl game since Eli Manning's senior season in 2003. Had Florida lost to LSU or Georgia, that defeat probably wouldn't have killed the Gators' national-title hopes provided they could win out. The Ole Miss loss should. National champs should not lose at home to three-touchdown underdogs.
Of course, last year's national champ lost a pair of regular-season games, so none of this may matter by November. But I get the sneaking suspicion that pollsters will end up deciding who plays in the national title game by quality of losses, not quality of wins. Instead of style points, teams will be judged on who beat them. If the SEC champ has a loss to Georgia, LSU, Auburn, Alabama or Florida, bienvenido a Miami. If the Big 12 champ has a loss to Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri or Texas Tech, come on down. So where does that leave USC? We'll have to wait and see how Oregon State performs the rest of the season before passing judgment.
Taylor Walker
Deanna Clover
Steals of Home since 2000
Steve McNair: 1973-2009
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Staples is probably right about this loss ending Florida's chances, but OKLA has been beaten by non-ranked teams in each of the past two years (I think) and may suffer the same fate. Unfortunately it is hard for any team to come off a big win and play up to par the next game. Maybe we will see a season like last season. And soon we will start hearing from teh small fry who have played no games against top teams (like Hawaii last year) that they deserve a shot at the title.
CharMit
Las Vegas , NM
Total Comments (1717)
A lot is going to depend on the rest of the top-5 tonight - if there are any more top-5 losses, especially if LSU loses, I don't think they will fall too far, if Oklahoma blows TCU away, and LSU wins big, with a Georgia win over Alabama, Florida and USC are both done. IF one of those teams loses, especially Oklahoma or LSU, I believe Florida still has a chance, especially when you look at how Ole Miss has played them the past 5 years or so.
jzholloway
Thomaston, GA
Total Comments (2)
Florida should fall a couple of places behind Ohio State, USC should fall to a couple of places in front of Ohio State. Ohio State lost to the number one team in the country on the road whereas USC lost a road game to an unranked opponent and Florida lost AT HOME to an unranked opponent. These are the three highest ranked teams to lose to this point and this is how the next rankings should play out.
At this point on Saturday (5:45 PM), USC should fall to #11, Ohio State should be #13 and Florida #15.
We'll see just how fair and consistent the pollsters are going to be this year.
Dink
eff ewe
Newark , OH
Total Comments (36)
I agree with some sportcaster last year that the polls should not even start until 5 games into the season. You always have good teams who loose early in the season who wound up back in the thick of the BCS race. You also have good teams who falter late in the season who get locked out. I think USC is out regardless of what they do. The PAC10 is weak and they do not have a conference championship game like SEC and BIG 12. The Big Ten will slip in there before USC. By the way, would anyone like to see today's Ohio State team play USC again? The point is take care of business each week and at the end of the season, you will be in the right place....
Chicago Sooner
Total Comments (12)
I agree that they should both fall out of the top 10, but only if the other teams in the 10p 15 take care of business.
jzholloway
Thomaston, GA
Total Comments (2)
I agree that the same standards should apply to all, including the SEC and Big-12. Despite Tebow and Harvin being stars, Florida does not have the depth among returning players as UGA and LSU, suggesting the Gators have been somewhat overrated. The Georgia-Alabama game and two ensuing SEC matches will show whether Georgia is for real. LSU vs Florida and two other SEC opponents will do the same. If both teams get through the next three weeks undefeated (hardly a given), we will have a truly monumental game in Baton Rouge on Oct 25. Losses by either team will suggest we have parity among the SEC elite. A win by LSU and their only serious remaining test is Alabama. A win by Georgia and they still have to get past Florida, Kentucky, Auburn, and Georgia Tech. Then, there's the SEC championship game, with Georgia or Florida likely facing LSU or Alabama. Whew, show me another conference this tough.
Dog in Tigerland
Baton Rouge , LA
Total Comments (27)
whew...the fact that you included Kentucky and Gtech just shows how sec biased you are. florida just lost to a pathetic ole miss team, auburn had a whopping 3-2 win against miss st, and you're talking about how tough the sec is. they play practically no one out of conference and rely on the "we have to because the sec is so tough" policy. everyone outside of the sec knows they're overrated and we'll see what happens come bowl season. oh yeah, how bout that loss to ucla who then got slaughtered by who, hyu....
juskishi
Cleveland , OH
Total Comments (5)
for eff ewe - Ohio St didn't just lose to USC. OSU was embarrassed in every phase of the game, to the extent that many were questioning whether Tressel could handle elite teams. As another sportswriter pointed out Fla still has two teams on its schedule ranked in the top 5, and possibly a 3rd in the SEC championship. With USC's loss a 1-loss SEC team should get the invite to the NC. Most experts seem to agree on that, and they do the voting. That said I do not think Fla will finish with one loss.
CharMit
Las Vegas , NM
Total Comments (1717)
With regards to Florida's fall . . . anyone who has read my posts on here before will attest that I'm consistent with my sentiment that Florida is overrated. This game showed where Florida's most obvious weakness exists: offense. If I was a voted I'd drop Florida MORE than USC. At this point, USC between 15-17 and Florida between 17-20. With that said, given what happened to Ohio State they won't fall that far. Probably move each team up five places.
I wouldn't want to be a Florida fan when they play a team with a more complete offense . . . in a bowl game for instance. Florida may have many fast players, but that speed doesn't mean much if they can't get into open space. Given SEC defenses, it is becoming clear that running the spread in that league isn't such a great idea (see Florida and Auburn).
ceteris paribus
Athens , GA
Total Comments (172)
By the way, would anyone like to see today's Ohio State team play USC again?
great point coming from a big 12 fan. the big 12 is by far the best conference this year. just ask how deep the sec is when arkansas gets blasted by texas. this is a new OSU team and the big ten is back. let's just wait and see. all conferences cycle thru being the most dominant. the difference is lately, the sec fans have forgotten this happens and have made everyone hate them. i look forward to them eating crow for a long long time....
juskishi
Cleveland , OH
Total Comments (5)
USC has a huge advantage: they're the closest thing to a professional football team in the second largest media market in the country. Sports writers and TV programs have a huge incentive to promote their product.
At this point in the season, I'm wanting to see an SEC vs. Big 12 national championship match-up. How much fun would it be to see LSU vs. Texas or Oklahoma vs. Georgia or Missouri vs. LSU? With that said, I wouldn't mind seeing an LSU vs. UCS or USC vs. Georgia national championship game, BUT USC vs. Oklahoma has been played. I can't believe I'm going to write this since I define SEC homer, but Penn State looks strong. Penn State vs. SEC would be interesting to me.
ceteris paribus
Athens , GA
Total Comments (172)
Actually, I don't think anyone would want to see OSU play USC again. The outcome wouldn't be any different son.
OSU has had their chance. Unfortunately, I think OSU fans need to accept that consecutive championship game loses and being thrashed by USC already means that they won't get to participate in the championship again. They'll get their shot at USC again next season. Plus, Penn State beats OSU this year.
ceteris paribus
Athens , GA
Total Comments (172)
A loss is a loss, no matter if it's at home or not. So don't allow that to impact how many spots you think each team should fall. They should both be penalized hard for losing a game they shouldn't have. More so USC since they just got beat by Oregon State recently (2006?) and should have known better. When is the last time Ole Miss beat Florida at the Swamp? Besides, a good team should beat an inferior team, and in this case, an UNRANKED team, no matter if the game is on thier own field or on Mars, it doesn't matter. Drop 'em both out of the top 10 and be done with it. End of story.
LSUpwnedU
Roswell , GA
Total Comments (19)
I have no issues with that. That just makes the potential for 3 Big XII teams being ranked in the top 5. That sounds like a really familiar occurrence to me.
nate1205
Kansas City, MO
Total Comments (382)
I have no issues with that. That just makes the potential for 3 Big XII teams being ranked in the top 5 even better. That sounds like a really familiar occurrence to me.
nate1205
Kansas City, MO
Total Comments (382)
Juskishi, the Big 12...don't make me laugh and Ohio St., ha ha. I can't wait to see what big bowl game Okie gets into this year and gets steamrolled. And the Big Ten is back? I sure hope so, because I pray by some miracle that Ohio St. makes it to the title game and another SEC team shows them up again.
LSUpwnedU
Roswell , GA
Total Comments (19)
Wow...lsupwnedu is a bit touchy. Give credit where credit is due. If OU wins, then the potential for 3 Big XII teams in the top 5 is a reality. That would make us the POWER conference....same argument given by the sec fans last week.
nate1205
Kansas City, MO
Total Comments (382)
BTW, I think a Tiger vs. Tigers NC game would be fun...especially for me since MIZZOU has NEVER done anything remotely close to that in their history.
nate1205
Kansas City, MO
Total Comments (382)
Let's put embarrassing in perspective. USC was trailing 21-0 going into the 2nd half and there best running back was held to 10 yds rushing. I would rather get beaten down by the #1 team than put up pathetic stats like that against an UNRANKED 1-2 team that Penn State destroyed. USC by far has more to embarrased about than Ohio State.
SaltyBuckeyeNutz!!
Goldsboro , NC
Total Comments (19)
LSU lost to two, unranked teams and was given a chance to play for the NC, so all is not lost....however, UF does deserve to be in the top 15 after today. Ditto for USC.
UF-G8R
Colorado Springs , CO
Total Comments (147)
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