As expected, both Florida and Alabama are making quick work of their late season cupcakes.
In Gainesville, the Gators rolled to 35 first half points, and Tim Tebow has put up the requisite numbers to get him back to New York for the Heisman ceremony. In Tuscaloosa, Alabama has already gotten Mark Ingram over 100 yards and he's added two touchdowns, most likely cementing his place on the Heisman ballot as well.
More importantly, if Alabama takes care of business in the Iron Bowl, it'll set up a #1 vs. #2 de facto playoff game in the SEC Championship for a place in the National Championship game. Interestingly enough, with both team's playing in the "rough and tumble" SEC, neither has a schedule rated in the Top 20.
Still, the SEC Championship looks to be one of those epic rematches that will have all of college football salivating, which is better than we can say for the matchups this weekend.
Florida and 'Bama rolling through cupcakes
Posted by Keith Arnold on November 21, 2009 2:25 PM ET
Interestingly enough, here's Sagarin's ratings for strength of schedule for the undefeated teams, coming into this week:
Alabama 22
Florida 34
TCU 48
Texas 50
Cincy 65
Boise St 91
Which, of course, doesn't invalidate your "neither one has played a top 20" schedule, but it does place it in appropriate context. ;)
Incidentally, Florida still has to play Florida State, which could theoretically win and stop it from being #1 vs. #2.
Here's the Top 10 of Sagarin's ratings for strength of schedule:
Washington
Washington State
Virginia Tech
Florida St
Southern Cal
Oregon
UCLA
Miami - Fla
Virginia
Wake Forest
Notice that *NONE* of them are SEC teams. All are Pac 10 and ACC. Florida and Alabama (and, for that matter, Texas) should be ashamed of they way they depend on cupcake opponents to pad their schedules and soften their path to the big bowls.
Putting today's games in context as well, Alabama pulled ALL it's first-string players in the second quarter. If I'm not mistaken, Tim Tebow and the Gator first unit were still running up the score on Florida International well into the third.
deb: Tebow played the opening drive of the third quarter and then came out. If the offense had been clicking all season, I'm sure they would have come out in the second quarter as they did vs. the Citadel last season.
pugsam: In the past three seasons, Florida's final SOS rank (according to Sagarin) has been: 8, 3, 4. You'll have to excuse me if I don't feel shame.