BCS National Championship Game
This is the one we’ve all been waiting for, and together we’ll watch Florida (12-1 SU, 10-2 ATS) play Oklahoma (12-1 SU, 10-2 ATS) for the first time on Jan. 8, as the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow faces 2008 winner Sam Bradford. Both clubs enter the title game with the same SU record and money earned. BetUS BCS championship odds favor the Gators by a field goal.
Bradford led the nation with 48 touchdown passes while throwing just six interceptions. He topped the country with a 186.3 efficiency rating and was second with 4,464 passing yards. The reigning Heisman winner had a lot of help from multiple skilled receivers. Six Oklahoma receivers had at least 395 yards, and four totaled more than 600. Bradford’s favorite targets were Juaquin Iglesias (1,092 yards, 10 touchdowns), Jermaine Gresham (888, 12), Manuel Johnson (685, 9, 18.0-yard per-catch average) and Ryan Broyles (661, 6 TDs).
Tebow became just the second player to repeat as Maxwell Award winner given to the most outstanding collegiate player. He put together another excellent season after struggling somewhat early on, throwing for 2,515 yards, 28 touchdowns and just two interceptions to go with a 176.7 rating – second in the country behind Bradford. He also rushed for 682 yards and 12 TDs.
Florida figures to put significant points on the board against a Sooner’s defense that was shredded by Texas and Oklahoma State this season. Oklahoma should also spend its fair share of time in the end zone. They scored at least 58 points in each of its last six games, winning by an average of 33.3 points as winners of seven in a row overall, covering the number in six of those contests. The Gators also finished strong, having won its final nine games. They’ve covered the spread in eight straight.
The Sooners’ offense is loaded with talent and this is a team that hasn’t scored less than 60 points in over a month. But they’ll face their toughest challenge of the season in the Gators, who have the fastest defenses in the country next to USC. The speedy, opportunistic unit was fifth in the country with 12.8 points allowed per game, second with 24 interceptions and tied for eighth with 279.3 yards a contest. Oklahoma, by contrast, gave up 24.5 points and 359.1 yards per game.
Like the Rose Bowl, the 2009 BCS national championship game will feature two of the best coaches in all of college football. This will be Florida’s Urban Meyer’s 100th game as head coach. He is 82-17 (.828) and already has won a national championship.
Oklahoma’s Bob Stoops, in his first 100 games, went 82-18 (.820) and won a national championship. Stoops has increased his pace of winning, raising his record to 109-23 (.826). Meyer and Stoops rank second and third, respectively, in winning percentage among active coaches (behind USC’s Carroll), and their records are so close that an Oklahoma victory would reverse their positions.
Analysis: As potent as these two offenses are, the decisive factor could end up being Florida’s stellar defense that has the clear advantage. My sports wagering dollars more times than not are placed on a stout defense over an explosive offense, even if that offense is averaging well over 50 points a game. And when the stout defense is backed by an explosive offense of its own, led by a guy named Tebow, how can you not like Florida?
