NEWS
By Bud L. Ellis
For the final showing of his stellar college career, Tim Tebow put on quite a show in the Sugar Bowl.
The Florida quarterback closed his collegiate days with a masterpiece, finishing with 533 yards of total offense and four touchdowns as the fifth-ranked Gators routed No. 4 Cincinnati 51-24 at the Louisiana Superdome on New Year’s night.
The win sends Tebow into the NFL draft and sends Florida coach Urban Meyer into an indefinite leave of absence due to health problems. There wasn’t a better way for the duo to go out, as Tebow passed for 482 yards and three touchdowns on 31-of-35 passing.
Add in the 51 yards rushing and another touchdown, and it’s easy to see why Tebow was the story.
Florida destroyed Cincinnati’s dream of a perfect season, racing to a 30-3 halftime advantage over the overmatched Bearcats. Tebow finished the first two quarters with 320 yards passing.
Riley Cooper hauled in seven passes for 181 yards. Aaron Hernandez added nine catches for 111 yards. Defensively, the Gators made life miserable for Cincinnati quarterback Tony Pike, picking off four passes to spark the rout.
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Thursday, January 14, 2010 at 9:33 pm by bud
Tags: Aaron Hernandez, Cincinnati, Florida, Louisiana Superdome, Riley Cooper, Sugar Bowl, Tim Tebow, Tony Pike, Urban Meyer
By Bud L. Ellis
The whirlwind surrounding the coaching future of Urban Meyer has succeeded in doing what should be nearly impossible:
Overshadow Tim Tebow.
When you consider that most people consider Florida’s senior quarterback to be one of the greatest college football players ever – and plenty will argue all day that Tebow is the best to ever grace the collegiate gridiron – the fact that there is so little buzz about his final college game just 72 hours shy of kickoff is amazing.
But when Meyer dropped the bombshell this weekend that he was stepping down due to health reasons, then recanted to a certain extent a day later to say he’s taking a leave of absence after Florida faces Cincinnati in the Sugar Bowl on Friday at the Louisiana Superdome, the subsequent discussion and analysis has all but blocked out the fact that Tebow will author the final chapter of his remarkable Florida career against the Bearcats.
The numbers may not be as gaudy as they were two seasons ago, when Tebow won the Heisman Trophy, or last season, when he directed the Gators to their second national championship in his three seasons in Gainesville. But still, just take a look at the stat sheet, and even the most ardent Gator-hater has to tip his or her cap in the direction of the 6-foot-3, 245-pounder.
Tebow has passed for 2,413 yards this season, including 18 touchdowns. Far below the
32 TDs he fired in 2007 and the 30 he hit for last season, and the yardage trails his ’07 total by more than 800 yards. For his career, Tebow has passed for a remarkable 8.803 yards and 85 touchdowns. On the ground, Tebow – who very well may make his money in the NFL as a halfback – has rushed for 859 yards this season, just 36 behind his 2007 total.
It won’t end with a national title, and it even won’t be the most compelling storyline coming out of New Orleans Friday night. But even with Meyer grabbing all the headlines, the final game of Tebow’s college career is worth plenty of attention.
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Tuesday, December 29, 2009 at 7:53 pm by bud
Tags: Cincinnati, Florida, Louisiana Superdome, Sugar Bowl, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer
By Bud L. Ellis
It appears Urban Meyer will coach Florida after all when the Gators take on Cincinnati in the Sugar Bowl. And the meeting at the Louisiana Superdome on New Year’s night won’t necessarily be Meyer’s finale as Gators’ coach.
One day after announcing he was stepping down due to health reasons, Meyer told media members Sunday in New Orleans that he’s instead taking an extended lead of absence after the Sugar Bowl. Offensive coordinator Steve Addazio will assume interim duties while the 45-year-old Meyer steps away to focus on his health.
Meyer was hospitalized for dehydration after the Gators’ 22-game winning streak ended with a 32-13 loss to Alabama at the SEC Championship Game Dec. 5 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. But published reports since have instead claimed Meyer suffered from chest pains after the loss to the Crimson Tide, and chest pains have been a common occurrence for the coach who in five years has led the Gators to two national championships and a sparkling 56-10 record.
As if the Gators weren’t motivated enough for their meeting with the Bearcats, after missing out on a shot at a third national title in four years by losing to Alabama, comes this: the realization that Meyer’s leave of absence is indefinite, and there is no guarantee he’ll be on the sidelines after Friday.
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Sunday, December 27, 2009 at 9:51 pm by bud
Tags: Alabama, Cincinnati, Florida, Georgia Dome, Louisiana Superdome, Steve Addazio, Sugar Bowl, Urban Meyer
By Bud L. Ellis
Carlos Dunlap made a big mistake the week of the SEC championship game. But the Florida defensive end’s behavior in his three years at the school has led school officials to clear him to play in the Sugar Bowl.
Dunlap, who was arrested and charged with driving under the influence four days before the Gators’ 32-13 loss to Alabama in the SEC title game at the Georgia Dome, will play for Florida in the Sugar Bowl, Jan. 1 against Cincinnati at the Louisiana Superdome.
Dunlap is regarded as a first-round draft pick, and the Sugar Bowl likely will be his final game in a Florida uniform. But on Friday, Florida coach Urban Meyer told reporters the fact Dunlap has never been in trouble before this transgression led school officials to believe it OK for Dunlap to return to active duty
The return of Dunlap bolsters a Florida defensive front that was ripped apart by the Crimson Tide in the SEC title contest. Dunlap, who won the defensive MVP honors in last year’s BCS championship game, has recorded seven sacks this season.
Florida, 12-1 on the season, can end Cincinnati’s dream of an undefeated season in the Sugar Bowl. It’s possible the winner of this game finishes the season ranked No. 2 in the nation.
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Friday, December 18, 2009 at 11:51 pm by bud
Tags: Alabama, Carlos Dunlap, Cincinnati, Florida, Georgia Dome, Louisiana Superdome, SEC, Urban Meyer
By Bud L. Ellis
When Florida and Cincinnati collide in the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s night, the game won’t lack for storylines:
How will the Gators, winners of two of the past three national championships, bounce back after their first loss in 22 games?
How will the Bearcats, winners of 12 straight games and two consecutive Big East championships, respond with a perfect season on the line?
How will Florida quarterback Tim Tebow play in the final game of his brilliant college career?
Will Brian Kelly be coaching his final game at Cincinnati?
On the surface, a matchup between two teams ranked in the top five – Cincinnati is No. 4; Florida No. 5 – with a combined record of 24-1 would attract tons of interest. But because this is Florida and Cincinnati, and because it’s the Sugar Bowl, there is even more buzz.
For Cincy, who capped the Big East title with a thrilling 45-44 victory over Pittsburgh last week – a game the Bearcats trailed 31-10 in the second quarter – the Sugar Bowl is a chance to silence the critics who have wondered all season if the Bearcats belong being mentioned in the same breath as the Floridas, Alabamas and Texas of the world.
It’s the second year in a row Cincy has made it to a BCS bowl game. Last season, the Bearcats lost 20-7 to Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl. Whether Kelly is around for a third straight run to the BCS is unknown, as he is the leading candidate for the Notre Dame job and is to interview there Thursday, according to published reports.
Florida coach Urban Meyer, who attended Cincinnati, already said he isn’t leaving Florida, the school he’s launched into the stratosphere since arriving from Utah. Two national titles in his first three years, sparked by Tebow, the leading touchdown scorer in NCAA Division I history and a Heisman Trophy winner.
But the Gators’ march to a potential third national crown in four years ended with a 32-13 loss to Alabama in the SEC championship game at the Georgia Dome last Saturday. How the Gators bounce back after seeing their 22-game winning streak and national title dreams end will be a big part of the buildup to the Sugar Bowl.
And of course, there will be plenty of other things to watch at the Louisiana Superdome in this one, as well.
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Tuesday, December 8, 2009 at 9:04 pm by bud
Tags: Alabama, Brian Kelly, Cincinnati, Florida, Louisiana Superdome, Notre Dame, Orange Bowl, Pittsburgh, Sugar Bowl, Texas, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer, Virginia Tech
