Florida Beats Ohio State, Odds for BCS Title

Hype #1: Troy Smith would pick apart the Florida defense.

Result: 4 of 14 for 35 yards and 2 turnovers (1 interception, 1 fumble).

Hype #2: Chris Leak would falter under the pressure.

Result: 25 of 35 for 213 yards and a touchdown, not to mention 9 straight completions to open the game.

Hype #3: Ted Ginn, Jr. would run the Gators ragged all night long.

Result: Florida 41, Ohio State 14.

On Monday night, Florida beat Ohio State at their own game: They passed, rushed, and pressured the Buckeyes into submission. And they played with more intensity than they'd shown all season. Though the lopsided score caught most off the country off guard, anyone who'd been paying attention to the sports world in 2006 should've had a pretty good idea of what was coming. After all, let's not forget the primary theme of the last twelve months:

God loves underdogs.

And we've got the evidence to back it up.

Super Bowl XL: Pittsburgh vs. Seattle

Nobody thought the Steelers would survive the dogfight in the AFC. They did. Nobody thought the Steelers' gimmicky offense could cut it on the Super Bowl stage. It did. Nobody thought a wild card team, the last seed in the playoffs, could actually walk away with the Lombardi Trophy...except, apparently, for God. And maybe Bill Cowher.

Result: Pittsburgh Steelers 21, Seattle Seahawks 10

NCAA Men's Basketball National Championship: UCLA vs. Florida

It was the hottest team in the Tournament matched up against a bunch of sophomores who were supposedly too young to win it all. But Florida was motivated. For five straight years, they'd fallen short of the ultimate prize. Not in 2006. Ironic that it was UCLA who'd ultimately get the gridiron Gators into the title game. Who says God doesn't work in mysterious ways?

Result: Florida Gators 73, UCLA Bruins 57

2006 World Series: Detroit vs. St. Louis

After seven games against New York, everybody had the Cards pegged to collapse against the Tigers. The problem: Someone forgot to tell Tony La Russa's squad—or the millions (and millions!) of Cards fans who stuck by the local nine. And by the way: David Eckstein, a Florida alum, was named MVP of the Series. Coincidence? Come on...

Result: St. Louis Cardinals over the Detroit Tigers, 4 games to 1

BCS Championship Game : Florida vs. Ohio State

You know the story. The Buckeyes were 12-0. They were Big Ten champs. They had a Heisman Trophy winner playing quarterback. If Michigan couldn't beat them, no one could. Only Lee Corso gave the Gators a fighting chance...or Lee Corso and God, that is.

In the end, the Big Ten champs looked like a peewee team, the Heisman Trophy winner looked like Jake Plummer, and the Gators rolled their way into the record books. With the win, Florida earned their second national title in a decade—and became the first school in history to pull off the football-basketball double. Good times down in Gainesville. Thanks Lee. Thanks God. Urban Meyer owes you one.

And, for the record: Never bet against divine providence—you're not likely to come out on top.

Don't believe me?

Just ask Lloyd Carr.