On Saturday, the SEC championship game not only has conference pride on the line, it has national championship interest as well.
Simply put, if Florida beats Alabama, they will advance to the National Championship; if Alabama beats Florida, they will go to the big show.
The rankings could possibly change when the BCS comes out later today, but currently Alabama is ranked No. 1 and Florida is ranked No. 4. More than likely, the SEC champion will play either No. 2 Texas or No. 3 Oklahoma, but anything can happen from now until next Saturday.
So who will win the SEC championship? Well I don’t want to make any predictions, but if you look at the match up, Florida has this game won already.
Although Florida is 10-1 while Alabama is 11-0, the numbers speak for themselves. Florida has scored a total of 556 points, which is 181 more than Alabama’s 375.
On defense, Alabama has given up nine fewer points than Florida; the Crimson Tide has only allowed 138 while Florida has allowed 147. Based on the ratio, Florida wins this category.
Alabama’s fifth-year senior quarterback, John Parker Wilson, threw for nine touchdowns this year and five interceptions, which isn’t even close to the numbers Florida’s Heisman Trophy winning quarterback, Tim Tebow, put up this year.
Tebow threw for 25 touchdowns and two interceptions. It should also be pointed out that Florida has a more experienced quarterback on the bench than Alabama so if John Parker Wilson and Tim Tebow both get hurt and the backups are forced to play, Florida will be in better shape.
On the ground, Florida also beats Bama as for as the numbers are concerned. Florida rushed the ball a total of 459 times and gained a total of 2,845 yards, while Bama rushed the ball 492 times gained 2,431 yards. Arguably, the Crimson Tide depends on the running game more than Florida does.
Also, someone can make the argument that Florida played a tougher schedule than Bama, but I don’t want to get into that topic at the moment.
Both teams are playing very well right now, and the obvious pick for this game would be Florida, but if it comes down to coaching and preparing his team for big games, I would have to give the advantage to Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide. Still, Urban Meyer doesn’t do that bad of a job getting his team up for big games either.
Is there anymore to say about this game? Do I need to go into further detail and look at it piece by piece? It will be difficult to make a prediction, because logic tells me the better team on paper is the lower-ranked team, so if I had to make a prediction based of the facts, it would be impossible.
Obviously, the only thing many readers want to read is articles in which the logical pick is picked.
Good luck to both teams and I will be pulling for whatever teams advances into the national championship. Thank you for reading, and if you have a few minutes, please view my blog at www.purplegrowl.com.
31 comments Last one added 7 months ago — Leave a Comment
leo andrews 7 months ago
Alabama doesn't stand a chance against Florida, if buy some how Alabama wins it will be pure luck. Alabama has not played against a team that had a good QB, and if you look at their schedule they only played against two teams that were in the top 25, and alot of their wins were buy three to seven points. And if you look at Florida they have been killing people after the lost to Mississippi. I am currently deployed to Iraq and i am a OU fan, so Alabama better hope they get beat buy Florida so they don't have to play use.
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Christopher Williams 7 months ago
Dont tell this to the Bama fans.
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Tyler Miller 7 months ago
who did florida play that had a good quarterback then cause Alabama alost has the same scheldule as florida.....
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Tyler Miller 7 months ago
then who did Florida play that has a good quarterback cause Alabama and Florida almost played the same people this year ( georgia, lsu, ole miss ) and Alabama beat Ole Miss and gators lost......Alabama will win the SEC Championship due to the old way how they're playin football just how bear bryant coached......
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Michael Inglis 7 months ago
"Alabama has not played against a team that had a good QB, and if you look at their schedule they only played against two teams that were in the top 25,"
You do realize we both play in the same conference right? Florida only played two teams that were in the top 25 too. ( UGA, and Ole Miss)
"and alot of their wins were buy three to seven points."
We won 12 games this year, 3 were by a TD or less. In 2006 Florida won 5 games by 7 points or less and they also lost a game but that didn't seem to matter because they still won the NC.
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Matthew Smith 7 months ago
what you guys dont realize is that both teams played more teams in the top 25 than two cause when you say stuff like that it is refering to when they played not now. LSU was in the top 25 when they played both UA and UF as was Clemson when they played Bama and FSU last week... and for the record i don't think Bama has much of a chance. Lets look at the games they had in common. Yes, Bama beat Ole Miss and UF didn't ok one point to Bama. How bout LSU, UF wins by 30 Bama wins in OT by 6, point goes to UF. Now UGA, Bama allowed UGA to come storming back in the second half winning 41-30 Florida wins impressively 41-30 second point to UF. Now Kentucky, Bama won at home but only by 3 UF beat Kentucky 63-5, obvious point to UF. The last one was Tennessee and even if Bama did win by 20 UF beat Tennessee by 24. So by my calculations that would be 4-1 UF wins. Now i dont base my predictions just off this but it helps. UF is by far the hottest team in the country right now and just have too many big play makers for Bama to handle
Florida 41 Bama 17
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todd jones 7 months ago
Chri -stop-her,
Do you know who nick is? The big 12 can not play "D" go back and look at the score boards and you will see the contrast on the board! The SEC is not the best conference this year ( I will give you that one). But the SEC will be in the big dance this year and the and a SEC team will win the big dance. Also, iraq is not Much of a combat zone these days either! Camp HQ!
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derick b 7 months ago
yall are all dumb we both play the same sec teams and we played more teams in the top 25, clemsen,ga,lsu,ol miss, alabama will win because nobody thinks they can...
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Jake Locker 7 months ago
Here's Bama's Ole Miss blueprint to follow to beat UF:
Fake a punt for a first down.
Get a touchdown from the wildcat formation.
Recover three UF fumbles.
Hope Marcus Gilbert gets in at left guard.
Hope Coach Meyer chooses not to use Demps or Rainey.
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GatorJon 7 months ago
Jake, that would be the blueprint. Throw in the following a Bama has their game plan:
Hope Trautwein misses a blocking assignment on a PAT attempt.
Play Florida before they lose to Ole Miss.
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Gatorman Boogy 7 months ago
The Gators are going to tear Alabama up. Bama doesn't have a chance on beating Florida. Just try to play a good game and not be embarrassed. They just don't make boys in Alabama like they do in Florida.
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Rebecca C 7 months ago
How on earth can you say Florida had a tougher schedule? Alabama started OUT playing against a top 10 team. Florida played Hawaii, Miami, Vandy, South Carolina . . . did I miss something there or were they ever in contention? Otherwise -- we played the same teams. I don't think anyone can really brag about the strength of the East this season -- afterall, VANDY led the East this year! Florida may be killing people, but the part no one seems to look at is that Alabama doesn't HAVE TO. Alabama doesn't need style points -- they're already sitting number one. Florida is the one with something to prove. I think they are evenly matched and I'm really looking forward to the game, but don't discredit Alabama. Alabama doesn't have to risk its players' health or over-exert their team. They don't need to steam roll their opponents to prove themselves worthy of the national title game. A W is a W regardless of the points scored -- just ask Ole' Miss!
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Christopher Williams 7 months ago
I am on lunch and I cant break this down at the moment but can you honestly say Florida didnt have a tougher schedule than Bama? Look at the OOC games.
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Gatorman Boogy 7 months ago
The Gators are going to tear Alabama up. Bama doesn't have a chance on beating Florida. Just try to play a good game and not be embarrassed. They just don't make boys in Alabama like they do in Florida.
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Gatorman Boogy 7 months ago
The Gators are going to tear Alabama up. Bama doesn't have a chance on beating Florida. Just try to play a good game and not be embarrassed. They just don't make boys in Alabama like they do in Florida.
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Football God 7 months ago
Alabama is very tough, but they will be exposed this Saturday by Florida's speed and tough defence.
Gators win 48 - 20.
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Michael Inglis 7 months ago
What happens when an object in motion hits an immovable object?
They get layed out, and will probably fumble.
Bama 27-21
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Eric Dangerfield 7 months ago
Hahahahahaha
you thought Ole Miss hit you in the mouth..
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Franklin Crittenden 7 months ago
Christopher, it looks like you attracted a pretty sharp crowd here. Numbers do not win games, players win games. You can manipulate numbers and make them say what ever you want them to if you pick and choose and mix and match them to fit your argument.
Football is about imposing your will on your opponent. That happens in the trenches. Football is about heart and determination. Florida and Alabama play two contrasting styles of football. Their number would not and could not look the same. When I predict a game I look at everything but the numbers.
This game will come down to field position, mistakes, and special teams just like all big games do. Numbers are for the newspapers to print the next day. This game will be won by the team that maintains it poise and executes under pressure.
Roll Tide!
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John Schafer 7 months ago
Christopher;
I assume you think that Hawaii, Miami, Citadel, & Fla. St. were part of a really tough schedule!
My problem is even the so called meat of UF's schedule, the SEC-East UGA-9-3 (6-2), VANDY 6-6 (4-4), USC 7-5 (4-4), UT 5-7 (3-5), UK 6-6 (2-6), was like walking through the tulips, SEC-West teams were UM 8-4 (5-3), LSU 7-5 (3-5), ARK. 5-7 (2-6), in other words NOT TOUGH AT ALL!
COMMON OPPONENTS being: UGA-UT-UK-UM-LSU-ARK. Not much there to call back home about!
SEC very weak conference this year, strength being in the west.
Let's see Clemson ranks with Fla. St. - Tulane at the time, before injuries wiped them out, would rank with Miami - Western Ky. would rank with the Citadel - Arkansas St. would rank with Hawaii.
The only point I can see that you want to make is that suburban urban needs to score alot of points to be able to feel like a man! Each to his own!
Like most logical people say, A WIN IS A WIN! Only the ones that are unsure of themselves need to cry about how much we beat this team by or that team by, as you can see, (By The Polls), it really doesn't impress anyone anymore!
The last time I heard people from Florida, (and I'm from Florida but saw the light and went to UA '61), talking like this was, just before the '92 MNC game in NO! The night before on Bourbon St. they were trying to bet or fight everyone and anyone that didn't believe them about their SPEEDY 'CANES! GUESS what happened? AWW go ahead and guess, I'll give ya three chances and the first two won't count! hehe!
ROLL~TIDE~ROLL
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GatorJon 7 months ago
Funny, the last time I remember an undefeated team talking like this was just before the '93 Sugar Bowl game in NO. The WVU Mountaineer fans were all over the quarter talking so much shit about being "eleven and oh". They were unbearable.
You don't have to guess. I'll just tell you: Florida 41, WVU 7.
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Football God 7 months ago
It must be embarrasing to be undefeated and ranked no.1 in all the polls and be a 10 point underdog
by the odds makers.
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Michael Inglis 7 months ago
That's not embarrasing, that's motivation.
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Football God 7 months ago
The only thing ROLLING Saturday will be the Gators score on the scoreboard.
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ryan brothers 7 months ago
man yall need to shut the f up nobody believed in BAMA in 92 and we killed miami, im tired of UF they have no class if they had class they would stop when their ahead 65-3 thats just retarded they could have got the win 20-3 was the other 45 point necessary is any of their scoring neccessary someone needs to put them in thier place i dont care if BAMA does it or Texas or Oklahoma someone needs to show s them how to act and Tebow is retarded i do think UF has a good chance as does BAMA i not ruling anything out like all rest of u retards anythings possible florida loss to ole miss because that was the only team that had a good de fense and didnt give up they made UF work for it and that just shows that UF cant handle it when someone fights back look at OU and TT
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Football God 7 months ago
listen Ryan,
First of all I didn't call anybody any names like retard, that is very 3rd grade like. Florida lost to Old
Miss because like any team it is very hard for the coaches to convience there team every single
game that they need to go fight harder than ever before. We all know that if you take any game
lightly there's a chance you will lose. Bama had there Old Miss game against Kentucky but to
there credit they found a way to win. They also strugled against LSU but thats understandable.
It will be a very tough game but when its all said and done I believe the Gators win by 3 touchdowns.
If they win by less than 12 or lose to Bama I will write another comment and give Alabama all the
credit in the world.
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Blake Ross 7 months ago
BLAKE ROSS>>>>>> Here is what is going to happen. Alabama is going to be spying on tebow while running a cover 2 defense scheme and McClain is going to come up the middle and enilate Tebow. Alabama isnt flashy and they do not put big points on the board but they do what they have to do week in and week out to win. All that matters is that Alabama has play makers and can explode at any time. Florida is good do not get me wrong but both teams have 2 different styles of play. Florida is Flashy and put big points on the board and Alabama is hardnose lets line up and ill kick your ass kinda of football. Its not the numbers that tell the story its the fact Alabama is number one for a reason and numbers do not impress anyone anymore. It is going to be who's special teams does the best and that is a tuff match up. Alabama will control the ball and pace of the game and win on the last drive 17-14 with a Leigh Tiffin 47 yard field goal or John Parker throwing a 40 yard touchdown pass to either Julio Jones or Marquis Maze.
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Christopher Williams 7 months ago
Thanks for reading.
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Christopher Williams 7 months ago
Thanks for reading.
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Mindy Ann 7 months ago
This game is up in the air it can won by either side so lets all just wait and see who makes more mistakes Tim Tebow is a great qb and nobody can say otherwise but Alabama has a great -Team- so we will see ROLL TIDE
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David C 7 months ago
Well I guess if the numbers say it should be so, its going to happen that way? Why bother playing the game at all then? Tell that to Texas Tech when they got stomped on by OU. Did the numbers predict that one as well? You're such a hack its not even funny anymore. Every time you write anything relating to the Tide, you blast them or pick them to lose.
I guess you are just playing the numbers, eventually every team will lose if you keep picking them to long enough. The Gators are a great team, cant say that much about most of their fans who posted here though. I think it will be a great game, both teams have played very well and both teams play a different style of football. Auburn only gave up 4 touchdowns on the ground all year, yet we scored 3 on the ground and probably could have had several more. The numbers arent everything.
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