BCS Championship: Three Questions for the Florida Gators

As we inch closer to the BCS Championship Game on Thursday night, I take a look at the three biggest questions facing the Florida Gators in their quest for the BCS Championship. (Oklahoma Preview Link)

1. What is the effect of OC Dan Mullen taking the Miss. State job?

Mullen accepted the Miss. State job shortly after the Gators gained a berth in the BCS Championship Game. I am sure he has spent time familiarizing himself with the Bulldog program and recruiting for them in this time period.

I will say that Steve Sarkisian looked pretty good calling plays for USC against Penn State, but the track record for coordinators staying in their old position for bowl games and national championships is pretty poor. I am sure Oklahoma fans can remember back to 2000 National Championship Game.

FSU’s OC Mark Richt had called plays for the nation’s highest-scoring offenses, but Richt had taken the Georgia job in December while remaining on duty for the Orange Bowl. His offense scored zero points against the Sooners.

2. Florida's third down efficiency

In the Gators only loss of the season, they were just one for 11 or just 9 percent on third downs. The lowest completion percentage for their other 11 games was 44 percent against Georgia. Oklahoma's defense allowed just 33 percent conversion on third down good for 23rd in the nation.

3. Can Florida win the turnover battle?

Go look at the turnover margin statistics for 2008—the top two teams are Florida and Oklahoma. The Gators rank fifth nationally in takeaways with 33 while Oklahoma is ninth with 32.

Neither of these teams like to give up the ball ranking 118 and 120 in giveaways. To harp back on the Gators only loss of the year against Ole Miss, they turned the ball over three times in that game vs. just one Ole Miss turnover.

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