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Where Will the Florida Gators Meet Their Waterloo in 2009?
July 28, 2009
"Waterloo, Waterloo, Where Will You Meet Your Waterloo,
Every Puppy Has His Day, Everybody Has To Pay,
Everybody Has To Meet...His Waterloo."
—Lyrics from the 1959 hit song of Stonewall Jackson
Waterloo, for those not aware, is the name of an 1815 battle in Belgium where England's Duke of Wellington and his Prussian allies defeated the mighty Napoleon of France. The term has since been used to describe when someone gets their comeuppance.
This setting seems to be in place for the Florida Gators football team this season.
Why, you ask? Because situations just seem to work out that way.
Take, for example, the Southern California team of 2008.
After mauling a good Ohio State team 35-3, few gave anyone a chance of knocking off the Trojans.
Good thing Mike Riley's Oregon State Beavers didn't pay attention to what was being said.
They pinned a 27-21 loss on the Men of Troy that eventually kept them out of the BCS title game.
Another example of meeting your Waterloo would be the 2008 Georgia Bulldogs.
Preseason predictions had coach Mark Richt's crew as high as No. 1 in the country.
After disposing of Arizona State in the desert, the 'Dogs came home to find themselves trailing Alabama 31-0 at halftime.
No doubt the Georgia fans could sympathize with the Old Guard of Napoleon.
If not for an incredible performance to close out the season by quarterback Tim Tebow, the Gators may have been looking at their own Waterloo in 2008.
That would be the 31-30 home loss to Mississippi in September—an Ole Miss victory sandwiched around home losses to Vanderbilt and South Carolina.
So the stage is set, the conditions favorable, the fruit ripe to be picked.
The Florida Gators are being set up for a fall at some point in 2009, but what game will it be?
Let's review the Florida schedule on a month by month basis.
Date Team Place Situation
Sept. 5, 2009 Charleston Southern Home PLEASE!
Sept. 12 Troy Home Good, Tough Foe
Sept. 19 Tennessee Home Gators Now Favored by 25
Sept. 26 Kentucky Road Letdown, Open Week Next
A summary of September should indicate if the Gators are playing out the string or attempting to lay claim to being the greatest football team of recent times.
The Gators opened as a 27-point favorite over the Vols according to Phil Steele's early lines and have moved down to 25 in the weeks since.
Troy is a conference champion and will not go down easily. These Trojans are a much stronger unit than the group Florida whipped by 28 points two years ago.
The game at Kentucky is a dangerous situation, as the Gators will be coming off three straight home games to open the season and have an open date the following week.
Predicted Results Through September: Four Wins, No Losses.
Oct. 3 Bye Week Open They'll Need Their Rest
Oct. 10 Louisiana State Road Opened at 11, Down to 8
Oct. 17 Arkansas Home Homecoming
Oct. 24 Mississippi State Road Family Affair
Halloween Georgia Gator Bowl Opened at 16, Still 16
This will be a month Gator faithful will be glad to see come to an end.
There are several opportunities for upsets, not the least of which is an angry group of Bulldogs.
This could be a season with a trip to Baton Rouge similar to 1997.
If the Tigers are in position to avenge the notorious 30-point blowout loss to the Gators in 2008, look for LSU to be Florida's Waterloo.
Predicted Results Through October: Seven Wins, One Loss
Nov. 7 Vanderbilt Home No Upset Here
Nov. 14 South Carolina Road Gators Win SEC East
Nov. 21 Florida International Home Gators Could Score 70
Nov. 28 Florida State Home Opened at 20, Still 20
Predicted Results Through November: 11 Wins, One Loss
At the same point in 2008 the Gators were also 11-1.
They went on to win the SEC Title and the BCS National Championship.
Odds are they will do the same thing again.
At least, that's what it looks like in July.
"Every puppy has his day, everybody has to pay."