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By John L. Crawford
SouthernPigskin.com Contributor
Fernandina News-Leader
SouthernPigskin.com Contributor John L. Crawford talks about the about the Florida/Alabama rivalry.
As depressing as last weekend was for University of Florida football fans, the future, and I mean the immediate future, looms bright. Different, but bright.
No doubt Urban Meyer and his Gators were exposed by a better Alabama football team in 32-13 loss at Atlanta’s Georgia Dome last Saturday night. It was very clear that the Crimson Tide have every bit the talent and just as fine a head coach as Florida, which has rarely been the case over the Gators’ recent stretch of dominance.
Florida has met its match.
As long as Nick Saban is around, the Crimson Tide are sure to be in the conversation for the Southeastern Conference Championship title and the Bowl Championship Series title that usually follows.
But as the cloud of gloom dissipates over Gainesville and the rest of Gator Nation, Florida fans will realize that they too have a solid chance to return to the Georgia Dome as soon as next season. And in 2011. And as long as Meyer is around.
The national perception, and understandably so, is that Florida football is Tim Tebow and that the Gators will tumble down the proverbial mountain to mediocrity after he has taken his final snap. It’s hard to fault those outside of Florida’s circle for thinking that way with all of the hype and exposure that has surrounded Tebow since he stepped on the University of Florida campus. The fact that Meyer has leaned so heavily on his signal caller in the most crucial situations over the years has likely created the impression that the coach and team will be lost without him.
While saying good-bye to arguably the best player in college football history is sure to leave a gap and though the Gator Walk will never be the same without Florida’s fist-pumping sparkplug, Gator football will survive and likely thrive sooner than many want to believe. Why? Because Meyer hasn’t been sitting on his hands during the recruiting season. As much time as the coach has invested in game-planning different ways to use his Heisman Trophy quarterback, he has spent just as much stockpiling 5-star recruits. Of course recruiting rankings are subjective, but it’s hard to dismiss Meyer’s eye for talent when you consider the overall success of the players he has lured to Gainesville. Yes, Florida will bid farewell to the likes of Tebow, Brandon Spikes, Brandon James and a host of others, including several juniors who are sure to leave early. But rest assured that the Gators won’t be plugging those holes with walk-ons in 2010.
Most expected Nick Saban to have Alabama playing at a high level in a short amount of time and he has done just that. The Crimson Tide, like Florida, are also in the business of stockpiling 5-stars to back up 5-stars. They are not going away. But neither is Florida.
Losing a game in such convincing fashion and on such a grand stage stings the Gators, just as is did an undefeated Alabama team one year ago. And just as it will sting one or the other for years to come. Because while the Crimson Tide have emerged as the best in the West, Florida is still the beast of the East. As long as these coaches hang around their respective schools, that isn’t likely to change.
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Crawford of the Fernandina News-Leader, a veteran journalist in the Sunshine State and a high school football coach, has joined the SouthernPigskin.com Staff. His opinions will include college football but other sports as well. Share your thoughts on the SouthernPigskin.com Message Boards or email John at
Stories written by SouthernPigskin.com columnists are done independently. Views do not always coincide with those of the remainder of the staff or the ownership of SouthernPigskin.com.
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