Florida vs. Ohio State Preview

Call it what you want:

The .500 bowl
The Gene Smith is a Retard Bowl
The Mediocrity Bowl
The Please Just End the Season Bowl

The Sponsors call it the TAXSLAYER.com Gator Bowl. I like mine better.

4 Years ago these two teams played a meaningful game, we all know how that one ended. By the way…who coached Florida in that game again? Come January 2nd the Florida Gators and the Ohio State Buckeyes will play a meaningless exhibition game in Florida’s backyard. This is just one of 33 completely meaningless bowl games. There is only one bowl game that matters and even that could be disputed, thanks to the moronic goat rodeo known as the BCS (enter circus music here).

Or…on second thought is the Gator Bowl meaningless for the Buckeyes?

Even though the game itself is meaningless, playing it has given OSU 15 extra practices. Not only does this allow a very young team to gain added experience, it also allows new coach Urban Meyer the ability to see what hand he has been dealt. Meyer will be able to observe players like true freshman Braxton Miller among others and find out their strengths and weaknesses.

But for players like Braxton Miller and his stable of young and inexperienced wide receivers this extra practice time is crucial. Miller with Devin Smith, Evan Spencer and Corey Brown will lead this Buckeye offense into the future and they all need the reps. It was the practice time Terrelle Pryor had prior to the Rose Bowl that turned Pryor into a more consistent passer.

The game itself can also give OSU another much-needed victory vs. another annoying SEC team. The thought of yet another game filled with SEC…SEC…SEC chants is enough to make me want to puke.

Florida will be without Jabba The Weiss who took the head coaching job at Kansas…terms of his contract were leaked and he will get unlimited pork rind burritos, bacon donuts, bacon, steak bacon, bacon with steak on it, chocolate sauce, more bacon, diabetes medication, jelly beans, girl scout cookies, little debbie cakes, and barrels of Cornish game hens with unlimited BBQ sauce.

Though I don’t believe Weiss will be missed. His offense was ranked 71st in the nation and it was loaded with players at the skill position. A couple of those players that Ohio State does need to key on are Florida running backs Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps. Rainey may be the fastest player in college football as he runs a sub 4.3 40 yard dash…that is if it wasn’t for Jeff Demps who reportedly ran a sub 4.2 40 yard dash. The bottom line…they are both REALLY fast and could be game breakers for Florida.

Florida’s QB is John Brantley, a steady as she goes no frills pocket passer that will pick a defense apart if given time. Ohio State has not had great success getting pressure on opposing QB’s and rank 67th in sacks nationally. Offensively and defensively these teams are statistically very similar. Florida can’t quite get to the QB either as they are ranked 73rd, which is good news for Braxton Miller.

Ohio State offensively will continue what they started during the Michigan game. We will see a lot of Braxton Miller lining up in the pistol using a more wide open offense. This will be or should be an improved version of what we saw against the skunk kittens. Michigan’s defense was a top 7 defense in the country and Ohio State put up 34 points and should have been more.

Here is what we can expect:

Also look for a steady dose of Boom Herron was named the team MVP by his peers. Herron will get the bulk of the carries from the tailback spot but make no mistake this is Braxton Millers show, you know it, I know it so you better bet that Florida knows it and will key of the Big Ten Freshman of the Year.

My keys to the game:

1. The OSU defense needs to get back to a bend don’t break defense. They have had far too many let downs on defense that lead to big plays in just about every single game. I can’t remember the last time an OSU defense gave up so many big plays game after game after game.

2. The OSU defense MUST get pressure on Brantley…if they do not…it will be a long day for the OSU defense. Denard Robinson looked like Aaron Rogers vs. OSU because they got no pressure on the fleet-footed QB.

3. Key on Demps and Rainey. Both are dangerous in the open field and could break off some BIG gainers that could be back-breaking to OSU’s defense.

4. Let Braxton be Braxton…he had over 300 yards of total offense vs. a good Michigan defense and SHOULD have had more on some over thrown passes.

Prediction:

Ohio State 27
Florida 17

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