Gator Raid
No, I didn’t make that up, it was a headline this morning after the Florida Gators dismantled the Ohio State Championship Train last night. I told a friend of mine the afternoon before the game, “You know, I believe that Florida has a chance to win this game.” Obviously they did way more than that.
During the game it seemed that several Ohio State players didn’t want their faces to be shown on television, so they covered their heads with towels. How ironic, I thought, as the towels were covered with “Gatorade” symbols. 
As a former student at LSU and a fan of SEC football I believe it’s one of the best conferences in the country for a sports fan. The final standings have Florida #1, Ohio State #2, and LSU – even with two losses – as #3. Florida played what was statistically the toughest schedule in the nation this year. LSU was the first team ever to face four top-ten teams all on the road (they split the games, two wins and two losses). Both are recognized as being top teams in the country.
I was actually a bit surprised that USC didn’t jump further, but they came in at #4. Boise State – the only undefeated team and a participant in by far the most entertaining game of the bowl season – ended up at #5. There were five SEC teams in the top 25 to end the season, with Auburn, Arkansas, and Tennessee joining Florida and LSU in the final poll. Kentucky (probably considered a second-tier SEC team in football) and Georgia (at one point a top 10 team) also won their bowl games, as did South Carolina and Auburn.
Oh, and Ohio State? Their conference went 2-5 in bowl games (Wisconson defeated Arkansas in another high-profile Big 10 / SEC confrontation, and Penn State defeated Tennessee). Interestingly enough, both wins for the Big 10 came against SEC opponents. But the SEC went 6-3 overall during this bowl season, with the only other loss being Alabama versus Oklahoma State. Only Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, and Mississippi (Ole Miss) did not get invited to bowl games this year.
Florida also becomes the first school ever to hold the NCAA title for both football and basketball at the same time. Gator Raid indeed.