25. SUGAR BOWL (New Orleans)
Jan. 1/8:30 p.m. Fox
(5) Florida Gators (Gainesville) (12-1) (SEC Record: 8-0)
Head Coach: Urban Meyer
Key Players: Tim Tebow, QB;
Comments: 8-1 v bowl teams; loss in SEC title game cost Gators a shot at 2nd straight national title and may have hangover effect; some evidence of turmoil with loss of assistants and NFL aspirations among underclassmen; Meyer's retirement (unretirement?) could be a distraction; can Tebow pump up his team for his collegiate swan song?
(4) Cincinnati Bearcats (Cincinnati) (12-0) Big East Record: 7-0)
Head Coach: Jeff Quinn (Interim); Butch Jones named to replace Kelly.
Key Players: Mardy Gilyard, WR; Tony Pike, QB
Comments: 7-0 v bowl teams; came from behind to beat Pitt and win trip to Sugar Bowl; 2nd straight BCS bowl game; Some vitriolic barbs tossed by players when Brian Kelly left to become Notre Dame head coach; Gilyard is a Jeremy Maclin-type with great numbers; Pike, on the early season Heisman watch until missing 3 games to injury, still racked up 2350 yards and 26 TDs; offense is 6th in total offense, passing offense and scoring offense.
Line: Florida: -10
My Pick: A pissed-off CINCINNATI team almost upsets a superior Gator team but covers.
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