Tide Tidbits - December 6, 2008

Florida Gators-Alabama Crimson Tide SEC title game preview
Meyer and Saban said too much is being made out of the flash vs. force story line, but others disagree. "I don't think enough is being made out of it," said CBS analyst Gary Danielson, who will call today's game. "The great fights, the great matches, style makes the fight. This is the most intriguing matchup that I've ever done. And basically, it's because of the styles. This is basically Frazier vs. Ali. This is ugly vs. pretty, new vs. old, spread out vs. tight." Three keys to the game:

Championship Saturday
Nick Saban and Urban Meyer both took a mulligan in their first seasons. Saban’s debut at Alabama was marred by a four-game losing streak at the end of the regular season. Heck, the Crimson Tide needed a victory in the Independence Bowl just to eke out a winning record. Meyer’s opening season at Florida was more successful, though the Gators still managed to lose three Southeastern Conference games, including a bitter defeat to former coach Steve Spurrier that kept them out of the league championship game. Even with the best of coaches, it usually takes a year to really get things rolling.

Again, Tim Tebow holds the future of Florida Gators, Alabama Tide in his hands
Tim Tebow sat at center stage three years ago at Nease High School, Florida and Alabama fans hanging on his every word. Crimson Tide faithful believed they could land the 6-foot-3 quarterback, counting on a strong bond with then-coach Mike Shula. The Gators staked their hopes on his history as a Florida fan and the influence of parents who graduated from the school. Then-assistant Greg Mattison had told him if Tebow signed with Alabama, it would set the Gator program back 10 years. "That's how important Tim was," Meyer said this week.

Teams excel at forcing, avoiding turnovers
Nobody is better nationally than No. 2 Florida at forcing turnovers and protecting the ball, with a quarterback who seldom throws the ball to the defense and a secondary that swipes passes with regularity. No. 1 Alabama's pretty good in both categories, too, potentially making turnovers a key stat to watch in Saturday's Southeastern Conference championship game. "Probably one of the most telling tales about being successful is being first in the country in turnover ratio, which is always to me one of the most significant things in winning and losing," Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said.

Let's get ready to rumble
When looking ahead to this afternoon's Southeastern Conference Championship Game between No. 1 Alabama and second-ranked Florida in the Georgia Dome, CBS color commentator Gary Danielson references perhaps the most famous of all sports rivalries. "This is basically Frazier versus Ali," Danielson said. "This is ugly versus pretty. This is new versus old. This is spread out versus tight." The "Smokin' Joe" of the game is the Crimson Tide (12-0), which would prefer to pound away behind a massive offensive line that features two projected NFL first-round picks in tackle Andre Smith and center Antoine Caldwell. Meanwhile, the Gators' slick, high-speed, Tim Tebow-led offense resembles Ali's flashier style, minus the poetic trash talk. "This is the most intriguing matchup I've ever done," said Danielson, who has called two national championship games.

Football 101, SEC style
Today’s Southeastern Conference Championship game between Alabama and Florida has been characterized in many ways. It’s been called The Game of The Century. It’s been called the Battle of Atlanta. But on Friday, University of Florida head coach Urban Meyer called it something unexpected. He said it was Football 101. “If I’m a 22-year-old coach and I have to figure out how to go win a game, I sit in front of the TV or somehow find a tape and watch this thing because this is classic football,” Meyer said.

Roll Tide!