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We belong Gators, Orangemen defending Orange Bowl bids
Posted: Thursday December 31, 1998 08:44 PM
MIAMI (AP) -- Some critics say No. 18 Syracuse shouldn't be playing in the Orange Bowl with three losses. Others argue No. 7 Florida shouldn't have received an at-large invitation when one-loss teams like Arizona and Kansas State were left out of the Bowl Championship Series. The Orangemen and Gators are offering no apologies. "They designed this so you have two teams that are very talented on both sides of the football," Syracuse wide receiver Kevin Johnson said. "Whoever wins this, they'll probably say they deserved to be in the BCS." The Orange Bowl features the worst combined record of the four major bowls, making it a favorite target of those unhappy with the new selection process. Syracuse (8-3) was guaranteed a berth by winning the Big East, the weakest conference in the BCS system. And the Gators (9-2) got the nod over Kansas State and Arizona because of their ability to generate ticket sales. No one involved will dispute those appraisals. But as Florida coach Steve Spurrier points out, life isn't always fair. "If we were 11-1 and if the bowl game was in Kansas City, I'm sure Kansas State would get invited," Spurrier said. "Being in Florida, we have a great advantage to being invited to bowl games in Florida. I guess it's another reason to come play football in Florida." The Gators were closer than most recall to playing for the national title, losing to both No. 1 Tennessee and No. 2 Florida State. Florida fell to Tennessee 20-17 when a field-goal attempt by Collins Cooper went wide in overtime. Even so, the Gators still might have found themselves swept into the Fiesta Bowl if not for an uncharacteristic meltdown in a 23-12 loss to the Florida State. The Gators failed to score in the second half, squandering a 12-6 lead. Injuries and inconsistency have kept the Gators from being as explosive as previous years. Florida's 461.9 yards and 31.7 points per game still ranked near the top of the Southeastern Conference, but the lack of a running game hurt deeply. "We need to mix it up," Spurrier said. "We hope to run it and we hope to throw it and we need to play some offense if we're going to have a chance." Syracuse brings its own brand of fireworks, with quarterback Donovan McNabb the catalyst. The do-everything senior has thrown for 2,134 yards and 22 touchdowns this season and rushed for 438 yards and eight TDs, accounting for 54 percent of the Orangemen's offense. "If Donovan's hot, we're hot," Johnson said. "If Donovan's cold, we're cold."
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