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Florida in good BCS shape
Posted: Friday October 29, 1999 01:24 PM
The BCS rankings came out Monday without causing much debate. Florida State and Penn State should be the top two teams, while Virginia Tech sits patiently, waiting for one of the top two to lose. But the team with the best chance to reach the top spot is Florida. Even though they have one loss, the Gators still have to play Florida State. A win, and they're right in the thick of things. This week, Florida takes on Georgia at the world's largest cocktail party in Jacksonville. Florida defensive coordinator Jon Hoke feels the Gators have only had one bad performance defensively. That was in their loss to Alabama and he takes the blame. The crowd noise was so loud, that Florida players weren't getting certain calls, so Hoke talked himself out of playing pressure defense. That played right into the hands of Alabama, and that won't happen this week. Florida will zone blitz not just to get pressure on Quincy Carter, but to help stop the run. Georgia looked much more in sync last week against Kentucky, when it stuck to the game plan and pounded the ball with Jasper Sanks. This game is easy to call. If Georgia has success on the ground, it will go down to the wire. If not, Florida wins big again.
FSU needs Minor adjustmentTop-ranked Florida State survived the Clemson scare last week. and now travels to Virginia. Cavaliers defensive coordinator Rick Lantz feels the key to beating FSU is to do what Clemson did -- be aggressive on defense, and not allow the big play.Florida State must get running back Travis Minor more involved in the passing game. Coach Lantz admitted the Seminoles are at their toughest when all their recievers are covered and Chris Weinke simply swings the ball to Minor in the flat, where he's one-on-one with a linebacker. Florida State learned a big lesson last week, I like the Noles.
Another upset for Illinois?Penn State continues to methodically march through the Big Ten and this week faces Illinois. Not much of a game right? Well, not so fast. The Illini are fresh off beating Michigan at Michigan. Quarterback Kurt Kittner has been fantastic, throwing for 16 touchdowns and only 2 interceptions. And head coach Ron Turner acknowleges this is the best time for his young players to face Penn State, becaue they feel they can beat anyone.For the first time in three years, this game will at least be competitive. But Penn State remains undefeated. Trev Alberts is a college football analyst for CNN/SI and appears on CNN's College Football Preview, Saturdays at 11:30 a.m. ET.
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