There’s a lot going on in the world of college football this weekend, so I’m not going to waste any time in getting to the five most pressing issues of the 2009 season.
1. Will Florida leave Death Valley undefeated on Saturday night?
That is the one overarching question that will captivate the nation on Saturday, but there’s a lot of sub-questions there too.
Will Heisman winner and unquestioned Gators leader Tim Tebow play? If he can, should he? How different does the offense look under sophomore John Brantley? Does any of this matter against LSU’s streak of 21 straight home night victories?
There is no question that Tim Tebow means the world to the Florida Gators. Everyone knows what a unique skillset and what an unparalleled level of competition he brings to a game, but is one game worth the potential of further injury?
Remember, the Gators were a one-loss team in 2006 before winning the BCS title and in 2008 before doing the same. Surely, losing on the road to the No. 4-ranked team in the country — with or without Tim Tebow — would not bump them out of the AP top-10. With USC and Virginia Tech already having losses and Oklahoma having two, the possible players in the BCS title game aren’t many. This is not a do-or-die game for the Gators.
INSURANCE PLAN
And airing on the side of optimism, Florida is still a damn good football team without Tim Tebow. The defense is identical to the top-5 unit from last year and the run game — a three-headed attack featuring Jeffry Demps, Chris Rainey and Emmanuel Moody — is No. 1 in the nation with 307.5 yards per game. John Brantley was one of the most hotly recruited quarterbacks in the country two years ago and his pocket presence would not only ensure the Tigers respect the pass, but ensure they’re unable to load the box.
Tebow or no Tebow, it’s going to be an electric matchup between two of the nation’s finest but Florida has too much offensive firepower to be slowed and too staunch a defense to allow LSU to put points on the board.
Florida stays undefeated.
2. How will Sam Bradford’s arm look against Baylor?
The Sooner senior and potential No. 1 pick in next April’s NFL draft will suit up for the first time since sustaining a shoulder injury in Oklahoma’s season-opening loss to BYU.
Freshman Landry Jones has looked solid in going 2-1 in Bradford’s absence, but the game against perennial Sooners stomping mat Baylor isn’t so much about what will surely be a win as it is a gauge of how Bradford will be able to hold up the rest of the season.
'STACHE AND DELIVER
Oklahoma’s schedule gets markedly more difficult after Baylor; Texas, Kansas and Nebraska will all take their shots at adding to the Sooners’ loss column within the next 30 days and Bradford will need to be at his best to pull through those games with victories.
3. Was all the Jevan Snead hype for naught?
After riding a wave of momentum into the 2009 season and parlaying it into a top-5 rank, the Rebels stumbled at South Carolina and looked less than impressive in beating SEC basement-dwellers Vanderbilt. Snead is 54-for-105 — just 51.4% — with nine touchdowns and five interceptions.
Those are not the numbers of a quarterback thought to be in the midst of a Heisman race and those are not the numbers of a quarterback thought to be the second best in the SEC behind Tim Tebow.
HIGH TIDE, LOW TIDE
The news isn’t getting any better with No. 3 Alabama and its high-octane offense coming to town. Crimson Tide quarterback Greg McElroy is looking every bit the player Snead was supposed to be in completing 65% of his passes for over a thousand yards and nine touchdowns.
Snead will have to play the best game of his career thus far to beat Alabama and re-insert Ole Miss into the race for the SEC West.
4. Why is nobody talking about Wisconsin?
I’ll be the first to admit it; I’ve slept on the Badgers.
Not just this season, but in plenty of seasons past. This prototypical Big 10 team is getting it done with a punishing run game and an offensive line capable of weathering the storm of any defense thrown at it. Their resume may not ‘wow’ the pollsters with wins over the likes of Wofford and Northern Illinois, but victories over Fresno State, Minnesota and Michigan State speak of a team that deserves to be taken seriously.
THE RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS
Things will ratchet up in difficulty with a trip to Ohio State on Saturday but the Badgers will be a formidable opponent with ‘upset’ on the brain. John Clay and Zach Brown have combined for near 800 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground and quarterback Scott Tolzien has developed a rapport with receivers Nick Toon, Garrett Graham and Isaac Anderson.
This will be closer than people think.
5. Can Iowa put itself firmly in the Big 10 driver’s seat?
The three-game stretch that starts with Michigan on Saturday will be crucial for the Hawkeyes. The young-but-dangerous Wolverines come to town on Saturday and that contest is followed by trips to Wisconsin and Michigan State.
THE NEW BLACK AND GOLD
Much like their Big 10 brethren in Wisconsin, the Hawkeyes like to establish themselves on the ground. It’s not a pretty style of football, it’s not dynamic, but it’s successful. Adam Robinson is a stocky, bruising runner and Brandon Wegher was cut from an identical mold. The tandem works to wear defenses down and when the run game sputters, quarterback Ricky Stanzi can air it out.
A win over Michigan will keep Iowa tied with the Wisconsin/Ohio State winner atop the Big 10 standings.
The Great American Sports Blog 