Meyer-Zook. FIGHT!
You can already hear it. The drum beats of war are sounding across the land. The prospect of Florida versus Illinois for all of the marbles. Well, some of them. Okay, no marbles are at stake. But it would make for great TV. And you can imagine that the Blazered Ones from Orlando and Tampa are chomping at the bit to get their hands on this match-up.
Quick, someone turn on the fireronzook.com server! Dig out your FRZ schwag, and get ready for some football. Zook and Meyer. Meyer and Zook. Heck, with Charlie Strong still on the Gators’ staff the last three Florida head coaches will be in attendance. Before the game maybe Zooker and TTNHBC can share jokes about Tressel’s sweater vests. But the one thing this game would lack is conflict.
This isn’t Gruden versus Dungy. There’s no large fraction of Florida fans who think the Gators were better off with Zook in command. In fact, I doubt the five of them even get together for meetings anymore. Most of the players from Zook’s run have moved on. At best, a couple of the seniors and maybe a redshirt junior or two ever toiled under the plush fist of Ron Zook.
As satisfying as it would be for Florida fans to put one final nail into the “I Told You So” coffin that was Zook’s tenure at Florida with a win, the downside is horrifying to think about. What if Zook’s squad beats the Gators? And with our defense, anything could happen.
Right now, just CBS and SI (linked above) have predicted this match-up. I think that’s because the media isn’t quite sold on Georgia just yet. And if Florida somehow makes it to the SEC Championship game they’re likely headed to a BCS bowl of some kind. But if UGA manages to beat Kentucky, they’ll eliminate the Gators, and open the door for a New Years Day bowl for Florida. Also, another loss by either Florida or Illinois dooms this match-up.
After reading all that, you might wonder what TALB thinks. Well, I’m of the opinion that I want the Gators to win the SEC. And IF they make it to Atlanta I think they can do it. But if they don’t, this would be the next best thing. If neither can happen, then I’d love a shot at Michigan.
