Week 14 story lines: Florida, Alabama poised for a classic

Tue, Dec 1, 2009

Sporting News’ Matt Hayes examines five story lines of Week 14.

1. Game for the ages

Carlos Dunlap won't be in uniform for Florida on Saturday after his DUI arrest. Carlos Dunlap won’t be in uniform for Florida on Saturday after his DUI arrest.

It’s pretty simple at this point: Win and you’re in. That’s the easy part.

The rest—a game of redemption, a Heisman Trophy moment, a 22-game winning streak, No. 1 vs. No. 2, the game everyone has waited for since last year’s classic—fuels the anticipation for Saturday’s SEC title game between Florida and Alabama.

“We’ve been waiting for them,” said Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes, “and they’ve been waiting for us.”

Buckle up, everybody. Now that it’s here, it wouldn’t be the most anticipated game in the long and storied history of the SEC if it didn’t come with a little drama.

Alabama tailback and Heisman candidate Mark Ingram is dealing with a sore hip but will play. Florida star defensive end Carlos Dunlap—hours after representing the Gators on the SEC teleconference—was arrested early Tuesday morning and charged with DUI. He won’t play.

At this point, those two story lines mean little in the grand scheme. This comes down to philosophies and personalities. Alabama wants to punish and impose its will; Florida seemingly is moving along with the ride, allowing its stout defense to set the tone and hoping the offense will do enough.

Really, it comes down to the quarterbacks: Alabama’s Greg McElroy, he of the game-winning drive against Auburn that was a Daniel Moore-worthy painting, or Florida’s Tim Tebow? You choose.

I asked Tennessee’s Lane Kiffin—the coach who slowed down both teams in close losses this year—about the game. After praising both teams, he said of Florida, “But they’ve got Superman back there.”

Win and you’re in.