Florida football: Five possible bowl opponents for the Gators
By Sean Doty
3. Oklahoma Sooners
Bowl: Sugar Bowl
Path to Matchup: Georgia wins SEC championship and LSU makes the playoffs.
Why Florida Fans Should Want This: Among Florida’s potential opponents this bowl season, the Sooners by far are the most prestigious football program.
Recent members of the 900-win club, the Sooners under head coach Lincoln Riley continue to be perennial contenders for the college football playoffs this year. If not for an upset road loss to conference foe Kansas State, the Sooners would most likely be in the catbird seat to make the playoffs for a third-straight season.
Instead, the Sooners find themselves needing help from LSU later today to secure the fourth and final playoff spot.
While Oklahoma’s defense has often been a liability this season, it continues to be a juggernaut offensively. Ranking no. 1 in total offense (564.3 yards per game) and no. 5 in scoring offense (44.3 points per game) nationally, the Sooners have consistently given opposing defensive coordinators nightmares all season.
This is due in part to the arrival of graduate transfer quarterback Jalen Hurts. Replacing last season’s Heisman Trophy winner and no. 1 overall NFL draft pick Kyler Murray, the former Crimson Tide quarterback has thrived in Riley’s offense. Prior to Saturday’s conference championship game, Hurts has accounted for more than 4,500 yards of total offense and 50 total touchdowns.
A date against the Sooners should not just be something Gator fans should hope for. It should be a game that Gator fans should pray to come into fruition.
Both programs have surprisingly played each other only once previously. Florida fans remember the game quite well, as Dan Mullen was Florida’s offensive coordinator and Tim Tebow was Florida’s quarterback en route to Florida’s third national championship back in 2008.
Not only would a matchup against Oklahoma bring nostalgia to a Florida football fan base, but a potential victory against the Sooners would serve as a major stepping stone for this coaching staff.
For one thing, it would mean that the Gators would be headed to the Sugar Bowl. It would be only the fourth time since 2001 that the Gators have played in this premier bowl game. The Gator faithful would certainly love to get the awful taste of Florida’s last appearance in the Sugar Bowl, which was a 33-23 defeat to Charlie Strong and the Louisville Cardinals.
More importantly, though, it could serve as Florida’s statement as a playoff contender in 2020.
Since late last season there have been several college football pundits, Tebow included, who have said that Florida is just on the cusp of becoming a serious national championship contender. If the Gators could play against and defeat a team that features a potential Heisman Trophy winner and one of the nation’s best offenses in 2019, it would easily be the greatest victory in Dan Mullen’s head coaching career.
Probability: Questionable. The Sooners will be playing in a New Year’s Six bowl after securing the Big 12 championship. But the Gators will need some help from conference rival Georgia, as well as the playoff committee. Not only will the Bulldogs need to claim victory in Atlanta, but the playoff committee will also need to keep LSU in the top four. Should the Tigers lose a close conference championship game, there is a possibility that LSU’s undefeated regular season and strength of schedule could keep them ahead of Oklahoma in the playoff rankings.