A crazy college football season is near its conclusion, and the Gators seem to be the team with the most common-sense bowl scenario.
All signs point to Orlando, a Jan. 1 trip to the Capital One Bowl and a possible date with Ron Zook and Illinois.
Steve Hogan, executive director of Florida Citrus Sports, the organization that runs the Capital One Bowl, talked it up while sitting in the post-game press conference room at The Swamp on Saturday night.
"The inside story is we've got a lot of great choices in the (Southeastern Conference)," Hogan said, refusing to tip his hand or play favorites. "Depending on what happens in the championship game with Tennessee and LSU and really what shakes out in the BCS with Georgia and Florida, you can't go wrong with any of the four."
Whoever wins Saturday's SEC title game between Tennessee and LSU will go to the Sugar Bowl.
Georgia, with its No. 4 BCS ranking, is poised to take an at-large bid for the Rose, Orange or Fiesta Bowls and still has a long-shot chance at getting into the BCS Championship Game.
That would leave the Capital One Bowl to decide between the loser of the SEC title game and UF, one of the hottest teams in the country with arguably the most recognizable player in the nation - quarterback Tim Tebow.
The Gators have not played in the Capital One Bowl (then the Citrus Bowl) since Jan. 1, 2000, when Michigan State defeated them 37-34.
Bowls generally like to take teams with momentum, which also gives UF an edge.
"Potentially if it shakes out this way: Florida would be attractive because they're probably going to be a top-10 team," Hogan said. "They've earned it on the football field. Florida plays an exciting brand of football. They've got probably, if not the Heisman winner, a top finalist for the Heisman. For all of those reasons, Florida would be a great program to have."
As for Illinois?
The Illini could advance to the Rose Bowl if Ohio State earns an unlikely return trip to the national championship.
If not, Orlando is the sensible destination for Zook.
"If that's the way it shakes out in the end, and those are the two best programs in the Big Ten and the SEC, I'd be fine with it because that's what the game's all about," Hogan said. "The rest of the hype around the story and all of the coaching staffs and what not is something else. That's something that (the media) will make an issue."
MILLER EARNS HONOR:
UF center Drew Miller was named SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week on Monday, two days after playing his final game in The Swamp.
Miller and the line allowed one sack while the offense racked up 541 yards in a 45-12 win against Florida State.
