A trip to Atlanta appears guaranteed at this point for UF, but there's still a pesky Vanderbilt team in the way before the Gators' spot in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game is clinched.
The Commodores (5-3, 3-2 SEC) seem like just another victory waiting to happen for the No. 4 Gators (7-1, 5-1 SEC) on Saturday in Nashville, Tenn., at 8 p.m., but that's what everyone thought about Mississippi back in September.
As usual, UF coach Urban Meyer's focus this week has been on not turning his contest with Vanderbilt into the always-sneaky letdown game.
After Tuesday's practice, Meyer seemed amazed that hugely favored teams can lose games like this one.
"I can't, I can't … How does that happen?" Meyer said. "You're right, it does. I shouldn't say those kinds of things because sure it can happen."
But winning these games is what it's all about for Meyer.
"It's why you get up in the morning," Meyer said. "It's why you brush your teeth, it's why you eat, it's why you shave, to go play in these games. Why else do you do this? It's not fun. The only thing that's fun is going to win it."
That said, Meyer has not stressed the clinching of the SEC East this week, choosing to focus on the game instead of the outcome.
"Everybody knows about it," Meyer said. "I haven't had a lot of discussion about that. We had a lot of discussion about how you win that game, not what happens if (you win)."
Simply put, losing focus on their goals will not be an option for the Gators on Saturday night. They've learned something from the loss to the Rebels that may keep them out of national-title consideration.
"We took a step back against Ole Miss at home," middle linebacker Brandon Spikes said. "We really didn't prepare well, and they stole it at our house. After that, we want to learn. Every game counts."
Vanderbilt does not, on paper, look like it can pose a threat to UF. The Gators have won their last four games by an average of 39.5 points, allowing just 10.75 points per game in that span. Vanderbilt is coming off a 10-7 loss to traditional Atlantic Coast Conference doormat Duke, and the Commodores have averaged just 12.25 points in their last four games and have the worst total offense in the SEC.
Looking at statistics like that are the reasons upsets take place.
"We definitely can't go in underestimating," Spikes said. "We're at their house, and it's (for) the championship."
Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson sees all those numbers, too, and he has been preparing his team for an offensive onslaught.
"They don't have a lot of weaknesses, but you never know what's going to happen in a football game," he said.
Never knowing what's going to happen is why one-game-at-a-time syndrome is at an all-time high.
UF blew out Vanderbilt last season, but the Commodores played the Gators tough in 2005 and 2006, memorably taking them to double overtime in 2005 before current Denver Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler threw a game-ending interception. UF escaped a close one at home 49-42.
The common thread lately for the Gators has been capitalizing on opponent's mistakes. Johnson knows his team will have to be flawless to prevent UF from booking a flight to Atlanta on Dec. 6.
