Florida State kicker Dustin Hopkins trotted onto Florida Field to attempt a 20-yard field goal with the Seminoles down 30-0 at the end of the third quarter and gave the 90,000-plus onlookers a startling wakeup call.
This is what the UF-FSU rivalry has come to.
The Gators have pummeled the Seminoles in recent years, as Saturday’s victory made it six in a row for Florida. The fact that UF has ripped off a few in a row isn’t unusual for a rivalry, but the last three scores — 45-12, 45-15, 37-10 — could certainly be described as unusual, if not embarrassing.
The only difference between Saturday’s contest and UF’s other three nonconference games — Charleston Southern, Troy and FIU — was FSU’s ability to avoid getting dominated by the second team. The Gators’ starters made the Seminoles, who amassed 55 yards of offense in the first half, look no different than the Golden Panthers.
A sad statement for a once-great rivalry.
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines a “rival” as:
1. One of two or more striving to reach or obtain something that only one can possess.
2. One that equals another in desired qualities.
The UF-FSU rivalry certainly meets the first part of that definition, but in no way does it meet the second condition.
Never has the inequality been so evident as when Bobby Bowden called a timeout — or Jimbo Fisher, or whoever runs that team now — on fourth and goal from inside the 5-yard line only to send out his kicker to break up the shutout.
That’s not a team trying to win. That’s a team trying to save face.
The Gators and Seminoles will always be rivals — I’m not trying to say otherwise — but right now that rivalry is at an all-time low.
For that matter, so is pretty much every other one of UF’s rivalries.
Since becoming head coach in 2005, Urban Meyer is 15-1 against traditional foes Georgia, FSU, Tennessee and Miami.
In my opinion, no one has rivaled Florida during that five-year stretch, least of all those four teams.
UF’s rivals have been the ’90s Nebraska teams, the turn-of-the-century USC teams and the ’80s Miami teams.
Tim Tebow hasn’t been rivaled by Matt Stafford, Sam Bradford or Darren McFadden.
Instead, he’s been rivaling Danny Wuerffel, Archie Griffin and Herschel Walker.
The only rivals for the Gators during these last five years are history and greatness. And that’s what struck me the most as the Seminoles “cut” the lead to 30-3 on the foot of their freshman kicker.
The postgame atmosphere was one-of-a-kind, as fans bid adieu to perhaps the greatest player and the greatest senior class in college football history. For any big-time recruit in attendance, I can’t imagine wanting the chance to play anywhere else in the country.
Come to Florida. Shame your rivals. Win national championships. Do it all in front of an incredible fan base that treats players like family.
That’s quite a sales pitch.
No one wanted Senior Day to end because everyone knew that it can’t, and won’t, always be like this in games like that.
Except for the Seminoles.
I’m sure they’re ready to get back to that whole “equal” thing as soon as possible.
