And the Winners are...

We'll just state it up front: Oklahoma will defeat Missouri and go to the BCS title game, and Florida will defeat Alabama and go to the BCS title game. For in depth analysis, continue reading....

(2) Oklahoma v. (20) Missouri - As good as the Tigers have looked at times this season, Chase Daniel and Jeremy Maclin can't do it all. If Mizzou had any semblance of a defense (they're ranked somewhere south of 90th nationally), they might have a shot here. And their offense could very well put up 50 plus points on a porous Sooner defense. But they'll have to reach 70 to have any hopes of winning this one. Sam Bradford and Oklahoma WILL score more than 60 points in this one, beating Missouri for their shot at a second national title in the BCS era. It would also mark Oklahoma's fourth BCS Championship appearance, breaking a tie they currently have with Ohio State and Florida State for most ever. Sooners 63, Tigers 49.

(1) Alabama v. (4) Florida - Let me just say from the start: it is a travesty that there is even a sliver of a possibility that Florida could win this game and not play for the national championship. The Gators lost one game, to an 8-4 Mississippi team, by one point, as a result of some freak turnovers in the fourth quarter, and it was over two months ago. Since that point, the Gators have been the best team in the nation. Their offense has begun clicking a la 2006/7 again, but the real driver of Florida's success has been outstanding defensive play. The D-Line is rock solid, but the strength is behind it. Brandon Spikes is one of the three best linebackers in the country (sorry, can't put him ahead of Maualuga), and the most underestimated part of the team is the secondary. Janoris Jenkins is extremely inexperienced, but he's also pretty damn fast. And recovery speed can mean a lot in the secondary.

On the other side of the coin, Alabama has dominated using its circa 1960's hard-nosed, classic toughness. Terence Cody is an anchor in the middle of the defense and one of the most beastly Defensive Tackles I've ever seen in college football. On the other side of the ball, Andre Smith leads an Offensive Line that is #1 in the game. That line has turned a semi-talented Glen Coffee into one of the best backs in the nation statistically (trust me, he's nowhere near the talent level of guys in his own conference like Charles Scott and Knowshon Moreno, or even Chris Rainey or Jeff Demps for that matter).

Each team has a path to victory this afternoon. (1) Florida wins this game by spreading out the Crimson Tide defense, getting the ball into the hands of its playmakers, and holding its own at the point of attack. (2) Alabama wins this game by controlling the line of scrimmage, controlling the clock, and running the ball down the Gators' throats. My money's on Scenario #1 - while Alabama is fantastic on both lines, Florida's offensive line and defensive speed are enough to stop 'Bama from holding the ball for 40 minutes of the game.

The X-Factor here: coaching. Urban Meyer has shown himself to be a fantastic game coach repeatedly, but in the opinion of this blogger, there is no better coach in college football today than Nick Saban. The problem for Saban in this one: he's only got so many tools in the toolbox. If they can't grind out a win, or if they get behind, there's no way in hell that John Parker Wilson can get the Tide back into the game. If you look at Alabama's "tough" opponents from this year, the Tide jumped all over them - we saw this both against Clemson to open the year, and especially against Georgia, where 'Bama grabbed a 31-0 lead in the first half. And if LSU didn't have the totally inept Jarrett Lee at QB all season, 'Bama wouldn't even be undefeated at this point. Conversely, Florida's got all the weapons in the world at all positions on the field, and can and has come from behind (although they seldom find themselves in such a position).

Ultimately, Florida's just got more talent, more ways to win, and the Gators will be strong enough on the lines to stop 'Bama's strengths from determining the outcome of this game. This one's a classic contrast of the old versus the new, and the new wins in this won. Florida 37, Alabama 31.

Enjoy the games (and the potential chaos to ensue should Missouri pull the impossible)!!