On January 1, 2010 at 8:30 p.m. Eastern time, the Florida Gators, the SEC Eastern Division Champs, will meet the Cincinnati Bearcats, the Big East winners, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The University of Florida Gators have played in the Sugar Bowl 7 times before, with a win in 1997 of 52-20 over Florida State to give them a national title. The Gators played a Big East winner once before in 1994, defeating Virginia 41-7.
But a good record of games doesn't guarantee victory, as the Gators found out in their final game of the season. After an undefeated season and a winning streak of 22 games, winning 12 consecutive games in one season for only the second time in Gators' history, the Gators lost the SEC Championship to Alabama. The Gators and the Bearcats have played one time previously, but that was in 1984 during Homecoming weekend. At that time, Florida won 48-17.
The Sugar Bowl, now known as the Allstate Sugar Bowl, got its start during the Depression and celebrated 75 years at the beginning of 2009. Chief Executive Officer of the Sugar Bowl Committee, Paul Hoolahan, said they're pleased to host 2 of the top 5 teams in the country in the Allstate Sugar Bowl this year. This is the Gators' 19th consecutive New Year's bowl appearance, which is the 2nd longest streak of consecutive bowl games in the country.
The Gators' entrance into the bowl game hasn't been without some controversy. Urban Meyer, Gators' coach, announced just Saturday, December 26th, that he was leaving the Gators and stepping down as coach for health reasons. But on Sunday, he said that he'd continue as coach through the Sugar Bowl, then take a leave of absence after the bowl.
Meyer's brought Gators 2 BCS titles in 5 years but plans to let Steve Addazio, the Gators' offensive coordinator, run the team until he's ready to come back. Meyer says he's been suffering from recurring and unexplained chest pains, but now, just one day after announcing his resignation, says he plans to be back in time to coach the opening game of the 2010 football season.
Criticism has come from all corners, first at the resignation announcement coming just before the bowl game which is seen as upstaging the game now. Ticket sales for the Gators were less than expected, possibly because of the final game loss that stunned fans and players. So an announcement of a resignation 1 week before the bowl game, and star Heisman-Trophy winning quarterback Tim Tebow's final game as a Gator, has many in the sports world wondering why. The reversal the next morning is seen as even more strange.
Even the announcement and reversal, and the final game loss, can't take away the achievements of the Gators over their 2009 season, with team and individual player records being broken and set almost every game.
The Allstate Sugar Bowl will be televised by the FOX Network.
Photo Credits: Ludie Cochrane
Originally posted 2009-12-31 01:47:23. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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