UCLA(-3) over Florida State (1*)
- - The FSU season has been a slog, and a downward slog at that, with no leadership or chemistry ever emerging to right a ship that didn't just start listing this year. Now I have to ask whether, amidst the obvious circumstances, FSU is pushing just the right buttons and reinventing their Bowl routines through the holidays and a cross country sojurn, and will be both jacked up over a rich opportunity presented by this game, and opportunistic through 60 minutes of good and bad while closing the deal with the little things that have eluded them all season . . . Sure, the Seminoles don't want the final sting of a losing season, but my reading and listening isn't picking up any collective sense of what a hugely important game and trip this is for the Seminoles, for which I'll offer several examples from the media: (1) "This is the first time since I've been here that I haven't been home for Christmas," said Florida State senior tailback Lorenzo Booker (the only California native on the Seminoles squad) "It's an adjustment, but at the same time you have to appreciate the fact that it is an adjustment. We're used to playing on the first, second and third (of January). Now that we're playing on the 27th, is it a letdown? Sort of, but it's UCLA."; (2) Win or lose in the Emerald Bowl, Bobby Bowden won't change his sights on better things for his Florida State football team. A loss would give FSU its first losing season since his first year at FSU in 1976. Just look at Michigan, Bowden said. The Wolverines went 7-5 a year ago and this season they were barely out of the national championship game. ?I talked to (Michigan coach Lloyd) Carr earlier in the year to find out exactly what he did - about a month ago,? Bowden said. ?I just wanted to know how he went about what he did. He made changes in his staff. I asked him how quickly he went about hiring and all that stuff.? Bowden said he likes his team's approach to the bowl and takes that as a good sign heading into the offseason. ?The kids have worked hard," he said. "You would think they are down, they have lost. They have really done everything we've (asked). Look at this trip here. I nearly hate to say but we haven't had any trouble. Auburn sent a couple home. Joe (Paterno of Penn State) had to suspend a guy. That's my big motivation - trying to get this thing back,? Bowden said. ?Even if you lose the game - OK, 31 years ago we were 5-6 and then the next year went 10-2.?; and (3) Hasn't he (Bowden) earned the right to have a 6-6 season? ``I think so,'' Bowden said. ``But you know people.'' This is the season Bowden accepted the resignation of son Jeff as the team's offensive coordinator, after a shutout home loss to Wake Forest. There you have it, Seminoles fans -- your requisite pound of flesh. He jokes about the Emerald Bowl being his Waterloo, but Bowden is promising a return from exile. Bowden, who still rises at 4 a.m. for work, has insulated himself from much of the noise. Not knowing how to turn on a computer helps. Yet, he can feel the negativity. ``I'd call it nasty,'' Bowden said of some of what he hears, ``but you know what? It doesn't surprise me."
- - On the other side, few expected much from UCLA despite a 10-2 season in 2005. ("The challenge for us is, can we continue to improve given the loss of some talent on offense?" Dorrell said (in August). That's what good college coaches do, and what Dorrell is certain UCLA is ready to demonstrate. Supporters believe last year's team could never have mounted those (4th quarter) comebacks (in 2005) if the team's character under Dorrell was not exemplary. As the Bruins have matured, so has a head coach who has learned lessons and developed. "I've grown," Dorrell said. "I've matured." Dorrell said he has improved as a communicator to his players, though he often struggles to communicate his message to the media. He can appear defensive, and in extreme moments, almost the victim. Last year before the Sun Bowl, Dorrell - who is black - questioned whether the lack of respect was due to race.) . . . But there were very early signs that the defense would become a force as the season went on. There were growing pains, and a hugely disappointing loss to Notre Dame, but down the stretch they have come together under first-year defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker, culminating against USC with a sensational blitz-oriented package to pressure quarterback John David Booty, and allow UCLA's undersized defensive front to use its quickness to shut down USC's running game. Recent games and recent seasons should also answer the question of whether UCLA is gaining traction with talent, depth and speed and the ability to deploy them to create favorable matchups. Now the question to be asked is whether they are fat from their success (or if it's downright west coast dubious), or whether they like what they have tasted and are of one mind and heart to see their run to a worthy conclusion.
- - In terms of matchups, I'll concede that FSU has the potential to burn UCLA with their most productive means of attack, namely, chucking it up for their big receivers to make plays, but it's also not a strength for structuring winning wagers in bowl games. FSU at its best is a dangerous dog and is no doubt playing up the disrespect card like bad asses always tend to. Fact is, there is another side to virtually every angle, but when I ask whether the momentum of these two divergent seasons is likely to continue, or does value lie in anticipating that the two teams standing on the same sideline in this quirky (but sold out) football stadium will look like they changed shirts from a month ago, I come down in favor of Dorrell's Bruins resembling their true selves and not leaving the field without finding a way to get the job done.
GL
