Getting Defensive

So let me get this straight - the Marlins are contending for a wild card berth, UCF has been picked to win its division in Conference USA, and Florida State just beat Miami with one yard of rushing offense and two critical field goals.

Yup, it's official. We are in Bizarro Sports World.

Anyone who watched the live postgame show on Sun Sports after the FSU-Miami tilt on Labor Day (and we thank you for staying up late with us) had to notice how many Seminoles brought glowing praise for kicker Gary Cismesia, who drilled two rather pedestrian field goals in a 13-10 win. His teammates were practically carrying "The Weed" off the Orange Bowl turf on their shoulders. In his on-field interview with Tom Block, Bobby Bowden said he was accustomed to Wide Left or Wide Right, "not Wide Middle." Think the kicking game is deeply wired within the synapses of the Seminoles?

Monday night should be Exhibit A (with last year's equally drab 10-7 snorefest Exhibit B) in the case for pushing FSU-Miami back on the schedule. At this time of year, defenses are always ahead of offenses. As a college football guy, I'd much rather see Florida State and Miami when both are firing on all cylinders offensively - say, around mid-October. That being said, all due credit and props to both defenses, which combined to allow three rushing yards (!) and only nine third-down conversions in 31 attempts. Weren't nobody moving the football at the OB on Monday.

Stats can be deceiving. In the end, FSU made plays, and Miami didn't. And consider this: FSU quarterback Drew Weatherford now has 18 career touchdown passes and 19 career interceptions - plus an ACC Championship ring and a 2-0 record against Miami. As it has been written, winning solves everything.

So let's get down to business. How can UCF beat Florida next week?

They can't. Not yet, anyway. As my college football mentor, Brady Ackerman, once told me: "in the second half, Grasshopper, athletes take over." That he told me this while walking on rice paper without leaving a footprint merely amplified its resonance.

Florida has more athletes. For now, anyway. There will come a day when schools like UCF and South Florida can match the depth of the Big Three. It is inevitable, and it will be termed the "Big Five." This is my word, and my word is law.

But in the meantime, UCF allowed 241 passing yards against I-AA Villanova in week one. Not good. On the plus side, the Golden Knights only gave up 81 yards on the ground. However, as I may have mentioned, it was I-AA Villanova.

You know what UCF was good at last year? Punt returns. 16.5 yards per return, 4th in the nation, tops in Conference USA (see: Burnett, Joe). They were also top-3 in Conference USA in rushing offense (167 ypg), passing efficiency (139.55), and turnover margin (+.92, 12th in the nation), hallmarks of George O'Leary's ball-control philosophy.

Florida, meanwhile, was 8th in the SEC in pass defense at 204 passing yards allowed per game - and that was WITH Dee Webb, Vernell Brown, and Jarvis Herring, all of whom were in NFL camps this summer. The revamped Florida secondary of The Reggies Nelson and Lewis plus Ryan Smith looked better than okay against Southern Miss - but remember, USM quarterback Jeremy Young was playing in his 11th college football game, making only his second start. Steven Moffett ain't no Jeremy Young.

On Saturday against Villanova, the Knights went three-and-out on their first possession before Moffett caught fire: 10-for-10 for 146 yards and three touchdowns as UCF scored on four straight possessions. Go back to that UCF stat on pass efficiency - Moffett is nothing if not efficient. He may not have many home-run chances against UF, but he can nickle-and-dime with the best of them.

The Gators were very good against the run last season - 4th in the SEC and 10th in the nation at 94 rushing yards allowed per game - so this will be an excellent test for Kevin Smith and Jason Peters. That UCF rushing tandem combined for almost 140 yards per game last season, with Smith earning C-USA Freshman of the Year honors. If O'Leary is patient, and his players avoid stupid mistakes, the Golden Knights will make a game of it next Saturday. For a while.

Then, the athletes will take over. So it is written, Grasshopper. So it shall be done.