College football has no playoff.  Some argue that the entire season is a playoff since one loss, 99% of the time, eliminates you from national championship contention.  Unless you were in the preseason top 5 and lost early enough in the year you can come back and play for the title.  (See last year’s Florida Gators).  The BCS is an “unbiased” computer formula that uses all of the polls, fancy algorithms and strength of schedule to determine who plays for the championship. This season is was very difficult.  There are 5 undefeated teams in the FCS this season. Alabama and Texas meet for the championship as decided by the BCS.  Boise State, TCU and Cincinnati could go undefeated and not have a chance to win the National Championship. 

Florida, the defending champions went undefeated in the regular season and lost in their showdown with Alabama in the SEC title game.  The 12-1 Gators will meet 12-0 Cincinnati in the Sugar Bowl.  Do the Gators deserve to be there?  I know that sounds crazy since all year the mainstream media has told you how great Tim Tebow and the Florida Gators are.  Even though they seemed to sleepwalk and just do enough to get by all year until BAMA ran them out of the Georgia Dome.  I took a look at Florida’s season and noticed that they played 8 home games and 4 road games.  I thought wow, they played only 4 road games. The only one of those games that was a true test was @LSU. Then I looked at the 2008 Gator schedule.  8 home games and 4 road games.  Tenn, which lost at home to Wyoming in ‘08, Arkansas, 0-3 at home in SEC, Vandy, and Florida State, who was 2-3 at home vs FCS schools.  The more I looked into the Gator’s schedule the more shocked I became.  But, I never figured I would find a stat this staggering.  Florida is an untested Fraud.

Florida does not travel.  They play their 3 or 4 games on the road in the SEC, in the cozy Southeastern region of the US or in the state of Florida.  Florida has not played a non-conference road game out of the state of Florida since…. 1991!

In 1991, 18 years ago the Florida Gators played their last non-conference road game out of the state of Florida.  A 38-21 Loss at Syracuse in perfect conditions inside the Carrier Dome. Curious to see where else they traveled I looked up the next 10 non-conference out of state road games.  they are…

1989 @Memphis State- W 38-13

1986 @Rutgers- W  15-3.  The game time temperature was 57 degrees.

1983 @ USC- 19-19 tie

1979 @Houston- L 14-10. 

1977 @Rice-W 48-3. 

1975 @NC State- L 8-7. 

1968 @North Carolina- L 22-7. 

1966 @NC State- W 17-10.

1965 @Northwestern.  W 24-14 in 86 degree heat.

1961 @Rice- L 19-10.

I had to go all the way back to 1961 to find 10 more non-conference out of state road games.  And, those games all took place in warm weather or in the Southeast. In the last 48 years Florida has played 11 non-conference road games out of the state of Florida.  And gone 5-5-1 in those 11 games. That is just cowardly.  How can you not challenge yourself to go out of your State and region and play a top opponent on the road for the last 18 years.  And only 11 times in the last 48 years.  No wonder you have won 3 National Titles since 1996.  It is a lot easier to get into a BCS Championship game when you never have to go on the road.  I would like to know what Florida’s record would have been with 1 tough non conference road game out of the state of Florida every 2 years.  I think they would have 0 National Championships if that was the case.

 Are other teams this afraid to go on the road and play tough games?  I wanted to find out.  Since 1991 here are the total number of non conference out of state road games…

Florida 0

LSU 8

Alabama 9

Florida State 12

Oklahoma 12

Ohio State 13

Michigan 15

Nebraska 16

Texas 17

Miami 23

Penn State 24

USC 27

Notre Dame 82 (okay that’s not fair, ND has no conference)

To try and make is more even…

Notre Dame 64 (games on the road played outside of the Midwest.)

While Florida was staying at home and in Florida, the other top programs around the country were going on the road and playing the tough games.  Showing the toughness that should be required to win a National Championship.  Other than Notre Dame, every school on the list above has won at least 1 National Championship since 1991.  Even Notre Dame had a share of the ‘93 title (the AP trophy went to Florida State even though ND beat them that season)

Florida go on the road and play at Ohio State, or at Oregon or at USC and earn some respect.  Stop hiding in your little comfort zone.  You should be ashamed of your schedule.