Stream of Consciousness Notes - BCS Champ.

Just like everyone predicted (yeah, right). Florida blew away Ohio State with stunning ease and domination to win the 2007 National Title. Check out Pete Fiutak's thoughts on the shocker in his Stream of Consciousness Game Notes.

By Pete Fiutak
Welcome again to my pretentious, goofy and self-serving stream-of-consciousness thoughts and notes on the big games, the broadcasts, the ads and the teams for the attention deficit disordered. E-mail me with your own thoughts and notes and what you'd like to see. 

Pregame 
- It's finally here. After a week off, and the rest of the world turning its attention to the NFL playoffs, Florida and Ohio State finally get to decide the national championship. While there's little buzz outside of Gainesville and Columbus, and the poor timing, this should be a whale of a game with a better matchup than it's being given credit for.

I won't be shocked by anything. I can see Ohio State being razor sharp and forcing several Chris Leak mistakes. I can see Florida being all over the place showing off the speed and athleticism the Buckeyes haven't seen since the win over Texas. I can see blowouts, I can see a last-second win. I can see nothing less than something special.

- What a shock. The wife isn't happy I'm choosing the national championship over her birthday. I couldn't sell her on Glendale in January, so that's why I'm not there. In a major stunner, she wasn't thrilled about the idea of me going off partying, doing TV and radio gigs, and spending all day doing "my job" while she got to take care of the kid.

- On that note, I couldn't more highly recommend the Sling Box. The thing actually works, and it's changed the way I work and travel. It also allows me to watch anything on my computer while my kid watches the same episode of Blue's Clues for the 14th time in a row.

- There's no truth to the rumor that USC and Wisconsin are playing out in the parking lot for the right to step in if Florida stinks it up in the first half. However, Boise State is over at the Glendale Hooters drawing up crazy plays on a cocktail napkin waiting for its turn at bat.

- The Fox 24/Prison Break promo drinking game has now officially begun. Shotgun!

- I thought it was in poor taste for Jim Tressel to wear a Cleveland Browns hat when he led his team out of the tunnel.

First Quarter
- OSU gets the ball first. A fast start would be really nice just to get Florida thinking that it really is the Oates to OSU's Hall. Ted Ginn Jr. has yet to come up with a really big return this year.
- HOLD!!! HOLD!!! Ginn comes up with a great cut, get helped by a held jersey on a Gator player, rips off a 93-yard touchdown on the opening kickoff, and then runs through the tunnel to officially sign with an agent to go become the 23rd pick in the 2007 NFL Draft.
- John David, Dwayne, Pete; your table is ready.
- The Buckeyes got away with a hold, but that really was an amazing play by Ginn.
Ohio State 7 ... Florida 0

Florida on the OSU 47
- As the lady says, let's start from the very beginning, it's a very good place to start. While the start couldn't have been any worse for the Gators, a good, methodical touchdown drive would start the game from scratch. They can't let OSU capitalize on the momentum and end this thing. 
- That's exactly what the Florida offense needed with great field position helped by the face mask penalty.
- Florida is completely blowing off the idea of a running back early on.
- My college football sense is kicking in early that this could be an ugly, long night for the OSU defense. There's no pressure on Leak, there are way too many holes in the defense early on, and basically, the D looks like the one that didn't show up against Michigan.
- There's a running back. DeShawn Wynn gets a good gain on his first carry.
- Leak is getting wide-open receivers to throw to. OSU has decided that covering the short to midrange routes isn't going to be a necessity tonight. 
- Tebow gets positive yards on his first carry. The Buckeye D has yet to show it can make a play.
- Uh oh ... unless Troy Smith is ready to rock, this is going to be ugly if the first drive was any indication. Shotgun, easy throw to Dallas Baker, touchdown.
- Game time started at 8:30 eastern. The Buckeye D apparently thought it was 8:30 eastern time.
Florida 7 ... Ohio State 7

Ohio State on its own 25
- I'll bite; why isn't Ginn returning the kickoff?
- The Ginn return and the big start doesn't matter if OSU can't get the offense moving. Establishing the run right away against the good UF front seven would be nice, but getting Troy Smith on track right away would be a lot better.
- After the UF TD drive, the energy level appears to be all on the blue side of the field. OSU looks like it's going at half speed.
- Three plays, Florida looks faster, Ohio State is running in mud. Of course, Florida doesn't have any more speed, but it's playing faster at the moment.

Florida on the OSU 36
- OSU shot itself in the foot with a personal foul penalty on the punt return. The D had better show something in a hurry.
- UF might try the deep ball right off the bat.
- Nope. It's time to get Harvin a big play. Keep feeding him, keep feeding him, keep feeding him.
- Nice push on the second down running play for a manageable third and three.
- Leak is in a groove. He threw a strike on the run for a 20-yard gain.
- That sound you heard was the entire Buckeye nation collectively going, "Aw s***."
- No, no, no, no, no. I know Tim Tebow is the man who makes plays in close, but don't take the ball, and the game out of Leak's hands.
- He was down! Florida fumbled, the officials didn't make a call...
- ... Tebow was ruled down.
- I think we can officially throw out my prediction for a defensive dominated, low scoring game now as Harvin takes a pitch and weaves his way into the end zone.
- Uh, OSU's D isn't remotely into the game.
Florida 14 ... Ohio State 7

- I'll bite again. Why isn't Ginn returning the kickoff?

Ohio State on its own 35
- As the lady says, let's start from the very beginning, it's a very good place to start. you're the number one team in the country. You have the Heisman trophy winner. Act like it.
- OSU tries Antonio Pittman with no luck.
- Every play for Florida has worked. OSU is 0-for-4 on play calls so far.
- Third and one. A first down is a must just to calm the team down.
- First down Pittman. Buckeye nation lets out an exhale.
- Ginn is limping off the field. Now we get to find out what kind of number one receiver Anthony Gonzalez can be.
- Derrick Harvey blows past Kirk Barton for his second sack of the game, but is down. It looked like he hurt his shoulder/arm.
- OSU can't catch a break. False start to make it 2nd and 25.
- There's the Heisman winner. Under pressure, Smith finally uses a little of his mobility to make a nice throw.
- And then he throws a pick. Under too much pressure, he makes an awful throw for a Reggie Lewis interception.

Florida on its own 29
- Aw what a freakin' throw. Leak threw a laser beam through three Buckeyes to Cornelius Ingram for a first down.
- How is Leak doing this? He's getting time. The Buckeye defense isn't remotely close.
- The OSU corners appear to be playing way too deep. The receivers are too open at about 15-20 yards. Make Leak try to bomb away.
- OSU's coaching staff is getting pantsed early. Everything is working for the Gator attack. This is a brilliant, brilliant gameplan so far, and Leak is executing it to perfection.
- Even a play that goes for no yards is ugly for the Buckeye D. Wynn looks great; that's what the time off will do. He's quick, and he appears to have better feet than he did over the second half of the season.
- A perfect reverse. I know Ohio State is fast. You know Ohio State is fast. And Florida knows Ohio State is fast. Florida is playing faster.
- Finally, Leak is under pressure and has to throw it away. Smart move putting it in the fourth row rather than forcing it.
- And here comes Tebow ...
- Down to the three.
- What a first quarter. Uh, yeah. Florida can play a bit.
First Quarter Score: Florida 14 ... Ohio State 7

Second Quarter
- Touchdown Wynn on a two-yard touchdown. Getting dinked and dunked on is one thing, but for the Buckeyes to get steamrolled over like that has to be completely demoralizing.
Florida 21 ... Ohio State 7

- This should be interesting. I have a sense Ohio State's offense is about to go nuclear, but it might be too late.
- Barry Alvarez: "We haven't seen Ohio State play like this for a long time." Well, that's because the team didn't play anyone with a pulse outside of Michigan over the last two months of the season.

Ohio State on its own 25
- Only one rushing yard so far. That has to change and it has to come from Smith scrambling. It's time to turn him loss to get him moving.
- OSU gets its first big break. Smith makes a nice play on the move to get the first down, and there's a personal foul on a late hit.
- That's a crap call. Brandon Siler barely breathed on Smith and got hit with the flag.
- Finally, OSU has room to move.
- And there goes Smith. He has an opening and runs for a first down.
- Ginn is still out.
- OSU on the 23. Pittman needs to get going.
- With Ginn out, everything else has to start working.
- Four words being uttered right now: Give ... him ... the ... shot.
- "Are you hurt, are are you injured?"
- An APB has been put out on Gonzalez. He's been completely erased by the Gator secondary.
- Pittman just made himself a lot of money. He got a hole, made a nice cut, and darted up the field for an 18-yard score.
- An indifferent America is busy getting on the phone calling their friends and firing up the DVRs realizing this has classic potential. However, the OSU D has to finally prove it can come up with a stop.
Florida 21 ... Ohoio State 14

Florida on its own 20
- OSU has to take a few chances. Make Leak hurry his throws. Use the speed to get into the backfield.
- Vernon Gholston gets free and make Leak throw it into the first deck.
- Leak gets time, hits Cornelius, first down.
- Finally, there's a bounce to the OSU step. The D is finally moving, finally flying around a little bit.
- The Florida coaches are doing a great job of running quick passes to get the ball out of Leak's hands quickly.
- Another first down. Everything continues to be open in the middle of the field, and Leak continues to hit everything.
- Leak can't wait that long. He waited for a deep route to open up, double clutched, and got his arm hit.
- Third and 12 and OSU looks pumped up.
- I've said all year long that Jim Laurinaitis was overrated, but he's making plays. He forced a misfire on third down.
- No Ginn on the punt return.

Ohio State on its own 20
- A nice 80-yard drive, a touchdown, and all the sins of the defense will be wiped away.
- 24/Prison Break promo! Shotgun!
- There needs to be a drinking game around the rock 'em, sock 'em robot truck ad.
- Ginn isn't getting in thanks to a bad ankle.
- Smith gets all day, but there's nothing there. Gonzalez is quickly proving to be an NFL No. 3.
- As good a route runner as he is, he needs to run a quick timing pattern just to get involved.
- Where's the running game? Where's Pittman? After that last drive, that should work.
- Great minds think alike; Barry says the same thing.
- Third and ten on its own 20, and a miss. Florida will get great field position yet again.

Florida on its own 41
- Just under nine minutes to go, this could be a dagger of a drive. Nothing seems to be working for the Buckeyes. Cliché time: momentum appears to be everything right now.
- Tebow is back on the field. Obvious run coming up ...
- Tebow rumbles for a few yards.
- I'll keep saying it; Meyer is having a brilliant game. OSU's defense isn't missing tackles or anything, it's just not covering anyone.
- Harvin rips off another big play getting down to the 20.
- It appears to be this simple: get pressure on Leak and the play doesn't work. Get a man in his face, and he'll throw it away. Over the long layoff, the coaching staff has obviously pounded into his head to get rid of it and not force his throws.
- The announcers talk about the Florida kicking woes. A field goal here might not be a bad thing just to get Chris Hetland's confidence up and the jitters out of the way.
- Third and 15, and Leak throws it away.
- Yeesh. Hetland not only hits it, he punches it right down the middle without a problem.
- AGAIN!!! This has to be the fifth time in the first half the rock 'em, sock 'em robot ad is up.
Florida 24 ... Ohio State 14

- Again, Florida 24, Ohio State 14. Anyone in Ann Arbor whining now?

Ohio State on its own 20
- There's no creativity whatsoever to the Ohio State play calling.
- Smith is two of 7 for 24 yards.
- Time to change things up. It has to be all Pittman, all Chris Wells, all Smith running the ball. The Florida defensive back seven has swallowed up everything.
- Unbelievable. Ohio State gets stuffed on third and a yard.
- Noooooooooooooooo. Uh, you're on your own 30. You don't go for it on fourth and one ...
- ... and you definitely don't hand it off seven yard deep on a fourth and one.
- Florida stuffs it. Ball game.
- We now know what Tressel thinks of his defense.

Florida on its own 29
- Charles Davis: "To me, I get a sense there's a little bit of desperation (from Tressel)." Noooooooooooooooo.
- Ohio State is losing on the lines. Plain and simple.
- 2:45 to go, third and three.
- Don't ... Throw ... A ... Pick.
- Nope. Very safe. Leak throws it away and doesn't take a chance. He's playing a smart game. He doesn't have to force anything.
- Hetland hits another one square and true. Good for him.
Florida 27 ... Ohio State 14

Ohio State on its own 20
- At the moment, I have no sense whatsoever that Ohio State has a chance. There's not even a remote sign of life on either side of the ball.
- So, Colts-Ravens, huh? ... Jarvis Moss strips Smith, Florida has the ball on the five with 1:14 to play.
- This is the most embarrassing big game performance I've seen since Miami got obliterated by Alabama in the 1993 Sugar Bowl. Give Florida credit, but Ohio State hasn't shown up.

Florida on the OSU 5
- Tebow is in ... here comes the run to the left side.
- Stopped for a short gain.
- Down to the one.
- If I'm Florida, this is four down territory. Drop the hammer now.
- No need. Tebow to Andrew Caldwell for a score.
Florida 34 ... Ohio State 14

- Meyer is ten steps ahead of Tressel on every play. The Buckeyes are out of position, they're a half-step slow on every play, and they don't have any answers.

Ohio State on its own 19
- TAKE A KNEE. Get into the locker room.
- Why? If you're just going to hand it off to run out the clock, you take a knee. Don't take a chance on another fumble.
- Try a hook and lateral. A penalty put the ball on the OSU 45. Take a chance. You have to do something to get something positive going.
- 24/Prison Break promo. Shotgun!
- Of course, the Hail Mary is thrown out of bounds.
- Do we really need to go through the formality of the final thirty minutes?
- Meyer is doing everything possible in his interview with Chris Myers from saying, "I told you so I told you so I told you so I told you so I told you so."
First Half: Score: Florida 34 ... Ohio State 14

- 24/Prison Break promo. Shotgun!
- Ohio State's "Best Damn Band in the Land" is playing My Heart Will Go On.  Insert your own joke here.
- Right now, the all of Idaho is saying, "Uh, undefeated team over here."
- 24/Prison Break promo. Shotgun!

Third Quarter
Florida on its own 20
- Let's try this again. OSU has the field position, so it has to come up with a quick three and out, score quickly, and get the confidence back.
- A fumbled snap, a penalty, and Florida is starting to look Ohio State-like to start the half.
- Watch Florida start to go Woody Hayes conservative until the Buckeyes show any spark of life.
- That's exactly what OSU needed. The get the ball back in great field position, and now they can take advantage.

Ohio State on the Florida 46
- And the first play does absolutely nothing. I know the running game has to work, but if Smith doesn't get into a groove fast, this isn't going to get any better.
- Oh super. Third and 12.
- The play of the bowl. Earl Everett loses his hat and pulls a Jeremy Shockey to make a play and stops the drive.
- Uh oh. That Ohio State in the first half really was Ohio State. It's just like the Sugar Bowl and Notre Dame. There are no more ideas in the coaching noodle.
- I was wrong before. This is the most embarrassing big game performance since Oklahoma gave up in the 2005 Orange Bowl. I must have erased that horrid game from my mind.

Florida on its own 9
- Once again, watch how this is red-state conservative. Leak's not going to throw the ball to a receiver unless he's ten-mile wide open.
- Oh come on Ohio State (I'm rooting for an interesting second half). Cover the receivers better than that on a third and two play in the flat.
- FINALLY, the Buckeye defense shows a little something with a big play in the backfield and a sack. It doesn't matter. The offense is just going to give the ball right back anyway.

Ohio State on its own 43
- Oh what's the use. This field position won't matter. OSU will just whiz it away.
- Pick up the pace, OSU. Where's the energy? Where's the spark? This is a team playing like it just wants to get the season over with.
- Yippee, a positive play on a pitch to Pittman. A first down, yes, a first down.
- There's no passing game whatsoever. The Buckeye receivers aren't remotely open.
- Yes, Anthony Gonzalez is still in the game.
- Third and 12 and Smith misfired. OSU has to go for it with 4:35 to play in the third. It has to do something.

Florida on its own 14
- BIG run by Wynn. The OSU defensive line is getting punished.
- I don't get it. Leak is playing so well. Why mix things up with Tebow? You don't need the curve ball.
- Everyone was talking about the speed myth that Florida was going to run by OSU, but everyone forgot about the toughness myth. SEC teams can be physical, too.
- OSU needs to do something to take the fight to Florida. It's waiting for the Gators to screw up instead of making plays happen.
- Third and seven and OSU gets the stop. OSU didn't get a big pass rush, but it got enough of a push to hurry Leak's throw.
- O.K. OSU is going to get the ball back on a drive to basically start off the fourth quarter. It's time for a two-minute, hurry up offense ala Florida State with Charlie Ward back in the day.
- Oooooooooh.  I want the review of that two-tip punt. It was cool, if nothing else.
- The second guy was on the line. Not even close.

Ohio State on its own 20
- Pittman goes nowhere. With Ginn on crutches, all of a sudden there's NO ONE to make plays in the receiving corps.
- It's the end of the third. Troy Smith holds up the most lifeless four fingers possible.
Third Quarter: Florida 34 ... Ohio State 14

- 24/Prison Break promo. Shotgun!

Fourth Quarter
- Smith threw it without any thought of where it was going. I can never remember seeing a more frustrated quarterback. .
- 4 of 13, and it's not Smith's fault. There's just no one open.
- Sack. This game is so over. Jarvis Moss comes up with another sack for 4th and 21.
- I blame the OSU coaching staff. It's not coming up with any ideas, it has no answer, and it hasn't done anything to adjust to what Florida's doing. Try some quick timing passes. Run the option. Go four-wide and spread it out. Do something. You're sending a nation to bed early.

Florida on the OSU 39
- Take a knee. Yeah, there's 13:48 to play. So?
- Has Leak thrown the ball more than ten yards down the field?
- Who says Leak can't run? First down Gators.
- Now it has to be asked ... is Ohio State fifth? Florida is obviously number one, USC will be two, after this game, Boise State will probably be three. Will LSU be fourth?
- Oooooh. Leak almost screwed it up. He hung the ball up in the air across the field for ten minutes, and there wasn't a Buckeye defensive back within five miles.
- Barry basically said Ohio State has completely quit in coachspeak.
- Tebow barrels down to the seven.
- Let's see if we can get 2004 Oklahoma to come in to play this Ohio State team.
- Florida is getting too cute. This thing is over, the offensive line is dominating; there's no reason to not keep pounding the ball.
- 24/Prison Break promo. Shotgun!
- Oooooh. Wynn pounds it down to the one.
- Fourth and goal. Of course you go for it.
- Of course Florida makes it. Tebow has no problem rolling into the end zone.
- Holy s***. 10:20 to go. What a colossal blowout.
Florida 41 ... Ohio State 14

Ohio State on its own 21
- Empty the bench. Time to get some game experience for next year.
- 84 yards of total Ohio State offense?!
- Can't Fox just show the end of the Fiesta Bowl again?
- Talk about emptying the bench. Watch how Fox uses the last ten minutes to get every ad in it can get.
- The early e-mails are in. The fans are really, really mad at Ohio State for sucking. From the 25-yard cushion the secondary is giving to the unimaginative play calling, there's a lot of anger out there.
- I just don't get it. OSU, either step it up, or give up completely. They're walking around in a daze, and rightly so, but if you're going to keep playing, step up the tempo.
- Instead, OSU gives up completely as Smith gets sacked making it 3rd and 29. I feel badly for Smith. He's not getting any help from anyone.

Florida on the OSU 47
- Florida is doing America a favor and running out the clock.
- Seven minutes left.
- Thank goodness we didn't get a Wolverine - Buckeye rematch.
- The running game is able to crank out yards in chunks now. Florida can hit 50 in this if it really wants to.
- (cough) Meyer to the Dolphins (cough)
- Let's talk about something fun. How about magic?
- 4:30 to play.
- First down Harvin, and Meyer has gone nuts with three minutes to play.
- And Notre Dame nation is wondering how it didn't get Meyer.
- Smith goes out classy as always hugging and joking with Leak. Leak deserves this after all the crap he had to put up with.
- Does Ron Zook get a championship ring?
- And there's the delete on the DVR.
Final Score: Florida 41 ... Ohio State 14