OSU, Florida to finally play

Four things to watch
1. How OSU will react after finding out it won’t be eligible for the Big Ten Championship and a bowl game next season.
2. The Buckeyes are ranked near the bottom in passing at 1,489 yards, while Florida has allowed just 2,007, which is good for seventh in the nation.
3. The Gators are averaging 25.6 points per game, while OSU is yielding 20.8 per outing.
4. The Buckeyes have picked up 2,348 yards rushing and the Gators giving up 1,588.

With all that’s happened surrounding The Ohio State football program over the last month — a coaching change and NCAA sanctions — Monday’s Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl seems to be an afterthought.
But the Buckeyes made the trek down to Jacksvonville, Fla. for the their final game of the 2011 season.
It will also be the final game for interim coach Luke Fickell, who was not retained as head coach, but will remain on Urban Meyer’s staff for 2012.
This is a strange situation.
Of course, what’s happened with OSU hasn’t been the norm since December 2010.
But nonetheless, the Buckeyes and Florida Gators will meet at 1 p.m., each trying to win their seventh game. Every team wants to end on a winning note, regardless of bowl they participate in.
Monday’s game will be a far cry from the BCS National Championship Game after the 2006 season.
Both teams have had success in recent years.
OSU advanced to the BCS National Championship Game the next season (a 38-24 loss to LSU), the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl in the 2008-09 season (a 24-21 loss to Texas), the Rose Bowl the following year (a 26-17 victory over Oregon) and the Allstate Sugar Bowl (a 31-26 win over Arkansas, which was later vacated by OSU for illegal benefits) last season.
The Gators won a second BCS National Championship under Meyer with a 24-14 victory over Oklahoma in Miami Jan. 8, 2009.
Florida also routed Cincinnati 51-24 in the Allstate Sugar Bowl in 2010.
But both teams struggled in 2011.
The Buckeyes, with suspensions, the resignation of Jim Tressel and NCAA infractions looming over their head, had their worst season since 1999 with the 6-6 mark and three losses to end the regular season.
OSU has gone with young players and they are the foundation for Meyer and the coaching staff for years to come. It starts with true freshman Braxton Miller, who has shown flashes of brilliance, especially with his running ability.
He has also shown that he is a freshman, especially with the passing game, but still earned the Big Ten Freshman of the Year honor.
As good as OSU has been its history, the Buckeyes are just 19-22 all-time in bowl games.
The Gators have also struggled under first-year coach Will Muschamp, who took over when Meyer resigned in December 2010.
Florida started off 4-0, but then struggled with the meat of its schedule with losses to Alabama 38-10, LSU 41-11, Auburn 17-6 and Georgia 24-20.
The Gators closed the season at 2-2 with losses to South Carolina 17-12 and Florida State 21-7.
Players to watch for Florida include running back Chris Rainey, who has picked up 790 yards (5.1 per carry) and Andre Debose (423 yards and four touchdowns) in receiving.
Strong safety Matt Elam is second on the team with 72 tackles, including two loss. He also has two interceptions, two forced fumbles and one sack.
Kicker Caleb Sturgis is 21-of-25 in field goals this season, including 9-of-13 from 40 yards or more.
The Gators are 19-19 in bowl games with five wins in their last six outings.
Many are using the last game as a springboard into next season.
The Buckeyes will not be eligible for the Big Ten Championship and a bowl game next season because of sanctions handed down by the NCAA for violations.
Still, the players and coaches that still around are going to want to impress their new coach, but in the end, the Gators will find a way to win.

Florida wins 24-21