Colleges

Gators face Carr in Michigan finale

Retiring coach gets shot at team that beat out Wolverines for BCS title shot last season.

By ANTONYA ENGLISH, Times Staff Writer
Published December 3, 2007

GAINESVILLE - Under the circumstances, it was the best-case scenario for the Gators.

With no possibility of playing for a national title and no chance of earning an invitation to a BCS game, Florida 9-3 will play Michigan (8-4) on Jan. 1 in the Capital One Bowl in Orlando.

"Being a team that did not have a chance to play for a national championship, did not have an opportunity to make a BCS bowl, we certainly wanted to go to the best bowl game out there, and that's the Capital One Bowl," Florida coach Urban Meyer said Sunday night. "It's in Orlando, and it's a great Gator town."

It will be the final game for Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, 62, who will retire afterward.

"We are excited about the opportunity to play Florida in the Capital One Bowl," said Bill Martin, Michigan's director of intercollegiate athletics. "I anticipate a large Michigan turnout from our Florida alums coupled with the fact that this will be Lloyd's last game as head coach."

This game will be a matchup of teams that at this time last season were battling for the final spot in the BCS title game. Carr criticized Meyer for lobbying for the Gators. Florida, however, beat Ohio State for the national title.

Meyer said he has great respect for Carr and the job he's done at Michigan. He also believes playing an in-state bowl game will bring big dividends in recruiting.

Michigan's last bowl win came against Florida, 38-30 in the 2003 Outback Bowl. The Wolverines have lost their last four bowls.

The Gators won four consecutive games to end the season, while Michigan missed out on a Rose Bowl berth with a 14-3 loss to rival Ohio State two weeks ago.

Many anticipated a matchup between the Gators and Illinois, led by former UF coach Ron Zook. But when Ohio State got the BCS title game berth, the Rose Bowl stuck with its Pac-10/Big Ten tradition and picked the Illini. But Capital One bowl officials believe they have a quality game. "I would argue that this matchup is as good as any matchup in the country, maybe even the national championship game included," executive director Steve Hogan said. "With these two programs, and a healthy Michigan for the first time with (quarterback) Chad Henne and (running back) Mike Hart, and the way Florida finished the season, I would challenge you to find a better game."

Antonya English can be reached at english@sptimes.com.

[Last modified December 2, 2007, 23:25:30]