The kings of the NCAA College Basketball world are now lords of the college gridiron.
After conquering college hoops, the Florida Gators became the new NCAA College Football champions with a convincing 41-14 destruction of the top-ranked college football team of the nation, the Ohio State Buckeyes.
The Florida Gators became the first ever program to hold both football and men's basketball national titles at the same time. The Gators basketball team won the college hoops title with a win over UCLA, 73-57 in Indianapolis. Who knew that their football team would do the exact same thing with the same domination?
Florida's celebration started in the second quarter here, and it may continue through Gator Nation until the 2007 football season opener.
The No.2-ranked Gators blitzed Ohio State for 34 first-half points, led by 20 points at halftime en route to the 41-14 victory on a Monday night BCS National Championship Game at University of Phoenix Stadium.
The win, the Gators' 13th of the season, gave them a second national title in the team's 100-year history.
Florida's 27-point margin of victory was greater than any of its seven Southeastern Conference wins during the regular season. The Ohio State Buckeyes, meanwhile, saw their 19-game win streak snapped and lost for the first time since a trip to Penn State on Oct.8, 2005.
What a way to suffer a first loss of the year huh?
The first person to put the pressure on the football team was Florida basketball star Joakim Noah. As he held up the national championship trophy during the team's return reception in Gainesville the day after winning it all, Noah shouted to a large crowd, ''I love you! Let's do it in football now!''
It has been 37 days since we last saw them Florida Gators. And in fairness to Ohio State, it has been 51 looong days since we saw the top-ranked college football team of the nation, the Ohio State Buckeyes. However, despite this long absence from the field, nothing has changed.
The Buckeyes were still expected to beat the Gators. And yes, the Gators definitely became lovely underdogs.
The Gators have Urban Meyer, who once played shortstop in the Atlanta Braves organization and is the coach who turned down Notre Dame. They have Chris Leak, the honor student quarterback, who graduated from college in 3 1/2 years, and drew Heisman consideration this season, even though he had to share his position. That's because the Gators also have Tim Tebow, a home schooler who has done missionary work in the Philippines.
Now, all of these Florida Gators players have ''2007 BCS College Football Champions'' in their names.