The Emerald Bowl today is more than just a marketing/fundraising trip for a mediocre team. For UCLA, today is about setting the tone for the promise of next season. The motivation to win should be plain for everyone to see, and the reports of hard practices attest to the fact that the players know what is at stake. Even Karl Dorrell admitted that a loss today would quickly negate all the happy thoughts and happy talk that has filled the airwaves of UCLA Football since December 2.

For Florida State, the motivation for today’s game is a little more murky. In his first comments to the press on the Emerald Bowl, Bobby Bowden said that his players would be excited to visit “another part of the country” … not exactly fighting words. Even FSU fans don’t know where their own players hearts and minds lie. But recent comments by some players point to a deeper concern. Some FSU players don’t want to be known as the Bobby Bowden FSU team that ended their season below .500. They are playing with their back against the wall.

Bruins should win

But today should be an easy game for the Bruins. Make no mistakes and we win. We face an FSU team that is a shell of its former self, a team who’s offense is the worst in the Bobby Bowden era - a span of 31 years. Bobby had to fire his offensive coordinator and son Jeff due to how poorly the offense has performed. They have QB problems and will likely send in 2 different QBs tonight. That only makes it harder for them to develop any rhythm. It seems highly unlikely that they will be able to get anything going against our defense, as long as Walker sends our guys after them.

FSU’s defense is formidable but banged up. As we heard from FSU blogger ChantRant, FSU lost several key starters on D due to injury and are starting true freshman in their place. Our offense has been shoddy at best, but the coaches have learned a few things in the past few games that should put some points on the board. Like quick strikes after turnovers, like going for the end zone, like calling unpredictable plays, like passing on first down. Our defense should put us in good field position as well, making it easier to get some points on the board. And we won’t need many points to win this one.

What it will take to win

As we said, the field and weather conditions will play into the advantages both defenses already have. We need to win the turnover battle, get some good special teams play, and not get sloppy with penalties. Again, no mistakes and we win. Both offenses will get stunned into making mistakes by the defenses. But we think Cowan is more prepared for what they can do than their two QBs are prepared for what our defense can do. Bruins + 10.

More Game Notes

• Our offense is officially the worst scoring offense of any of the 32 bow-bound teams. Our offense has scored fewer touchdowns (24) than any other bowl-bound offense. FSU’s horrible offense has scored 33 touchdowns, but have also played more second rate programs. Now that OC Jim Svoboda has disappeared and been replaced by offensive guru Karl Dorrell, there is no scapegoat. If we don’t score today, the blame falls squarely on KD.
• Key assignments for our defense: 1. FSU WR Greg Carr. He is 6′6” and has been the weapon FSU has used to score. He will outjump our smaller backs (remember Oregon, Wazzu, Notre Dame?) if the QB can get the ball to him. 2. Whomever is at QB. We cannot let FSU QBs Weatherford or Lee have time in the backfield. Weatherford is a Brady Quinn type is who not mobile but has experience in the pocket. We can get to him, but if we give him time he will get the ball to his taller receivers just like Quinn did. Lee is mobile and has an arm, but he is inexperienced like Booty. He can be flustered and Walker probably will get to him early if Bowden puts him in the game.
• Special teams play. FSU has had problems with special teams all year. They haven’t had a return specialist set just like us. Their kicker isn’t as solid as Medlock. Barring any mistakes, we should have the advantage here. With the weather and field, both kickers will be affected. Medlock has something to prove however. He’s from the Bay area and the last time he was up there (Cal) he missed two FGs.
• FSU is returning 17 starters next year and many guys who were injured early next year as well. They have a young team that despite their awful season nearly beat a BCS title game bound Florida in their last game. They see the promise of next year but don’t feel the urgency that our Dorrell-led Bruins feel. They expect to be there every year.
• Tickets for the Emerald Bowl remain available. Not surprising even though there are only 38,000 seats available. Still, it’s embarrassing when you can’t even sell that few tickets. The bowl had to buy back 1,000 tickets from FSU to resell because many of those tickets were near the field and they didn’t want so many empty seats so close to the action. That’s what happens when you have 32 bowl games. They had to rewrite the NCAA rules in the Spring to allow .500 6 win teams to play in bowls because they didn’t think they would have enough teams to qualify for all of them.
• Both teams will be on the SAME sideline tonight. Ridiculous. AT&T park has some issues with the baseball diamond on one end of the field or something. So they don’t damage that end, they will put both teams on the other end, on the same sideline. Should be interesting trying to get players on an off the field for plays, especially during crunch time at the end of the half and the end of the game. Think there will be a couple of time-outs lost because of it?? Also, think about how far on the field coaches and players are going to have to go to crane their heads around the other teams coaches and players when the ball is far down one side of the field. Nice planning guys.

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