The person who didn't get a ring for the Gators, but deserved a lot of credit for the talent on the field for Florida Ron Zook. The bulk of the starters for Florida in this game were recruited by Zook. In fact, Florida had recruits from three different coaches in this game: Ron Zook, Urban Meyer, and Steve Spurrier because Chris Leak was Steve Spurrier's last recruit at Florida and I think it was only fitting, he won a national title in his final collegiate game.
I remember the commentators (watching live, not in these highlights) saying something along the lines of "Tebow won't be able to take hits like this for a full season" about 20 times during the game. Tebow in 2007: Hold my bible.
Whenever I think of this game, I'm reminded how many writers and talking heads were saying this game should have been a Michigan-OSU replay because those are clearly the best two teams in the nation without a doubt. Then they both get absolutely blasted by Florida and USC. I've never understood how the Big 10 was getting so much respect during this particular time period. I think this was the cause of the annoying S-E-C chant in the following years.
I remember all the hype they gave OSU that year especially when they beat #2 Texas earlier in the season. It was believed that no matter who they played they were gonna win. Florida barely made into the bcs championship, they had Florida at 4 since week 7 also USC was ranked 3 and Michigan at 2 and they stayed at 2 even after losing to Ohio state. Florida was able to get in because USC lost the last week of the season and Florida won the SEC which gave them a slight edge over Michigan because basically Michigan ran out of games to play. But it was widely believed that Michigan was the only worthy opponent for Ohio state lol so I had a blast when Florida smashed them. And on top of that was watching Michigan get beat by USC
@T M you are so right and I have a plethora of things I want to add but I'll keep it short. Now that I look back I wish people would have shut up and not put OSU on a pedestal. Because when they came crashing down, the fall was terrible. That's the part of sports I hate with a passion. UF played monster good. Anyway go Bucks!
Nothing will ever top the BCS era not a damn thing these are true memories right here from being a kid and watching bcs national title games while playing football with my brothers in the house this is pure nostalgia
Yes⁉🟧🏟🏈I'm 34 now..I remember watching college football a little bit before the BCS era..College football was great to follow in the BCS era (1998-2013)..
I live in Gainesville and the celebration downtown after this game was epic. Something I'll remember for the rest of my life. 2 years later was fun too but this one...
I’m a Tennessee fan :-( but I remember this,,,, they said Florida didn’t deserve to even be in the game,,,, they said it should have Been Michigan instead. I knew what was about to happen. I enjoyed every minute of this.
The difference was this one was unexpected. 08 we were supposed to win. I was at the SEC title game against Arkansas and it never even entered that we might be playing for a NC game appearance. But the next thing I know we are all in the restroom watching UCLA upset USC and suddenly we had a chance. Totally changed the atmosphere inside the Georgia Dome. I was in the corner of the endzone and Harvin popped a long run for a td right into where we sat. From our view you could see it was going to be a td as soon as he hit the l.o.s. Great night! Great season! That defense was something special
@@marcusjohnson5420 The cops where on top of the buildings leading songs with their batons. Other than a cedar tree being set on fire, no one did any real damage. The light poles were greased so we couldn't climb them.
As a gator fan who has watched and attended hundreds of games....this is my time favorite national championship simply because no one...and I mean no one gave us a chance.
Broo I know what you mean that’s how I felt during the 2015 Ohio State playoff run to the championship. Ezekiel Elliott ran through the heart of the South in that Bama sugar bowl game. Never forget
My cousin, who was attending OSU, came for a visit the Thanksgiving before this game. I was at UGA at the time and the cocktail party that year was still fresh in my mind. He knew the Buckeyes were going to the natty, and I told him point blank that if they played Florida in that game OSU would get demolished. He laughed it off as a joke.
@@charlesdonawayiii3396 Im a Gator Fan, from Tampa Florida. I always cheer for the SEC Team playing outside of the Conference...(which makes it tough for me, when 2 SEC teams are in the Playoffs or Championship Game...Most Gator Fans I know from the Spurrier and pre Spurrier Era are the same...WE are Fans of the Gators first. And the SEC 2nd...I even cheer for UGA when they play outside conference. Example UGA vs Notre Dame, or UGA vs Oregon...The Stronger the SEC is. The Better...
Ngl as a Michigan fan I was kind of rooting for OSU so that the 2006 game would mean a lot more, and that if this happens again, Michigan would get a rematch. The 2006 Game of the Century doesn’t have as much luster after this debacle
Urban Meyer's spread offense utilizing space was really designed perfectly to exploit the heavy B10 defenses at the time. Not to mention the disparity in the speed between OL and DL. Here in Columbus after this game we saw the SEC as the grim reaper until 2014.
honestly man as a high schooler in Florida at the time I had so much respect for the power game out of the midwest / Big 10 (and still do) but I could not believe how slow y'all's OL appeared at this juncture.
It was a great one, but 1996 NC was the most satisfying win in our school's history. Any time you beat FSWho by more than 30 point for the best team in the nation game, perfect.
The thing that strikes you when you watch this so many years later is the vast differential between the athleticism and total TEAM speed. It makes you wonder how they ever expected a close games from this one. It certainly wasn’t the case of one team outplaying the other, or being more motivated. They were just clearly superior in so many ways. And while the gap has narrowed, this condition continues to exist today between the SEC and Big 10.
Recruiting classes in 2003 Ohio State #46 Florida #1 in 2004 Ohio state #55 Florida #5 in 2005 Ohio State #74 Florida #12 in 2006 Ohio State #25 Florida #2. When you look at those numbers the outcome of this game should have surprised no one. Tressel was a terrible recruiter and a mediocre coach at best.
@@bzerk4462 Wow I did not know about those recruiting rankings. That actually does serve as a huge explanation for this. But then again, Tressel lead OSU to the natty despite those terrible classes so he does deserve credit there. The criticism should be in recruiting imo
Troy Smith looked like a fay guy with ankle weights compared to the Gators defensive speed. I don't think he realized going into that game how much faster Florida was.
The speed of Florida’s defense, the weapons on the offense (our first real teaser of Tebow) and perfect coaching was what this game was all about. Well, from the 14:45 mark of the 1st quarter on at least. To me, this was the most relaxed I’d ever seen Chris Leak. Maybe some of the pressure was off with Tebow coming in changing up the regular game plan. Regardless of why, a great team effort but Leak’s pinnacle performance.
we were in glendale for that game after watching tosu beat up on the irish in tempe the previous year. coming into the the game you wondered if leak would be able to step up. he certainly did. played w/poise, threw w/accuracy, made great reads and had a couple nice runs when he tucked it in. very very impressive. he and the uf front 4 were the difference makers that night.
@@jamesmarkscott6202 100%, but I also loved the defense just swarming to the ball. Leak was on fire though and a great ending to his collegiate career.
@@jtmassecure4488 What? The offense hung 41 points on Ohio State that game. The defense was great, but they didn't "save" them. The defense "saved" Florida against Oklahoma in the National Championship 2 years later.
I remember watching this and Ted Ginn returning that first kick wanting to turn it off. Little did I know that would be one of the last times Ohio state would see the end zone. Go gators
@@thomasmint1761 uf/neb had a decent atmosphere but I was to young to full participate in some of the pregame festivities. Nebraska fans overall were actually pretty cool to be around from what I remember. Unlike most other fan bases.
And that he really wasn't all that great even as a Gator QB. I'm a Gator, but he LOVED throwing off of his back foot thinking his arm could make up for it and threw a lot of picks (2:1 TD:INT with only a 61% completion percentage even with these shorter throws). Just watching these highlights, at least when he was STILL throwing off of his back foot he was tossing it 10 yards out of bounds.
Great gator win but they need to put leak up in the ring of Honor .they beat the unbeatable .in convincing fashion. Leak deserves his spot in the ring of honor no matter what happened after his college football career . Put him up there Florida
Um, that wasn’t just that game. That is pretty much their trademark. And if they lose, lookout. They will blame it on beating themselves (and not give credit to they other team) or on the refs. I have seem them many times and they are singularly the most classless fan base I have seen.
I always saw this as one of those 'who wants to be there more' games. Nothing to do with talent or conference or whatever. OSU had done the most important things in their season, undefeated, beat Michigan in the epic 1 vs. 2 game, etc. Troy Smith won the Heisman. Florida was drinking 'nobody believes in us' for the next 51 days, while the main OSU players were getting on with their lives.
I agree 100%. I've never really bought the narratives about this game.Ohio State simply came out sloppy and unprepared. Way too many mental mistakes that gave Florida short fields to work with. They never got into the game, and before they knew what hit them it was already over. I'm not saying the Ohio State should have won but a sharper OSU team keeps it closer.
Fifteen years ago to the day. I was in eighth grade, and cheered for Ohio State like a dumb little contrarian- got the result I deserved for rooting for Yankees against the South.
Chris Leak is the most disrespected Florida QB of all time honestly no one talks about how good he was he won one of three National Championships and is not in the ring of honor.
I had just arrived in Kuwait (enroute to Baghdad for the Surge, Jan 07)...got to camp really late, can't remember the time but probably midnight or later...anyway, walked to the chow hall/tent and the game was on....only, it was late in the 4th quarter and the game was OVER. I'm a Gator fan and was super excited as I was pretty young for our last title with Danny Wuerffel, I was like 7 or 8...had no access to media during travel so walking into that tent was the first news I'd heard about the game. Anyway, I'll always remember stepping inside that tent and glancing at the score....41-14 🐊🐊🐊back in them glory days, sigh
The only reason I watch Ohio State is to watch them lose. Very satisfying. Interesting with Meyer coaching a National Championship(s) with Florida and then doing the same thing with Ohio State several years later vs. Oregon and Marcus Mariota. Now, Meyer is back in Florida coaching the Jax Jags with Trevor Lawrence under center and Tim Tebow playing tight end. I just may drive up the 95 and see a game.
He made it up. Just like he did at Ohio State with his brain tumour. He makes this shit up to protect his image and success at a university. Instead of staying 10-15 years and only winning 1 national championship with the talent he gets and being called "overrated," he leaves after 5 seasons or less.
@@christophershannon8734 well he did win 2 with at Florida but he saw the writing on the wall and new shit was about to hit the fan. It’s funny to me that he comes up with these crazy life threatening health concerns to leave a school, then joins a new program or org less than 5 years later
Ohio State, especially in this era, has always been overrated due to their weak conference schedule. They have so much more talent than any other Big Ten school it’s embarrassing. This is great for their fans, but the rubber meets the road when they play a legit SEC team. This past year’s National Championship Game against Alabama is a great example of what I’m talking about.
I love great games like those. Tebow was one the best. Today all the preseason hype of these same teams kinda ruins it,but nothing is ever said when teams do live up to it.🤦♂️
We absolutely sucked this game. I honestly thought this was going to be an easy win and the Buckeyes go out and make a complete embarrassment of themselves. This was back when I didn’t know anything about the SEC, and so I was completely blindsided by what Florida did. When Ginn housed the first kick off I literally said out load “this is going to be an easy win.” Boy was I wrong, and look at what the SEC went on to do for the next 14 years. All started right here for that conference
Dude...it didn't all start right here for this conference. Its like that every year in the SEC just like we had been saying before the BCS made OSU play us. BIG10 was overrated most years and they finally got exposed.
It did not start here. UF and the SEC in General, had a winning record against all other Major Conferences going back to the mid and late 80's. Probably started with UF's upset of USC in 1980. There was UT's upset of Notre Dame in 85 or 86. Bama's upset of Miami in 92...In regular season and Bowl Games the SEC had a winning record vs every major Conference. But, back then. FSU, Miami, and Nebraska, dominated the College Football World in the Polls. Even though FSU and Miami consistently played some of the softest schedules around, and Nebraska violated every rule in the book with Impunity under Osborn. (case in point. The NEB team that rolled UF in the 95 Championship, had 6 starters on Defense currently facing felony criminal charges, but were allowed to play by Tom Osborn and the School Admin. Tommy Fraizier who was from Manatee HS here in Florida was a well known thug here in the Tampa Bay Area, and Lawrence Phillips, NEB's star running back...(who Im not denying was a GREAT College RB) was also a thug, would would not be on the field at most schools back then, and none now days) UF and LSU did start the ball rolling for the SEC getting the recognition they had long deserved. UF, LSU, and Auburn all won Championships or 2 during a 5 year period leading up to the Start of BAMA's current run in 2010.
@@acerrspage4205 True but IMO Meyer really was responsible for the 'SEC is the toughest conference meme' and in that time period, it really did have insane top to bottom depth.
Chris Leak fulfilled the hype of his recruting in this game. The Chosen One before Tebow became The Chosen One. Thing is Chris had 3 different OCs in four years and still owns all the passing records.
Did I really see a "we had the better team, they had the better coach" quote out there? Florida straight up destroyed osu... I remember how the big 10 championship was supposed to be the defacto championship game between osu and Michigan, and then this... Floridas defense was just so good, big 10 back then never played against teams with speed like Florida had on D. Just blew em up plain and simple.
I’m a buckeye fan and I can honestly say they were overrated. Florida was better in everything including players and coaching. Osu was outplayed and out coached. Osu deserved to lose.
Buckeye fan here, and i have to agree with everything you said i only speak the truth. Checkout my youtube channel BUCKEYE VINNIE, please watch my vids and sub to my channel thanks brother.
Hard to say buckeyes we're overrated being that they were undefeated and beat 2 #2 teams (Texas, Mich). They just ran into a buzz saw in Florida. And I'm a diehard Buckeye born and raised in Columbus.
@@dubb614 No doubt we ran into a very good Florida team that year 2006. Checkout my youtube channel BUCKEYE VINNIE, please watch my videos and sub to my channel thanks.
I remember watching the ESPN run up to the game and everyone had OSU as the clear winner giving Florida no chance at all. Except for Lou Holtz. Holtz said Florida would win because of their team speed and Herbstreet, the OSU head cheerleader, said " We have Ginn" in which Holtz said "That's one man. The entire Florida team is fast and Florida will win big". Herbstreet laughed at him and said he was holding him to that pick. I think Herbstreet was never the same after that game.
I love the Gators but they absolutely stole a national title this year. They weren’t that great but manage to scrap out wins. Then played their best game of the year and blasted Ohio State.
Gator fan here. Yeah, I watched that game. Even bought the DVD! OSU players, and several sportscasters, were shooting their mouths off before the game saying Florida didn't even belong on the same field as them. They said the Gators weren't "worthy" enough and were already crowning the Buckeyes as the National Champs, especially after Ginn took the opening kickoff to the house, they were slobbering all over themselves. Then, it happened. Chris Leak fastened his chin strap and the Florida offense took the field. Oh yeah, and some kid named Tebow, too........ .......and methodically marched right down the field and stuffed the football down OSU's throats and tied the game. And the Gator defense was up to the challenge just as much as their offense, and threw that pitiful Heisman Trophy winner, Troy Smith, around like a rag doll. The final score #2 UF-41, #1 OSU-14. I'm sorry, but which team didn't belong on the field??? It was fun watching Florida make the Buckeyes look stupid. IT'S GREAT TO BE A FLORIDA GATOR !!!
Wow just realized when Florida kneeled the ball on 4th down their was still time left on the clock and everyone walked on the field meaning........ the game still isn’t over yet.
You're the only ones who fooled yourselves into believing that ... the rest of the country was like "I'll take Florida and the Over!" tOSU was WAY over-rated back then. Nowadays they're for real, though.
Ohio States fans must hate us. To date we've never lost to them in football and in basketball beat them in the final four and National Championship. Go Gators.
@@jd131m Starting to get our foundation after our coach moved on. Did he go to Columbus and kind of help you recover? We still don't have many 5 star athletes like Georgia, FSWho and you guys, but we're getting there.
@@jd131m Via Bowling Green, Utah, Florida, ESPN and then OSU to be fair. But I understand, I competed at OU and came home to compete at U of F, to be fair.
I've watched this touchdown on the opening kick-off return many times and I never noticed the missed holding call against Ohio State. Percy Harvin is clearly being held 2:31.
I think it’s safe to say that the SEC states have always had the most football talent. The demographics obviously speak to that lol. But what really made this game the launching point for the SEC to its premier place in CFB was that this game was the first time where the nation really saw the SEC had some damn good coaches to develop the talent, too. I remember watching SEC football in 2008 and thinking there might be 6 future hall of fame coaches in the league (Saban, Meyer, Miles, Spurrier, Fulmer and Richt) and the other 6 coaches were pretty damn good, too.
My parents, who were in their 60’s, told me about all of the Buckeye fans talking trash to them (a couple in their 60’s) on the way into the stadium but surprisingly weren’t as arrogant on the way out…
Troy Smith: 4/14 for 35yds 1 interception 1 fumble & 5 Sacks I wonder what would have happened if Ted Ginn was still in but at the same time I can’t imagine him being able to fix the O line issues. Maybe game would have been closer but I think Gators had better coach and in my biased opinion a better team. Go Gators 🐊
Ted Ginn's injury probably was the catalyst and took the wind out of their sails and then the one-two punch of Chris Leak and Tim Tebow's spread offense had the OSU defense dumbfounded. Had Ginn not gone out, I think it would have been a closer game, probably closer to the BCS Championship the next season.
This was the game that paved the road for the sec and future dominance for years it’s 2022 and still to this day 15 years later the sec is and has been the best conference in cfb .
When this game came on: George W. Bush was president Five years after 9/11 GameCube ,GBA , Xbox , and PS2 games were being made We still used flip phones Netflix was still a mail based rental service Facebook was two years old RU-vid was two years old MySpace was still relevant Feel old yet? Twitter was seven months old
Luigi Go say what u want but i cant stop thinking about how UF won the championship game for Football and basketball the same year by beating the same team
Ohio State just didn't have any answer for us in any phase of the game... Literally 1 of the most completely dominant performances in BCS and college history...#GatorBoyz #ChompChomp 🐊🐊🐊
mostly true..Florida State, Clemson, and Ohio State beat SEC teams in the BCS Championship or Playoff games ⁉🟧🏈🏟However, the SEC has dominated college football the last 25 years..The SEC has sent the most players to the NFL and has won the most national championships..
I remember moving and not having Cable to watch this game. Having the next day off I went to BW3's.....watched the game......WOW! I thought Florida would win but not like this.
After this NC win by Florida the SEC started pulling trophies up and won 6 more, making 7 straight NC titles in a row. In the past 20 years the SEC has won 13 of the NC’s.
I was on a business trip in Cleveland the night of this game and we went to a local bar to watch. My co-worker asked me "Who do you think's gonna win?"'and I said "It ain't even gonna be close!" and did a huge gator chomp with my arms. "Dude, you're gonna get us killed!" he said. I replied "They're only mad because they know it's true!" Anyone who knows anything about footbal knew this one was gonna be a beat-down ... and it was.
Was there Had folding chairs in the mezzanine on the 5 yard line with my family An usher came up and asked if I’d like some other seats Took me to a box 41 rows up 40 yard line behind the Gator bench 👌🏻 1050$a ticket 😂 Worth every penny
Urban Meyer, and Nick Saban - wow, what, TEN college national championships between them! They can win anywhere! They both need to get their asses to the NFL and dominate that league for many many years to come! Trust me on this one.
I was at that game and Ginn ran it into the end zone I was at. Luckily I just went to the bathroom to puke before kickoff (I had a lot to drink by that point already) or I would’ve puked then. Pretty much after that though the beat down was on.
I like how oSu walked out as if some sort of statement about control. Never has the difference between SEC talent and coaching been more on display than that game.
And a lot of so called experts actually believed Michigan was the second best team in the country. They really had no respect for the SEC during those years. But they been dominating since then
