Joey Johnston

So much for Showdown Saturday. It has been replaced by something completely different — Elimination Saturday.

As in, elimination from the national championship picture.

That’s the biggest meaning for Saturday’s biggest games — Florida at LSU and Oklahoma vs. Texas (in the annual Red River Shootout at Dallas).

LSU (5-0), of course, is fine and dandy, even advancing to No. 1 in The Associated Press poll.

But the others are wounded.

Florida (4-1) suffered its first home loss under Urban Meyer with a 20-17 defeat against Auburn. Oklahoma (4-1) was stunned at Colorado 27-24 in what looked like a classic look-ahead performance. Texas (4-1) was throttled at home by Kansas State 41-21 for the Longhorns’ worst loss in Austin under Mack Brown.

For the Gators, Sooners and Longhorns, the margin for error has evaporated. It’s difficult, if not impossible, to make the case for a two-loss team to emerge in this season’s national championship game.

One loss teams? There’s still work to do, but it’s very possible. Think back to 2000, when Florida State played for the title after a loss at Miami. Think back to 2003, when LSU and USC rebounded from mid-season defeats to share the national title.

Think back to last season, when Florida was beaten by Auburn (sound familiar?), but worked its way through the SEC season and became Ohio State’s opponent in the BCS Championship Game, slamming the top-ranked Buckeyes 41-14.

This season’s Florida team has very different issues, though.

The Gators are relying on quarterback Tim Tebow – at the expense of everything else. Meyer says he doesn’t have any trust in the running game – the best running option is Tebow on a single-wing keeper – and the perimeter playmakers haven’t been dynamic in limited opportunities.

That won’t cut it against LSU’s defense. Florida needs answers – particularly an answer different than Tebow — if the Gators hope to be successful in Death Valley.

But even if Florida goes down in Baton Rouge, there’s the distinct possibility of a Florida-LSU rematch in the SEC Championship Game. With two losses, Florida still would be sitting surprisingly secure in the SEC East with the ability to control its fate (unless, of course, Kentucky truly is for real in the long term – stay tuned).

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On to Oklahoma-Texas, where we can’t imagine Bob Stoops going down to the Longhorns for the third consecutive season.

Oklahoma-Colorado ranks as one of the more stunning results we’ve seen, mostly because there was no indication (from either side) that this might happen. The Sooners were crushing their competition. Colorado was seemingly making little progress.

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Then – boom! – it happened. And Oklahoma’s nice path to the BCS title game got a little more congested.

The Sooners, who are making a bad habit of losing on the final play (see Boise State and Oregon, last season), have the goods to be a factor in the BCS race.

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Texas? The Longhorns have looked thoroughly unimpressive most of the season. They squeaked past Arkansas State and nearly went down at Central Florida. Sophomore QB Colt McCoy has taken a step backward, and the playmakers just haven’t shown up.

So here’s the synopsis for Elimination Saturday:

• LSU: Looking good. Still on course for the ultimate meeting with USC.
• Florida: With a loss, say goodbye to repeating as national champions. But still very much alive to emerge in the SEC Championship Game.
• Oklahoma: Capable of running the table.
• Texas: Can you say overrated?
  
  

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