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updated 9:41 p.m. ET Jan. 9, 2009

MIAMI - As the confetti was being swept up from college football’s final party of the season, it was impossible not to be left wanting more.

Fans of Utah and Texas certainly felt less than satisfied. For most of us, though, only one thing could fill that empty space: Florida vs. Southern California.

Pete Carroll’s West Coast Empire against Urban Meyer’s emerging dynasty in Southeast.

It didn’t happen this season — the Gators beat Oklahoma Thursday night 24-14 to win their second national championship in three seasons — but it’s a matchup that seems destined to happen.

Every year begins with USC on the short list of national title contenders, and ends with the Trojans playing as well as any team in the country.

Yet their last national title was in 2004. Texas’ Vince Young ripped what would have been a third straight crown away from them in 2005. In the last seven seasons, USC has finished ranked no lower than fourth.

No. 3 is where the Trojans landed in the final AP Top 25 when the last vote was counted early Friday morning.

“If we had a playoff system,” Carroll told the AP earlier this week, “I don’t know that we wouldn’t have four or five (national titles).”

Carroll built his kingdom with boundless energy, balancing tenacious competitiveness and California cool. The USC machine runs like this: Bring in the bluest of the blue chip recruits, turn them into All-Americans, then send them off to the NFL. The conveyor belt never stops.

From Carson Palmer to Matt Leinart to John David Booty to Mark Sanchez. Next to enter the machine: California high schooler Matt Barkley. The nation’s top quarterback prospect is expected on campus by fall if not sooner.

Meyer’s machine is just getting cranked up. In 2006, he felt as if Florida was a great team, but not a great program. Most of the players had been recruited by his predecessor, Ron Zook, and many of its stars jumped early to the NFL after beating Ohio State in the title game.

Now he’s got something built to last.

“I see good young players. I see a recruiting base that’s solid. I see a program that’s set now. We’re good,” he said Friday after collecting his championship trophies.

Scary good.

The 2008 national champions had no seniors listed among the 23 players on the defensive depth chart. Unless All-American linebacker Brandon Spikes skips his senior year, the unit that held the highest-scoring team in NCAA history to 14 points Thursday night will return to preseason practice intact. The Gators defense could be on the level with this season’s USC defense, that allowed 9.0 points per game.

On the offensive side, Florida will have a bit more turnover. Sensational speedster Percy Harvin is a good bet to make his junior season his last in college.

And, of course, the great Tim Tebow could leave early, too.

If Tebow returns, Florida will be preseason No. 1 next season and it won’t be close. The Gators will be enormous favorites to win the national title, much the way USC was in ’05, when Leinart returned to play with Reggie Bush and LenDale White and form one of the great offenses ever.

On the surface, Meyer couldn’t be more different from Carroll. The Florida coach comes across guarded, serious and intensely stoic. Carroll’s intensity is more manic, he rarely seems to be holding back.

In the most important areas, though, they couldn’t be more alike — natural leaders and relentless competitors. Meticulous in their quest to be the best.

“I really have a dream of what Florida should look like. And it’s getting real close. There’s still a lot of work to be done,” Meyer said.

Carroll’s winning percentage in eight seasons at USC is .854, the best among active coaches. Meyer is second on that list at .830.

Could the ’09 Trojans stand in the way of Florida’s repeat at next year’s title game? Well, college programs are often slaves to timing. It’s not enough to have the best athletes. Having the right blend of talent and experience to be a championship team takes a little luck.

USC loses 10 starters off that ferocious defense, but if quarterback Mark Sanchez returns for his senior season, the Trojans’ offense should be ready to take flight.

The current BCS set up won’t help get the Trojans and Gators on the field. One loss can eliminate a team from title contention, and the system doesn’t necessarily reward teams that peak late.

So USC will continue to reign over the Pac-10, while Florida rules in the Southeastern Conference, a tougher place to keep the crown, indeed.

It could be this way for years, these two superpowers separated by 2,122 miles, competing for championships but never coming face-to-face.

Yet, somehow, that meeting seems inevitable.

Or maybe that’s just wishful thinking.

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