THE BOWLS / DAILY REPORT : SUGAR : Choice Seems Obvious for Florida State

Florida and Florida State are still trying to figure out what happened on Nov. 26, when each team played both brilliantly and horribly. So it makes sense that both teams are trying to outthink the other for the Sugar Bowl rematch.

“You can bet your life they’re going to have adjustments that we haven’t seen,” Florida State Coach Bobby Bowden told the Orlando Sentinel. “Until you find out what they’re doing, it could give you some problems. We have to prepare for both of our formations and go out and see how to play the game.”

The two formations the Seminoles use are the I, which they used to gain only 123 first-half yards against the Gators, and the shotgun, which they used to gain 298 yards and score four touchdowns in the second half.

Which do you think they will try?

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John Reaves, who coaches the offensive backfield for Florida, has an offer to be the quarterback coach at South Carolina for Coach Brad Scott. He says he’ll decide where to work after Vanderbilt decides on a coach. Reaves interviewed last week for the head coaching job at the traditional Southeastern Conference doormat. . . . Dean Golden, an offensive guard for the Gators, seemingly following a personal tradition, will sit out this year’s Sugar Bowl because he is academically ineligible. Golden sat out last season’s Sugar Bowl for the same reason.

ORANGE

Fishing for Good Time in South Florida

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The precursor to the national-championship matchup of Nebraska and Miami will take place on Thursday when a four-hour fishing challenge will be held between representatives of the schools.

Among the possible entrants is Nebraska Gov. Ben Nelson and Sen. Bob Kerrey. The boats will have to release all billfish but can keep “fun fish” (dolphin, wahoo, tuna, kingfish, cobia, amberjack, snapper, grouper, mackerel and bonito). One hundred points are awarded for every billfish and one point per pound for the other fish.

“The competition won’t be pronounced, but there will be a friendly challenge,” Orange Bowl spokesman Mark Miller told the Miami Herald. “Our main goal is for the participants to have fun.”