Gators don’t dodge Spurrier shadow

Apparently, facing their former coach, the Ol’ Ball Coach, isn’t enough motivation for Florida football players.

Never mind that Steve Spurrier’s South Carolina team knocked the Gators out of the Southeastern Conference title game last season with a 30-22 upset.

Revenge won’t be a factor in the eyes of the Gators, who, after Louisville lost Thursday night, are back in position to play in the Bowl Championship Series title game.

Florida was No. 4 in this week’s BCS standings and would probably move up a spot if it wins today. No. 1 Ohio State plays No. 2 Michigan next week with the loser of that game likely to drop from the top two. That’s all the motivation Florida needs.

“We’re still out there playing for something,” linebacker Brandon Siler said. “You have to know that. I’ll state the obvious: We’ll playing for more than just” the Southeastern Conference title.

The Gators have already clinched a spot in the SEC championship game, something they hadn’t done without Spurrier, who left following the 2001 season after 12 seasons as coach.

Spurrier has been to Florida twice this season -- to honor the 10th anniversary of the 1996 national championship team he coached and for his induction into Florida’s Ring of Fame. This will be his first visit as an opposing coach and he said he’s a tad sentimental.

“Certainly that stadium represents my coaching career, pretty much,” Spurrier said. “The highlights of my coaching career are on that wall down there.”

Florida Coach Urban Meyer has embraced the legend that Spurrier created.

“Is there a shadow? Damn right there’s a shadow,” Meyer said. “It’s a big one, and it should be that way.”

But he is quick to point out that the Gators are playing more than Spurrier today.

“How many opportunities do you get to go win a national championship?” Meyer said. “Are we going to talk about that? Sure, we’ll throw it right into everyone’s face. Yeah, let’s go get it.”

Ironic reminder

A plane carrying the Marshall football team to today’s game at East Carolina was evacuated Friday after smoke was reported in an engine.

“It’s just a mechanical problem. It was a minor thing,” said Marshall sports information director Randy Burnside. “They should have this fixed. Everybody’s fine.”

The incident came four days before the 36th anniversary of the Marshall plane crash that killed 75 people, including most of the football team, on a flight home from a game at East Carolina.

Levelheaded

The pundits are already sounding off about how Rutgers deserves national-championship consideration after defeating No. 3 Louisville Thursday night.

However, Rutgers players and coaches aren’t among them.

“You know what, there’s a system we’re involved with, and whatever that system turns out is what you live with,” Coach Greg Schiano said Friday.

Rutgers (9-0) was No. 13 in the BCS standings but has little chance of reaching No. 2 even if it remains undefeated. That’s no problem for the Scarlet Knights, who spent much of the 1980s and 1990s as the doormat of college football.

“Look what’s going on around here right now,” fullback Brian Leonard said. “We’ve never had this before. We don’t worry about if we’re gonna make it to the BCS or if we’re gonna make it to the national championship game. We just need a team to play every week. Throw a team in there, and we’ll play you.”

Back of the line

Wake Forest is tied with Maryland for first place in the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Atlantic Division, having already matched the school record for victories. Its opponent today, Florida State, is trying to salvage a disappointing season.

Still, No. 18 Wake Forest (8-1) is the betting line underdog -- by 8 1/2 points -- to the unranked Seminoles (5-4).

“We like the fight and showing people that we deserve respect,” Demon Deacons center Steve Justice said. “It’s a lot of fun going out like that and surprising people.”

Why wouldn’t Wake Forest be favored? Well, it could be because the Demon Deacons have lost their last 14 league games against the Seminoles by an average of 30 points. Or that they haven’t won in Tallahassee since 1959.

Football as therapy

Miami, scorned by the college football community only a few weeks ago because of its role in an ugly, on-field brawl, has become a sympathetic figure in its game today against No. 23 Maryland.

The players have dedicated the game to defensive lineman Bryan Pata, who was shot to death outside his apartment Tuesday night. The Hurricanes will honor Pata by wearing a No. 95 decal on their helmets.

There was speculation that Miami might not play, but Hurricanes players felt that’s not what Pata would have wanted. Besides, Coach Larry Coker said, this game gives them something else to think about.

“It’s therapy to play,” Coker said. “When you’re out on the field with your teammates, it’s a little easier to have fun.”

-- Compiled by Peter Yoon

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.