No calling him a Gator-come-lately

Rankman had one foot on the South Florida sand and two lips on a banana daiquiri when he was called back by bosses for a final postseason top-25 posting -- as if there was anything to prove.

Rankman got killed in the family bowl pool this year, but he never claimed to be “Bowlman.”

Weeks ago, though -- ahead of Harris, USA Today and Associated Press -- Rankman anointed Florida the top team in the nation and moved Utah ahead of USC.

Final Associated Press poll: 1. Florida; 2. Utah.

See all you amateur pollsters next August.

*--* Rk. Team (Rec.) Comment 1 FLORIDA (13-1) J.W. Marriott Jr., not Urban Meyer, mobbed by fawning reporters at Friday’s news conference. 2 UTAH (13-0) Marriott, a Utah grad, says he’s upgrading Utes to lifetime BCS Platinum status. 3 USC (12-1) Ended up No. 2 in coaches’ poll and Close-But-No-Cigar Aficionado. 4 TEXAS (12-1) Longhorns finished ahead of Oklahoma after all! 5 OKLAHOMA (12-2) Friday-morning QB: Four straight runs inside the 10 with the Heisman-winning QB? 6 TCU (11-2) Defense proved to be tougher than a Fort Worth flank steak. 7 OREGON (10-3) You want offense? Scored 107 points in last two games compared with 76 for Oklahoma. 8 ALABAMA (12-2) Two straight losses clinch FWAA coach of the year award for Nick Saban. 9 BOISE ST. (12-1) Ian Johnson proposed going out for fish tacos after Poinsettia loss. 10 PENN ST. (11-2) Paterno was such a Rose Bowl grouch next time they should serve him crab. 11 OHIO ST. (10-3) Tressel says barring Pryor from media at Fiesta Bowl saved school double-digit loss. 12 MISSISSIPPI (9-4) Billboard in Oxford: “Honk if you’re Miss America or defeated Florida.” 13 GEORGIA (10-3) School gets only half a bowl share because win was against Big Ten. 14 TEXAS TECH (11-2) Leach plans to spend off-season visiting pirates off coast of Somalia. 15 OKLAHOMA ST. (9-4) Holiday Bowl loss to Oregon gets rave reviews in Entertainment Weekly. 16 OREGON ST. (9-4) Replay of 3-0 win over Pitt in Sun Bowl banned on YouTube. 17 VIRGINIA TECH (10-4) Orange Bowl win earns Hokies the ACC’s “Team of the Century” award. 18 CINCINNATI (11-3) Despite bowl loss, you guys are still champions of the Big Least. 19 FLORIDA ST. (9-4) No one asked, but Bowden said he’s coming back for his 34th season. 20 MISSOURI (10-4) Overtime win vs. Northwestern causes two “Schools of Journalism” to miss deadline. 21 IOWA (9-4) Big Ten’s only bowl winner to be honored at Hayden fish Fry in Cedar Rapids. 22 CALIFORNIA (9-4) Focus now turns to hosting several hoax recruits before National Signing Day. 23 BYU (10-3) Dear Utah: Congrats on making our off-season miserable. 24 W. VIRGINIA (9-4) Pat White first QB to give back four straight bowl-gift luggage tags. 25 NEBRASKA (9-4) Uh-oh. Does this mean Huskers might be coming back to another Rose Bowl? *--*