Rivalry games factor in BCS

By Seth Klempner

Daily Sports Writer

Hamlet and Claudius, Hamilton and Burr, Itchy and Scratchy. All are rivalries that ended in bloodshed.

The final week of the regular season is upon us and that means that old hatreds and bitterness over past losses will be renewed in rivalry week.

No. 4 Florida (9-1) No. 3 Florida State (10-1): No one loves a cordial Southern bloodbath more than these two teams, and this weekend will be no different.

There are two scenarios for this game.

Scenario one: Sports imitates politics and after playing to a double-overtime tie, Steve Spurrier and Bobby Bowden will decide to let the voters of Palm Beach County decide the outcome of the game.

Some voters are too feeble to punch out the entire hole on their ballot while others confuse Central Florida for Florida and Florida State wins.

Scenario two: A winner is determined on the field. Using the always dangerous two (if not three) quarterback system, Florida will have trouble handling the Seminoles' blitzing schemes.

Florida will be able to answer Florida State's offense with the help of freshman receiver Jabar Gaffney, who had 168 yards against South Carolina.

On offense, the Seminoles will be thin in the backfield, having lost two of their running backs to injury, which will allow the Florida defense to focus on Chris Weinke.

While statistics may not mean anything in this game, the one statistic that haunts coach Spurrier is his record in Tallahassee (0-4-1).

If the Gators are to win this game, they must find a way to score against the nation's best defense. This game is also Weinke's last chance to impress Heisman voters.

The winner of this game will likely vault over Miami and get a spot in the Orange Bowl, unless the standings are not to the liking of Al Gore, in which case he may challenge the final BCS ranking.

Florida State 36, Florida 33

No. 5 Oregon (9-1) vs No. 8 Oregon State (9-1): Normally this game is between two teams with losing records and is played in obscurity, overshadowed by the bigger games of rivalry week.

But this year is far from normal. Both teams are in the top 10 in the nation and have a chance of going to the Rose Bowl.

Oregon has only one loss this season but has given up 79 points in it's last two road games.

Unless they fix their problems on defense this game is going to be a long one for the Ducks as they head to Corvallis.

Compounding Oregon's defensive problems is its poor performance against the run - Oregon's rush defense ranks 40th in the nation. This Saturday the team has the task of stopping junior running back Ken Simonton, who averages 136.1 yards per game.

Oregon controls its own fate and can go to Pasadena with a win, while Oregon State needs a win coupled with a Washington defeat before the Beavers can return to Pasadena.

Oregon State 38, Oregon 29

No. 16 South Carolina (7-3) at No. 25 Clemson (8-2): The last time anyone outside South Carolina paid attention to this game, Jesse Helms was still fighting against the Civil Rights movement.

Both teams are coming off two consecutive losses, but Clemson's fall from the top 10 and 47-point loss to Florida State leaves the team more demoralized.

Quarterback Woodrow Dantzler will be slowed by tendinitis of the ankle, which will slow the Tigers' fast-paced spread offense.

Clemson's offense has enough weapons that it will not be disabled by Dantzler's injury, but the injury will allow the already fast Gamecocks to cheat up on the line and play receivers tight.

The South Carolina defense is 16th in the nation in total yards and has given up under 16 points per game.

In the end, Dantzler's sore ankle will be the difference and no recounts will be needed.

South Carolina 30, Clemson 25