Gators trying to forget debacle against FSU

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA - Almost every year, the Florida-Florida State game has one memorable play that makes the difference.

Charlie Ward's swing pass to Warrick Dunn in 1993. Jacquez Green's hitch-and-go pattern in 1997. Marquand Manuel's would-be interception in 1998.

Last year was a rare exception, but only because there were a handful of plays that seemingly altered the outcome.

A year later, the Gators (6-4) are still feeling the effects. And they head into Saturday night's game at No. 10 Florida State (8-2) with lingering memories of several blown calls and a twisting, turning, stunning catch at the end.

``I'm still trying to block that out of my mind,'' linebacker Travis Harris said. ``It was tough.''

Normally, disputed calls even out over the course of a game. But last year in Gainesville, there were no fewer than six key calls ranging from questionable to awful and they all went against the Gators in a 38-34 loss.

Among the worst came on the opening kickoff, when Florida State's Antonio Cromartie fumbled and the Gators recovered. Officials ruled the play over before the fumble, even though Cromartie's knee clearly hadn't touched the ground.

In the third quarter, Florida State's Pat Watkins scooped up a fumble and returned it for a score, even though Florida tailback Ciatrick Fason appeared to be flat on the ground before the ball popped out.

In the fourth, Chris Rix ran for a touchdown and a 31-27 lead four plays after officials awarded the ball to the Seminoles, even though Florida linebacker Channing Crowder came out of the pile with the ball. Leon Washington, who fumbled, appeared to be sitting on the ball when officials made the call.

``That's water under the bridge,'' Florida coach Ron Zook said. ``Our guys have been pretty good about dealing with things they have no control over. We won't bring it up, and we got to go play. What happened, happened and there's nothing you can do about it.''

Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley tried to do something about it.

He called Southeastern Conference commissioner Mike Slive shortly after the game to vent about the calls. Slive told Foley there was nothing he could do because the crew was from the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Foley also said he would consider changing the teams' long-standing agreement that calls for officiating crews from the conference of the road team to work the game.

He has since relented, saying he was satisfied with the ACC's handling of the situation.

ACC football officials coordinator Tommy Hunt analyzed the game and said the crew headed by referee Jack Childress was correct on five of the six calls. The lone error came on the opening kickoff.

``We just want the refs to referee a good game,'' Fason said. ``We're going to try not to put it in their hands like we did last year. If we get on top, we got to try to run with it. We just can't put it in the refs hands.''

Despite the controversial calls, the Gators led 34-31 in the waning minutes until P.K. Sam's whirling, 53-yard catch as he fell to the ground in the end zone with 55 seconds remaining.

The Seminoles remember the game for that catch.

Florida, meanwhile, remembers it for what might have been.

The Gators needed a victory against Florida State to possibly win a tiebreaker in the SEC East and play in the conference title game.

Instead of playing LSU in Atlanta for a Bowl Championship Series berth something that may have changed Zook's fate Florida lost for the fifth time in six years against their instate rival and ended another season in the Outback Bowl.

``There isn't anything we can do about it now,'' defensive tackle Kenny Parker said. ``The calls didn't go our way, but we still had an opportunity to win. We can't blame anybody else but ourselves. That's how we see it. We can't worry about it. The only thing we can worry about now is this game.''