Drama could help Florida

Twenty-four hours is about all it took for Urban Meyer to come out of retirement. He fine-tuned his health, spent some quality time with family and was back to being Florida's football coach just like that.

After his wife told him to do the laundry, paint the kitchen and tend to the garden, Meyer probably decided he'd rather keep coaching.

And he had to do something to stop Tim Tebow from crying.

Seriously, though, with Meyer dealing with headaches and chest pains, it's great that he's taking an indefinite leave of absence after leading the Gators against Cincinnati in today's Sugar Bowl. If he returns full time in a month, that's OK, too.

Unlike some of the critics, I won't portray Meyer as a drama queen for rescinding his resignation. He watched his pseudo-funeral, saw a parade of ESPN analysts mourn his passing as a coach, met with a sad group of players and decided he made a mistake.

It's not that he did anything criminal, so there's no reason to rake him over the coals. If Meyer is guilty of a heinous offense, it was sending Mike Sanford to UNLV.

Drama is the Tiger Woods saga, and Brangelina. Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. are examples of posturing and publicity stunts (they will fight eventually because there's way too much money involved).

I have no problem with what Meyer did because I never believed he was retiring, not for a second. At 45, he's too young, and being a coach is his identity. The angry ones are the gullible ones.

"I think this is going to end up being the biggest nonstory of the year," said The Gold Sheet handicapper Bruce Marshall, an odds-on favorite to being correct about Meyer and his nonretirement.

The more timely question on New Year's Day is this: How will Meyer's situation impact Florida's performance in the Sugar Bowl? Some are speculating the Gators will play like crazed lunatics for their coach and destroy the Bearcats.

"It might actually get them more focused. It's hard to say," Marshall said. "I think the distractions on Cincinnati's side will be more of a problem than what's gone on with Meyer."

Florida is a 13-point favorite over Cincinnati, which lost its coach, Brian Kelly, to Notre Dame, and he's definitely not coming back.

In terms of personnel and strategy, Marshall said the Gators own obvious edges. Their defensive speed will run down Tony Pike, the Bearcats' immobile quarterback, and Tebow will run circles around Cincinnati's suspect defense.

It's not a game I want to bet, but I'm not betting against Meyer and his inspired Gators.

"This is one favorite you might lay some points with, but it's not my favorite game," Marshall said.

The Capital One Bowl is a different story. Marshall (goldsheet.com) is siding with Louisiana State as a 21/2-point underdog to Penn State.

"I think LSU is going to smack Penn State," Marshall said. "I don't see why Penn State is favored in this game. It really boggles my mind."

The Tigers are 4-0 straight up and against the spread in bowls under coach Les Miles. The Nittany Lions feasted on a cupcake schedule, but they lost home games to Iowa and Ohio State, teams with defenses similar to the LSU defense.

Jordan Jefferson is a quarterback question mark for the Tigers, but their running game can punish opponents. LSU had Alabama on the ropes, and no Big Ten team is comparable to the Crimson Tide.

"LSU is big and fast and ornery on defense, and it has athletes Penn State has not seen this year. I think they will wreck Penn State's offense," Marshall said. "If Jefferson doesn't self-destruct, LSU will win handily."

Marshall said he also prefers Northwestern as an 81/2-point underdog to Auburn in the Outback Bowl. As for the Rose Bowl, I prefer Oregon as a 4-point favorite over Ohio State.

After the 15 bowls played through Wednesday, underdogs were 8-7 straight up and 9-6 against the spread.

Pittsburgh won but failed to cover as a 21/2-point favorite in a 19-17 victory over North Carolina. Nebraska was an underdog but closed as a slight favorite in its 33-0 beating of Arizona. Idaho was a 1-point underdog in its dramatic 43-42 victory over Bowling Green.

For headaches and chest pains, try betting on these bowl games.

Contact sports betting columnist Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907.