NEW ORLEANS — Muhammad Ali, the iconic "Louisville Lip," represented his hometown university at the ceremonial coin flip before Wednesday's Sugar Bowl matchup with the Florida Gators.
A few minutes later, the Gators hit the canvas faster and harder than Sonny Liston.
The only thing missing from this inexplicable upset was the phantom punch.
On the first play of the game, Louisville's Terell Floyd picked off Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel's pass and returned it for a touchdown and the upstart Cardinals went on to a resounding, astounding, confounding victory over the heavily favored Gators.
Louisville 33, Florida 23
Crumbling, withering Big East 33, big, bad SEC 23.
Former Gators interim head coach Charlie Strong 33, current Gators head coach Will Muschamp 23.
“No one gave us respect," said Strong, who was Florida's long-time defensive coordinator before taking the Louisville job. "They say the Big East doesn't play anybody. I hope tonight opened up some eyes.”
Yes, the Cardinals had Ali on their side, and the Gators appropriately played like a bunch of rope-a-dopes.
The Cardinals recorded the biggest upset in Sugar Bowl history by outclassing the No. 3-ranked Gators in every way imaginable. They had more heart. They had more hustle. They had more composure. They had more fans.
Their quarterback was better. Their offense was better. Their defense was better. Their coaching was better. This game was a complete embarrassment for the Gators.
“We got outcoached and outplayed," Muschamp said. “... Obviously, this is a sour day and a sour note, and I apologize to our fans and the university."
Here's all you need to know: Florida had to use trickery just to try to stay in the game with Louisville and its dominant, dynamic quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. Florida fell behind 24-3 in the first half and was able to score its only offensive touchdown of the half with 19 seconds left in the second quarter on a gimmicky swinging-gate play.
Florida was so desperate, Muschamp attempted an onside kick at the outset of the second half. Not only did the Cardinals recover, but the Gators were whistled for two personal foul penalties on the play and had one of their players ejected from the game. Bridgewater then hit Damian Copeland on the very next play for a 15-yard touchdown and a 30-10 lead.
It seems the Gators took a cue from their fans in this game and failed to show up. The crowd of 54,178 was the smallest at the Sugar Bowl since 1939. Because Louisville fans so badly outnumbered UF fans during bowl week, the locals began referring to their city as "Lou-Orleans."
While UF administrators are left to wonder what happened to their once-rabid fan base, it is up to Muschamp to figure out what happened to his once-dominant defense. The fact is, Bridgewater used Florida's No. 5-ranked defense as target practice, and the Cardinals only punted once all night.
The Gators came into the game ranked No. 1 in the nation in pass defense, but Bridgewater riddled them from the beginning, converting on his first four third downs of the game. Later in the half, facing 3rd-and-13, Bridgewater tossed a perfectly thrown 15-yard TD strike to DeVante Parker to give Louisville a 24-3 lead.
Former Gator Tim Tebow stood on UF's sideline during the game, but it was Bridgewater who looked like the second coming of Tebow on the field. He made the Gators look like Temple or one of the other Big East humpties that Louisville fattened up on during the season.
Florida's All-America safety Matt Elam raised some eyebrows around the SEC when he said of Bridgewater earlier this week: "I feel like, hands down, he's the best quarterback we will face this year."
Turns out Elam was right. The Gators shut down Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel of Texas A&M and intercepted Georgia's Aaron Murray — the nation's second-rated passer — three times. But Teddy B turned the Gators into teddy bears. The Cardinals couldn't run the ball at all, but Bridgewater still shredded UF's defense like coleslaw cabbage.
What a disappointing and embarrassing end to what otherwise can only be described as an incredible season for the Gators. The fact that it ended like this in New Orleans is doubly disappointing.
This is a city not only steeped in American history, but it oozes Gator heritage as well. The Sugar Bowl is a touchstone destination for the Gators — a place where they played after they won their school-first Southeastern Conference championship in 1991.
It is the site of their greatest sports moment — a 52-20 blowout of Florida State that gave the Gators the 1996 national championship.
The last time they were here in 2010 was Tebow's final game at quarterback, and it symbolized the end of one of Florida's greatest eras.
And then there was Wednesday night's Sugar Bowl against Louisville in a game that was supposed to signify something entirely different — the beginning of a new era at UF.
Unfortunately for them, they ran into Muhammad Ali's team.
"Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.
The 'Ville just put a Big East whuppin' on the big, bad SEC!"
mbianchi@tribune.com. Follow him on Twitter at BianchiWrites. Listen to his radio show every weekday from 6 to 9 a.m. on 740-AM.
