How college football could look if Urban Meyer never left the Florida Gators

Nov 29, 2014; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston (5) throws the ball as he is pressured by Florida Gators linebacker Antonio Morrison (3) during the first half at Doak Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports

Would Florida State even be a thing?

After Meyer left Florida, the Seminoles conquered the Sunshine state, defeating Miami and Florida in just about every season since Meyer’s departure. The Seminoles have not only dominated the state by winning, they have also dominated in recruiting, getting more talented in-state guys since Meyer’s departure.

The Seminoles would likely have not won a national title, if Meyer was still coaching the Gators, but Jimbo Fisher’s gang would still be national contenders. Since Fisher took over the Seminoles in 2010, the ‘Noles have lost only eleven games, with most of those losses occurring in Fisher’s first two seasons in Tallahassee.

Fisher has slowly built an excellent program at Florida State, talent-wise, but if Meyer was still coaching in Gainesville, would Florida State be the top team in the state?

Meyer dominated Florida State, losing only one game to the Seminoles in his six seasons coaching the Gators, but in his last season, his only loss to the Seminoles, the Gators were trumped by the Seminoles, 31-7, in Tallahassee.

This doesn’t really mean much, in the grander scheme of things, but Meyer has never defeated Fisher’s Seminoles, which also doesn’t mean much.

If Meyer would’ve stayed at Florida, he and Fisher would be in a heavy contest against one another, battling for top in-state talent and on the football field each November, elevating a rivalry that has been largely dominated by one team for a few seasons at a time.

Next: Who would be coaching the Ohio State Buckeyes?