CSU's brilliant publicity stunt

Jay Mills, even as a 10-touchdown underdog, is quite the nutty guy. The Charleston Southern head coach approached Florida's Urban Meyer at a recent convention and said he was glad the Gators in their BCS Championship Game were not ignoring Oklahoma and looking ahead to Charleston Southern.

"Coach Meyer took it in the humorous way in which it was intended," Mills said Friday at Charleston Southern's official Media Day.

Hah!

Perhaps not so amusing to serious college football fans: Preseason No. 1 and defending national champ Florida is a 73-point favorite over the Buccaneers in some early or predicted betting lines for the Sept. 5 season opener in Gainesville. The disparate scheduling might have computer controversy legs into December.

Or maybe the little Big South Conference team with an enrollment (3,201) almost as small as its stadium capacity (4,000) will take on the big, bad Gators in a game interesting in the same way you're fascinated by exploding zeppelins and watermelons dropped off skyscrapers.

All of which is more than just good for a football program and school trying to grow.

Sunshine slate

At worst, it's the best publicity stunt in college football this season.

A university and a slogan -- "Promoting academic excellence in a Christian environment" -- in the same Swamp with the great Tim Tebow and his fellow Florida Gators for three hours. Open to the public.

"Never before has a Charleston Southern team been on such a visible national stage," Mills said.

The Citadel lost last year at Florida, 70-19.

Even losing 73-0 or similar, Charleston Southern gets on SportsCenter and placed on a prominent page in every Sunday newspaper sports section in the country.

"Thank you, sir! May I have another!"

Anti-braggin' rights, from sea to shining sea.

More importantly, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico. Charleston Southern has more players on its roster from Florida (41) than all other states combined. Credit athletic director Hank Small and Mills for bagging non-conference games at Miami last August, Florida and South Florida this season and Florida State and Central Florida in 2011 (the Bucs play at Hawaii and Kentucky in 2010).

Mills was talking Friday about all the Sunshine State kids who grow up cheering for the Gators, Seminoles or Hurricanes.

"Very seldom do players get a chance to play for a team like that," he said. "The next best thing to playing for them is playing against them."

Almost half a mil

What price publicity?

Well, the lopsided score at Miami was 52-7.

But Charleston Southern got $400,000 for its trouble and will get $450,000 for the Florida game.

True, Tebow might jumpstart his final Heisman Trophy campaign with gaudy numbers.

Florida All-America defensive end Carlos Dunlap (Fort Dorchester High School) is likely to record several sacks, if he stays in the game into the third quarter.

But every highlight will have "Charleston Southern" attached.

Don't blame Florida players if they are looking ahead this time, to their Sept. 12 game against Troy or Sept. 19 game against Tennessee.

The Buccaneers aren't peeking beyond Gainesville. Mills said the program has enjoyed its best offseason workout attendance and performances.

Maybe the Gators-Bucs result will look so lopsided it shouldn't count as a real Florida victory. The cash and publicity, however, are pleasantly authentic for Charleston Southern.

Reach Gene Sapakoff at gsapakoff@postandcourier.com or 937-5593.