ESPN College Football

Alabama might have fallen to No. 2 in ESPN colleague Mark Schlabach's Way-Too-Early Preseason Top 25, but I'd like to think that most of the college football world still considers the Crimson Tide to be the favorites to win the national championship again.

Alabama lost nine draft picks, including three first-rounders, but Nick Saban has a host of talent returning on both sides of the ball, and the Tide's schedule isn't too daunting after the first two games.

But there are teams that will test the Tide's road to a national championship trifecta in 2013. Colleague Travis Haney picked five teams from around the country that could challenge Alabama's title hopes this fall. Ohio State topped his list, while Texas A&M made it from the SEC.

No surprise there with the Aggies. Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel returns with a bundle of riches to accompany him in the Aggies' backfield.

Johnny Football might not have Luke Joeckel protecting him, but Jake Matthews provides quite the safety net with his move to left tackle, and there is still talent and experience up front. Mike Evans leads a young but talented group of pass-catchers.

The defense is a concern, with five members of last season's front seven gone, but the Aggies will still be equipped to win most shootouts.

A&M benefits from getting Alabama at home early in the season, but has to play Arkansas, Ole Miss, LSU and Missouri on the road. Even beating Alabama early doesn't guarantee the Aggies will make it to Atlanta over the Tide.

Here are four other SEC teams that could wreck Alabama's title train this fall:

Florida

The Gators will yet again be elite on defense. First-round draft picks Sharrif Floyd and Matt Elam might be gone, but Dominique Easley moves back to his more natural position at defensive tackle and could one of the best at his position this fall. Marcus Roberson and Loucheiz Purifoy could be the top cornerback duo in the SEC, while inside linebacker Antonio Morrison has the makings of being a budding star.

The offense is still a concern, especially with the lack of proven receiving talent, but quarterback Jeff Driskel has found a lot more confidence in his second year under offensive coordinator Brent Pease, and he'll have a much tougher offensive line and another loaded backfield to work with.

Georgia

Sure, the defense is younger and less experienced, but people in Athens are excited about the younger guys taking over. They were very receptive to coaching and showed continued improvement this spring. Linebacker Jordan Jenkins has playmaker written all over him, while freshman Tray Matthews could be the next big thing at safety. Having Damian Swann back at cornerback is huge.

Offensively, Georgia will be able to score on just about everyone. Aaron Murray is looking to be the first SEC quarterback to throw for 3,000 yards in four seasons, and should leave with a handful of SEC/Georgia records. He has five offensive linemen returning, the best one-two running back punch (Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall) and plenty of receivers to throw to, including Malcolm Mitchell, who has moved back to offense full-time.

LSU

Yes, the Tigers lost a ton of talent on the defensive side of the ball, but Les Miles seemed pretty happy with where his defense was -- especially his defensive line -- at the end of spring. Jermauria Rasco could be a big-time player at defensive end for LSU, while linebacker Lamin Barrow has the talent to be an All-SEC performer. The return of cornerbacks Jalen Collins and Jalen Mills should continue the Tigers' trend of having an elite secondary.

The offense should be better, too. Zach Mettenberger is way more comfortable in the offense and has developed better chemistry with his receiving targets, which all return from last season. He'll have a solid offensive line in front of him and a loaded backfield. Although, it will be important to see what happens to the suspended Jeremy Hill, who could be the Tigers' top offensive weapon.

South Carolina

Jadeveon Clowney hasn't left, and the Gamecocks should once again be stacked along their defensive line. South Carolina does have to replace its two-deep at linebacker and has a couple of holes in its secondary, but we all know that a good defensive line can mask weaknesses behind it.

And the offense should be pretty balanced this fall. South Carolina possesses two solid quarterbacks and a talented running back stable led by rising sophomore Mike Davis. Bruce Ellington is back at receiver, and it sounds like the very talented Shaq Roland is finally starting to come around and should be a valuable receiving target this fall. This team has the personnel to make it back to Atlanta.

On paper, Jeff Driskel lives the charmed college jock life.

He was a five-star prospect coming out of high school, he’s the starting quarterback at a major SEC university and he has the cheerleader girlfriend.

Life seems pretty sweet, but that hasn’t exactly been the case.

Despite Florida going an unexpected 11-2 with its first BCS bowl experience since 2009, Driskel received more backlash than high fives during his first season as the Gators’ starter, with schizophrenic play that made him arguably the league’s most perplexing player.

“When you’re a quarterback at a big university, you’re going to get too much credit when you play well and you’re going to get a lot of scrutiny when you don’t play well,” Driskel told ESPN.com in a phone interview earlier this week. “It comes with it, and you can’t let that bother you.”

Driskel says he didn’t let the negativity rattle him, but the internal pressure he put on himself -- thanks to the constant battle with classmate Jacoby Brissett -- did. Driskel said he spent the better part of 2012 looking over his shoulder, waiting for Brissett to take that critical step past him.

Driskel insists his confidence never wavered, but he worried about losing his spot when he made mistakes. Even after Driskel was officially named the starter after splitting reps with Brissett during the season opener, he still worried about his job security, shaking his focus.

“You make a bad play, like throwing an interception in practice, you’re definitely thinking about that,” Driskel said.

Now, Brissett has taken his game to NC State, and as the Gators dive into spring practice, Driskel is no longer feeling the heat of competition. He finally feels like he’s the guy and can take the next steps in his development as a starter.

“It’s definitely my team, and I have to take over and be that leader,” he said.

“Now, I can play free and faster and not have to worry about making mistakes and worry more about making good plays.”

In order to make those plays, Driskel has realized that he has to take off-field work more seriously.

Driskel said he never thought playing quarterback required the heavy amount of studying needed to understand the game. In high school, he was a one-man show because of his athleticism, but that didn’t work in 2012. He admitted to being underprepared because he thought games would come naturally. Things were much faster than expected, and his play suffered because he didn’t take the time needed during the week to meticulously dissect film of opponents, his teammates or himself.

Driskel’s lack of preparation led to a mediocre statistical season (137.2 passing yards per game and 12 touchdowns with five interceptions) and forced players to lose trust in him.

After Florida’s embarrassing Sugar Bowl loss to Louisville, Driskel decided to change his preparation habits. He’s now burying himself in his playbook and locking himself away in the film room when he’s not out throwing with receivers and breaking down every little detail of every play with them, including how they should be running their routes.

“Jeff's really attacked the offseason from a mental standpoint as far as film is concerned and studying what he can do to be a better quarterback,” coach Will Muschamp said. “That's part of the maturation process in becoming a better player; understanding what you've got to do to be successful.”

Offensive coordinator Brent Pease is helping him find ways to get rid of the ball faster and go through his progressions. Check-downs and sacks were major issues for Driskel last year because he didn’t read defenses well and didn’t know where and how they were going to attack him, he said. His indecision helped Florida give up 39 sacks and caused many ill-advised passes.

But people around the program expect 2013 to be better for Driskel. He’s finally working with the same offensive coordinator in back-to-back years, his offensive line should be tougher and stronger and things should slow down considerably.

The next step is developing a young, inexperienced receiving corps. Only five healthy receivers are on campus now, and five true freshmen will be taking reps this fall. Youth can be scary, but an advantage Driskel will have is that they’ll have no choice but to trust and follow him. They’ll be too green not to listen to him or the coaches, a luxury he didn’t have last year.

Driskel has now become the most important offensive entity at Florida, and he says he’s comfortable with that. His confidence is growing, and he’ll finally be responsible for all the first-team reps.

He’s still a work in progress, but it sounds like the wide-eyed, mistake-prone starter from a year ago is seeing things more clearly.

“Now that I’ve been through a season and I know what it takes to prepare to be able to perform, it’s going to be a big difference,” he said. “I’ll be ready this year.”

“I gotta be a vocal leader, and I have to show up and make plays.

1. Chicken v. Egg, cont.: Three of the five most-penalized FBS teams last season play in the Pacific-12 (No. 116 Washington, No. 119 California, No. 120 UCLA). Pac-12 coaches don’t believe their players lack discipline, which would lay the blame at the feet of exacting officials. The coaches may have a point. Arizona State finished eighth in the FBS. Stanford, the second least-penalized Pac-12 team, finished 62nd. Don’t expect much change at Cal. New coach Sonny Dykes’s Louisiana Tech team finished 118th last season.

2. As Florida begins its spring practice, the focus, as Edward Aschoff and Travis Haney wrote Wednesday, is on creating more explosive plays on offense. Coordinator Brent Pease arrived from Boise State and couldn’t get the Gators to replicate the Broncos’ success. To me, that’s not a knock on Pease. It’s one more reminder of how good Kellen Moore really was. His four-year record at Boise State: 50 wins, three losses.

3. In addition to good size and a good arm, USC sophomore quarterback Max Wittek continues to show remarkable bad luck. First, he makes his maiden start against his team’s biggest archrival (Notre Dame) playing for a BCS Championship berth. Second, the worst winds in the history of the Sun Bowl render him ineffective. Now he has sprained the MCL in his right knee -- get this -- while holding a kick. Wittek may recover before spring ball ends. Here’s hoping his curse ends sooner.

This week, we're looking at three SEC schools -- Florida, Georgia and South Carolina -- that are trying to get over the hump and bring an SEC championship home in 2013.

We have already hit Florida and Georgia, and we'll tackle South Carolina Friday. In the meantime, we thought we'd take a look at all three schools and see if they really are contenders or merely pretenders to make it to the SEC championship in Atlanta.

We're using our "Take Two" format to express our feelings toward all three of the top teams in the SEC East heading into the spring.

I'm a gentleman, and I respect my elders, so I'll let Chris go first:

Take 1: Chris Low

FLORIDA

Pretender: Will Muschamp and that Florida staff deserve serious props for getting to 11 wins last season despite having very little margin for error. As good as the Gators should be on defense again this season, it’s difficult to see them improving enough on offense to get to Atlanta. They won a ton of close games a year ago. Those odds turn against them in 2013, especially playing four of five games away from home in October and November.

GEORGIA

Contender: While most people are fixated on what Georgia lost on defense, there are more than enough talented players on that side of the ball just waiting for their shot. And when you score the way the Bulldogs should on offense next season with so much firepower returning, you can give up some points and still win. Getting LSU and South Carolina at home is key.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Contender: The Gamecocks have been right there each of the past three seasons, including a trip to Atlanta in 2010. They should again have one of the top defensive lines in the SEC, and it’s always nice to have two quarterbacks who have proven they can get it done in clutch situations. Their league schedule also appears to be more manageable in 2013.

Take 2: Edward Aschoff

FLORIDA

Contender: The Gators have some major offensive issues to repair, but this is the first time Florida has had the same offensive coordinator for two straight years since the Urban Meyer days. Offensive coordinator Brent Pease says he’s more comfortable tweaking things in order to help a more confident Jeff Driskel. The defense is younger, but constant rotation last year has these younger pups ready to step in this fall.

GEORIGA

Pretender: The offense should be fantastic, but the defense is going to look brand new with 12 players gone who either started or saw significant time. While this team could be scary to face late in the season, the Dawgs must play at Clemson and host both South Carolina and LSU before October even arrives. I fear the defense will take too long to really grow.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Contender: The Gamecocks lose the two-deep at linebacker and have to find someone to replace rangy safety D.J. Swearinger, but that defensive line should be dangerous again, especially with Jadeveon Clowney back. The offense should be pretty balanced with two solid quarterback options and some talented backs to work with, starting with sophomore Mike Davis. Plus, South Carolina spends all of November at home.

NEW ORLEANS -- It's funny how the perception of a team can change so quickly.

Most of the time leading up to Florida's bout with Louisville in the Allstate Sugar Bowl involved conversations about how good the Gators could be in 2013. The overwhelming thought from pretty much every side of the college football spectrum was that the Gators would handle a talented, yet, overmatched Louisville team and then wait to see how high they would rise in next year's preseason polls.

With a chunk of talent returning on defense and an offense that just had to get better, Florida was looking at being a legitimate national title contender in 2013.

However, all that talk ceased when Louisville's Terell Floyd intercepted Jeff Driskel's opening pass and took it 38 yards for a touchdown to give the Cardinals an immediate 7-0 lead. At the time, the play looked harmless in the grand scheme of things, but it proved to totally break the Gators' offensive concentration.

From there, Florida panicked offensively (star running back Mike Gillislee ran the ball just nine times), and Driskel's composure and pass attempts became harder and harder to watch.

The offense rarely wowed in 2012, but during its first appearence in 2013, with a month of work, it totally collapsed, leaving the Gators with a load of question marks entering spring practice.

That Gators always found a way to bounce back with its mediocre offensive attack, but had no answers against the Cardinals. Now, it really is back to the drawing board for Will Muschamp and offensive coordinator Brent Pease.

But what does Florida do? Backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett is still unsure if he'll return, but if he leaves, players have to have more confidence in Driskel than they had this fall. The rhythm and timing has to improve or this offense isn't going anywhere.

Driskel became a major scapegoat for the offense in the Twitterverse Wednesday night, but as former Florida quarterback Chris Leak told me after the game: It's hard to do much of anything when there isn't much of anything around you. Driskel might have composure issues in the pocket, but he has just one consistent receiving weapon in tight end Jordan Reed, who got injured Wednesday night. He also played behind an offensive line that was wildly inconsistent in pass protection.

Pease has said that the offensive line will be better in 2013, but that might not matter much if the Gators don't find a couple of consistent receiving threats. Reed is still on the fence about coming back, and if he doesn't, Florida will enter spring with only one player who caught 30-or-more passes in 2012 -- wide receiver Quinton Dunbar (36).

Pease and new receivers coach Joker Phillips have to find someone who can catch the ball on a regular basis, with or without Reed in the lineup. The Gators just can't run their offense effectively next year without it because teams won't respect the pass next year. They were too respectful at times this fall.

With freshmen Adam Lane and Kelvin Taylor coming to help Matt Jones and Mack Brown, the Gators will look to be run-oriented again, but as LSU has taught us, you have to have a threat to pass or you'll get eaten up against tougher defenses. And the use of the "Wildcat" will have to be greatly scaled back because it really has lost its effectiveness.

Teams respected the running game in 2012. They will look to clobber it in 2013 if a receiver doesn't step up. Will it be a freshman? Dunbar? Tight end Kent Taylor? Who knows, but everything this offense got away with in 2012 won't fly next season.

Florida has the defensive talent to make another strong run through the SEC, but if the offense doesn't really evolve in the next nine months and if Driskel still isn't comfortable for a majority of the time, scenes like Wednesday night's might be a recurring theme.

It's a big final week in the SEC, so here's what to watch out for:

1. SEC championship matchup: We already know that Georgia is locked into its spot in the SEC championship game, but its opponent hasn't been determined yet. Obviously, the overwhelming favorite is Alabama, which takes on hapless Auburn, but LSU and Texas A&M are still in the mix. Alabama goes to Atlanta with a win or if LSU, which plays Arkansas, and A&M, which plays Missouri, lose. LSU has to win and hope that at least Alabama loses because it owns the tiebreaker with the Aggies. The Aggies needed Alabama and LSU to lose.

2. BCS bound? The BCS is SEC heavy at the top and six teams could all still make a BCS bowl game. Wins by Alabama and Georgia pretty much guarantee that the winner in Atlanta is headed to Miami for the Discover BCS National Championship Game. But the most interesting BCS scenario revolves around Florida. The Gators are fourth in the BCS standings, and with a win over Florida State on Saturday, they probably are headed to a BCS bowl game at 11-1. If Notre Dame loses and Florida wins, the Gators could back right into the national championship. LSU and A&M are still alive as well for a BCS bowl, but both need to win and need Florida to lose. South Carolina is 12th in the BCS, so the Gamecocks have to beat Clemson and need Florida, LSU and A&M to lose in order to get that second BCS slot for the SEC.

3. Making the bowl cut: Two SEC teams are still looking for bowl berths. The SEC won't fill all of its bowl slots, but it's also in real danger of sending only eight teams unless Ole Miss and Missouri win this weekend. The Rebels host archrival Mississippi State at home in an Egg Bowl that has real significance this year. The Tigers have an even tougher task, as they head to College Station to take on red-hot Texas A&M. Ole Miss wasn't even supposed to be in this situation, but now that it is, a loss would be a big disappointment for players. Missouri was expected to compete in the SEC, so not making a bowl would be a major disappointment for a program that had so much confidence coming into its new league.

4. One last Heisman push: Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel is at the top of the Heisman list, and he'll have one last chance to impress voters around the country against Missouri's defense. The Tigers have been decent on defense and get their best player, defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson, back from suspension. But only two defenses have been able to stop Johnny Football this season, and they currently rank fourth and fifth nationally in total defense. Missouri comes in at 40th nationally in total defense, giving up 367.4 yards per game. Manziel is averaging 378.3 yards of total offense in games this season.

5. A very strong SEC finish: People keep crowing that the SEC is overrated, but the BCS standings beg to differ. Six teams are ranked in the top 12 of the standings and there's a chance that the conference could end the weekend with three one-loss teams and three two-loss teams. A win by Mississippi State, and the Bulldogs wouldn't just have nine wins but could be back in the Top 25 of the BCS standings as well, giving the conference seven in the Top 25. A Vanderbilt win also could propel the Commodores into the Top 25 with their eight wins. Wins by Florida and South Carolina over top-11 BCS teams will be icing on the cake for the conference.

6. Playing for four quarters: Ole Miss has had to swallow three tough losses in a row because of second-half letdowns. The Rebels were down four to Georgia at halftime a few weeks ago, but were outscored 23-0 in the second half. They were then outscored 45-24 in their losses to Vanderbilt and LSU. If Ole Miss is going to stop its three-game losing streak to Mississippi State, it has to play an entire game Saturday. There can't be a second-half lull like the past three weeks. The Bulldogs don't have the depth issues that Ole Miss has, so they can go deeper into games with more options on the field. The Rebels will have a ton of emotion going into this game, but Hugh Freeze needs his team to finally get back to playing four-quarter football or its shot at a bowl will be lost.

7. Crazy 8s: If Vanderbilt can get past Wake Forest on the road, they'll reach eight wins for the first time since 1982. Talk about a total turnaround by Vanderbilt under the watch of James Franklin. He has made this program really relevant in the SEC and the Commodores are no longer a pushover. They are riding a five-game winning streak and are already bowl eligible. The Commodores are headed to back-to-back bowl games for the first time in school history. Vandy's offense is hot right now, and Wake Forest is giving up 433 yards a game and 30 points a contest.

8. Coaching finales: The SEC will officially say goodbye to two head coaches Saturday. Kentucky's Joker Phillips will coach his final game for the Wildcats when they take on Tennessee in Knoxville. Arkansas' John L. Smith also will coach his final game with the Hogs against LSU on Friday. Smith held interim status all year after the dismissal of Bobby Petrino and while he has publicly said he's confident about his coaching future, it won't be as Arkansas head coach after Saturday. Kentucky made the announcement about Phillips weeks ago, but he decided to coach through the last two weeks of the season. Tennessee also cut ties with Derek Dooley; offensive coordinator Jim Chaney will coach the Vols Saturday. Things are at a boiling point in Auburn, so this could be Gene Chizik's final game as the Tigers' coach when they take on No. 2 Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

9. Jeff Driskel's health & Florida's offense: Florida's 10 wins haven't all been pretty, and Saturday doesn't figure to be very pretty for the Gators' offense with the nation's No. 1 defense lining up opposite them. With Driskel hobbled by a bad ankle, no one knows how durable or how effective he'll be this Saturday. He will play, but for how long has yet to be determined. Will Muschamp and offensive coordinator Brent Pease are surely working this week to put him and the offense in the best positions to make plays, considering Driskel won't be 100 percent. Expect a lot more Mike Gillislee and some more Wildcat with Trey Burton. Maybe Jacoby Brissett will take some snaps. The bottom line is that the Gators can't trot out the same offense that has taken the field in recent weeks, or they won't stand a chance Saturday.

10. Stopping Clemson's offense: The Gamecocks are quietly ranked 13th nationally in total defense (310 yards per game) and scoring defense (17.5). What might be the most impressive stat is how this once-young and relatively inexperienced secondary is allowing under 200 yards passing a game. But South Carolina's defense will face its toughest test of the season Saturday when it travels to Clemson. The Tigers are averaging 535 yards a game and scoring 44 points a contest. Clemson can do it through the air with Tajh Boyd and his talented duo of DeAndre Hopkins and Sammy Watkins (121 combined catches for 1,842 and 18 TDs), and on the ground with Andre Ellington (959 rushing yards). In order for the Gamecocks to get their fourth straight win over Clemson, the defense has to play its best game of the season.

Florida could be without starting quarterback Jeff Driskel this weekend against Jacksonville State.

Coach Will Muschamp said during his weekly Monday news conference that the sophomore is doubtful after he sprained his ankle in the Gators' 29-24 win over Louisiana-Lafayette Saturday.

That means fellow sophomore Jacoby Brissett will get the start if Driskel can't go. He came in for Driskel against the Ragin' Cajuns, completing 6 of 8 passes for 64 yards and one touchdown. Brissett is no stranger to the field, as he played in eight games last year, but he's watched Driskel for most of the 2012 season.

While resting Driskel this weekend will help him heal before next week's clash with No. 10 Florida State in Tallahassee, it does hurt him in the growth department. With the offense taking some mighty steps back in the past few weeks, this team needs Driskel on the field as much as possible. The more chemistry he can develop with his struggling receivers, the better.

This injury came at a weird time. Yes, Driskel can rest, but it's tough to make any sort of strides in the passing game without him practicing and playing. Obviously, Driskel's health comes first, but you have to think that if Driskel can play, he'll go in order to help get some rhythm back in the passing game.

Mental reps will really come in handy this week for Driskel if he has to sit. Expect Driskel and offensive coordinator Brent Pease to spend even more time going over that playbook this week.

It's time to answer some of your questions before we hit the road for another big weekend in the SEC:

Jacob in Lexington, Kent., writes: I love Sonny Dykes for the Kentucky head coach. He's young, and can coach well. Plus, he used to assist at UK, and knows offense. If we can't get him, I like Neal Brown or Brent Pease. What are your thoughts? Who'd be the best fit?

Edward Aschoff: Dykes is one of those up-and-coming names that is sure to hear his name a lot when it comes to openings this winter. Kentucky is certainly one that he's being linked to and it sounds like Kentucky is interested. And why not? Louisiana Tech is 8-1 and has the No. 2 scoring offense. His team also ranks third nationally in total offense, averaging 570.9 yards per game. Kentucky wants an offensive mind to come in and bring some excitement back to the football program. Dykes has that ability. Duke's David Cutcliffe could also hear his name thrown in. He'll be taking Duke to a bowl game for the first time since 1994 and has had success in the SEC during his time as an assistant at Tennessee and as Ole Miss' head coach. Keep and eye on Pease, he seems interested and spoke openly about the job earlier this week. Western Kentucky coach Willie Taggart will probably get a mention, but you have to wonder if he's holding out for something else or if he's ready to coach in the SEC. I think Kentucky has to go after someone who will help bring offensive playmakers back to Lexington because the Wildcats are really hurting in that department.

---

JJ in Tumalo, Ore., writes: How do you guys rate the SEC overall this season? Obviously the bottom half is not better than the bottom half of other conferences. Do Arkansas, Auburn, Tennessee, MIZZOU, Kentucky and Vandy play "All World SEC D?" As a Duck fan I am most interested in seeing how the Bama D' handles A&M with but a week instead of 40 days to prepare against a dangerous spread offense. Look at Oregon's future schedule. We Duck no one. How about a home-and-home with Bama? I know it won't happen. Why challenge yourself on the road when 100K will pay to watch you blow out Georgia State? All the best and thanks for the great SEC coverage.

Edward Aschoff: Lots of stuff in that one, but I'll see if I can help you out a little. To answer your first question, I think the SEC is still on top. Not sure you can shrug that off when you have five teams ranked within the top eight of the BCS standings. All of those teams could still make a BCS bowl game as well, including Alabama, which just has to win out to make it to the national championship. As for "All-World" defenses, Alabama, LSU, Florida, South Carolina, Vanderbilt and Missouri all rank within the top 25 nationally in total defense. So, two of those teams you mentioned have been very good on defense this year. Missouri might not have an impressive record, but that defense has been pretty impressive this season. Vandy is third nationally in pass defense, as well. They might not be All-World, but they're pretty good. I'd also love to see Alabama play Oregon, or any SEC team play Oregon outside of a BCS bowl game. Home-and-home? Bring it on. I'm sick of seeing weak nonconference games on SEC schedules. Good football makes everyone happy. Also, expect Alabama's defense to be ready this weekend.

---

Dave in Savannah, Ga., writes: Is it now time for the tired old stat that UGA is X of XX against Florida to be retired? UGA has won four of the last nine, three of the last six and is on a two-game win streak against Florida. Are losses against a Florida team dating back to when current players were in diapers or not even born truly relevant? Seems intellectually lazy for sports writers to keep qouting those old numbers just for dramatic impact. What's your take?

Edward Aschoff: Honestly, I think you're right about retiring this old stat. Florida absolutely dominated Georgia during the 1990s and for most of the past decade, but, like you said, most of the players on either side could care less. Especially with Georgia winning two straight. Right now, the Bulldogs have all the momentum and can crow as loud as they want. This team can forget the past. Florida fans don't have to, but they shouldn't use it to tease Dawgs fans.

---

JE in Dallas writes: What do you think A&M has to do to beat Alabama? Short of zero turnovers, and not getting bulldozed at the line of scrimmage by Bama's O-line, what do you think are the keys to a possible upset?

Edward Aschoff: Making sure Manziel is upright and finding his guys. Alabama's defensive line isn't elite, but it can cause problems for offenses. It can be pretty disruptive. But we know that Texas A&M's offense revolves around Johnny Football. He has great weapons at receiver and talented running backs to work with, but the offense lives and dies by his effectiveness. Look at the second half of the Florida game and the LSU game. LSU showed some holes in Alabama's defense. Will they be there Saturday? I don't think so. I think the Tide's defense will be much more sound, but the Aggies have the ability to make some big plays. But it call comes down to Manziel. Oh, and yes, the defensive line has to be able to get past that O-line ...

---

Les Miles in Baton Rouge, La., writes: It's funny when my bag of tricks work they love me, but if I wasn't as aggressive as I was they would've questioned me as a coach. Whats it gonna take to please those in Tigerland?

Edward Aschoff: See, I thought that national championship in 2007 made fans more appreciative. Or the fact that you guys went on a historic run until the national championship last year. So far, you've never won less than eight games during your eight seasons at LSU. Still, it's an interesting bunch down there. They just get a little frustrated by all those heart-stopping calls, or the head-scratchers. You really can't blame them. In a league in which winning means so much, you tug at their hearts with a lot of the decisions you make. Those fourth-down decisions last week? Really? You don't get how that can frustrate fans? Winning cures all, but know that this fan base is itching for a championship with all that talent it has.

---

Matt in Athens, Ga., writes: Ed- Why do you and Chris have Georgia in the Outback bowl? Would losing to Alabama in the SEC championship really make Georgia go that far down? Why not Capital One?

Edward Aschoff: If Georgia makes it to the SEC championship game and loses to Alabama, I think the Capital One Bowl would jump all over Florida, especially if it finishes the season 11-1 and doesn't make it to the Sugar Bowl. If LSU wins out, it will be hard for the Sugar Bowl to turn the Tigers down. Two losses might still get the Gators in as well. They'd probably have a better chance with just one, but it's still possible. The Gators were last there following the 2007 season and Florida would be a big draw in Orlando. I'm not saying Georgia wouldn't be, but I think the Capital One Bowl would be very interested in bringing the Gators back to Orlando.

---

Tim in Atlanta, writes: Is it your sense among SEC-land that folks prefer to see a Alabama-Oregon matchup compared to Bama-KSU? If so, do you think the desire for that matchup will move the polls to ensure it, or do you think the pollsters are largely locked into their votes now?

Edward Aschoff: I think people in the SEC would love to see Alabama-Oregon because they couldn't be any different. Oregon has all the offense and no defense. Alabama has all the defense and a balanced offense. It's Nike speed vs. SEC power. We saw it in 2010 and 2011, but this is Alabama. It's the No. 1 team in the nation and it's going for its second consecutive national championship, while there are plenty of people out there saying Oregon deserves the No. 1 spot right now. People in SEC country are tired of hearing that. They want this settled on the field more than the players do. I just think it'd be a great game.

It sounds like former Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino is interested in coaching in the SEC again and according to his father, he's interested in making his home at Kentucky.

"I just know this, that he's interested in Kentucky," Bobby Petrino Sr. told the Louisville Courier-Journal on Wednesday. "He wants to stay in the SEC. That was his life's goal was to go to the SEC."

Kentucky announced on Sunday that coach Joker Phillips would not be back next season and that the coaching search would begin immediately. While Petrino might want to throw his name into the mix, he might be a long shot for the job.

Yahoo! Sports already reported that Kentucky wouldn't be interested in pursuing Petrino, who was fired from Arkansas after he lied to athletic director Jeff Long about an affair he was having with a woman he hired.

Yes, Petrino knows the state of Kentucky well. He went 41-9 at Louisville from 2003-06, and even won the Orange Bowl. His Cardinals teams showcased some of the most exciting passing games in college football at the time. Then, he had a ton of success at Arkansas, getting back-to-back double-digit-win seasons and taking the Razorbacks to their first BCS bowl game.

He even thought his 2012 team was his best one and labeled it a legitimate national title contender. He would put a bunch of people in the seats at Commonwealth Stadium and bring some much-needed excitement back to Kentucky's football program.

But is he worth all the baggage for athletic director Mitch Barnhart? Is he really worth the public relations nightmare for Kentucky and the mounds and mounds of criticism that will be hurled Barnhart's way? And will he even stick around Lexington long enough to make the Wildcats any sort of contender in the SEC East? He really doesn't have a very good track record with staying at places very long (just ask the Atlanta Falcons).

There are plenty of good potential candidates for Barnhart to seek. There are qualified SEC assistants and up-and-coming coaches around the country that would surely be interested in this job.

Expect to hear Louisiana Tech coach Sonny Dykes' name more and more. Louisiana Tech is currently 8-1 and owns the nation's No. 2 scoring offense (52.4 points per game) and the nation's third-best offense (570.9). Florida offensive coordinator Brent Pease, who is a former Kentucky assistant, has shown interest in the job as well.

Duke's David Cutcliffe could also be a candidate. He has the Blue Devils bowl eligible for the first time since 1994 and has plenty of SEC experience as both a longtime assistant at Tennessee and as Ole Miss' head coach. He went 44-29 during his six years with the Rebels.

Western Kentucky coach Willie Taggart, whose Hilltoppers beat Kentucky earlier this year, and current Falcons offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter's name has also been lumped in with potential candidates.

So there are plenty of options for Barnhart not named Bobby Petrino, and I think it will stay that way.

Nine games into Florida’s season and it’s pretty clear there’s a great wide receivers famine in Gainesville. And the Gators have two weeks to feed their passing game.

Florida might sport an impressive 8-1 record (7-1 SEC), but what it doesn’t sport is much of a threat to pass. There’s an abundance of speed and athleticism at receiver, but no complete packages.

When the Gators take on No. 10 Florida State on Nov. 24 in Tallahassee, something has to be different or they won’t stand much of a chance -- not with FSU owning the nation’s No. 1 defense and the fourth-best pass defense.

That leaves two weeks of cupcake ball against Louisiana-Lafayette and Jacksonville State for the Gators to fine-tune that passing game and find some weapons not named Jordan Reed.

Outside of the junior tight end and his 33 catches, the Gators really don’t have any true receiving threats. Reed, who has been quarterback Jeff Driskel’s saving grace this season, leads Florida with 371 receiving yards and has three touchdowns. He’s the only receiving target with more than 20 receptions and more than 230 yards. He's Florida's only player with more than three catches in multiple games this season.

You can’t have your tight end be your best receiver and expect the offense to be balanced or threatening against good defenses, but that’s what the Gators are stuck with.

Since the Tennessee game on Sept. 15, Driskel has averaged just 122 passing yards with six touchdowns (four in the South Carolina game). He’s taken a good amount of criticism for his decision making, and some of it has certainly been appropriate, but if fans are going to groan about him holding onto the ball for too long, they should also groan about the lack of separation taking place down the field.

“We’re going to have to be more explosive,” Driskel said.

Yes, and more reliable.

“It is what it is,” coach Will Muschamp said about his passing game.

“It’s easy to go pick at that and that’s what everybody’s decided to do at this point.”

Very easy.

It’s obvious this part of Florida’s cupboard is pretty bare. Florida is last in the SEC in passing and is the only SEC team that doesn’t have a wide receiver with more than 20 catches this year. Right now, Quinton Dunbar leads all Florida wideouts with 20 receptions. He’s failed to record more than three catches and 40 yards in a single game.

Frankie Hammond had that 50-yard catch-and-run in the opener and a 75-yarder against Tennessee, but has caught just nine passes for 66 yards and a touchdown since.

Utility man Trey Burton has 11 receptions for 126 and no touchdowns. Omarius Hines has moved between tight end and running back, but has 12 catches, and Andre Debose, who has loads of talent but poor work ethic, has just two receptions on the season.

All of these players have been on campus for at least three years.

True freshman Latroy Pittman shined this spring, but has managed just two catches this fall.

Harp on Driskel's play all you want, but nudge some of that animosity over to the receivers as well.

Nothing exemplifies the Gators’ receiving woes quite like the past month. Florida went three games without 100 yards passing in that span and have just one touchdown in the past two games, including the 17-9 loss to Georgia.

Imagine Florida's SEC championship game hopes with a decent passing game.

It hasn’t helped that the Gators have had a lot of receiving recruiting misses over the years, starting with major ones from the Urban Meyer era. Muschamp also whiffed on two big 2012 recruits in ESPN 150 members Stefon Diggs (signed with Maryland) and Nelson Agholor (USC).

All decent offenses have at least one guy quarterbacks can rely on to make plays in the deep game. Florida doesn’t have that, and it’s hurting the creativity in Brent Pease’s offense. It’s hard to fool defenses when they don’t respect your passing game and continuously load the box without repercussions.

There’s no magic pill or new formation. This one comes down to outplaying your man and creating opportunities … and it can’t continue to only be Reed.

What the Gators have done this year has been very impressive. Soon, they’ll be 10-1. But if Florida is going to have a chance at a BCS berth -- or a bowl win -- the passing game has to improve. And that means the wide receivers have to show up.

The SEC hot/not machine is charged up and ready to go:

GLOWING EMBERS

SEC’s BCS chances: It would take a pretty crazy turn of events at this point for the SEC not to have a team in the Discover BCS National Championship Game in Miami. The best bet is No. 1 Alabama, which has yet to be pushed this season. The Crimson Tide are embarking, though, on their most difficult stretch of the season: home against Mississippi State, on the road against LSU and then back home against Texas A&M. No. 2 Florida’s 44-11 win over South Carolina, the Gators’ second over a top-10 opponent in three weeks, has them in prime position. Should Alabama and Florida both be unbeaten and face off in the SEC championship game, the winner would be a lock to finish in one of those top two spots in the final BCS standings. And even if Florida had one loss entering that game and knocked off a previously unbeaten Alabama, the Gators would stand a decent chance of making the national title game if there wasn't more than one unbeaten team at that point. Don’t forget about LSU, either. The No. 6 Tigers have been hard to watch on offense. But if they can take down Alabama at home in two weeks, they’re in the best shape of the one-loss teams to navigate their way into the national title game.

HOT

Florida punter Kyle Christy: The next time you diminish the value of a good punter, go back and watch the way Christy flipped the field time and time again against South Carolina. He punted seven times, and all seven were 51 yards or longer. He’s not only a good punter. He’s the best punter in college football and averaging 47.9 yards per kick.

NOT

Georgia’s run defense: The Bulldogs are suddenly a pushover to run the ball against, and that’s inexcusable when you consider the talent in the Bulldogs’ front seven on defense. Kentucky rushed for 206 yards Saturday against Georgia, including 98 yards in the first quarter. The Bulldogs were gutted for 230 rushing yards against South Carolina and 197 rushing yards against Tennessee. That’s 633 rushing yards in their past three games. A year ago, they gave up only 1,417 rushing yards in 14 games all season.

HOT

Vanderbilt linebacker Chase Garnham: Spearheading Vanderbilt’s defensive effort in its 17-13 win over Auburn, Garnham had 3.5 tackles for loss, including three sacks. The Commodores have one of the more underrated defenses in the SEC, and Garnham is one of the more underrated players in the league. In three of its five SEC games this season, Vanderbilt has held its opponents to 17 points or fewer.

NOT

Garbage-time field goals: When is tacking on a few extra points even more embarrassing than not scoring at all? When you’re getting clobbered and elect to kick a field goal instead of going for a touchdown late in the game. South Carolina and Tennessee were both guilty Saturday. Steve Spurrier had his team kick one on fourth-and-10 from the 12 with 7:17 remaining and the Gamecocks trailing 37-8. The Vols’ garbage-time field goal was even more embarrassing. They kicked a 21-yarder on fourth-and-goal from the 3 with 3:57 to play and trailing 44-10.

HOT

LSU running back Jeremy Hill: It’s taken a while, but LSU has found its most consistent and most explosive offensive threat. The freshman turned in his second straight 100-yard rushing performance in LSU's 24-19 win over Texas A&M. He had 127 yards on 18 carries and a touchdown. Just like he did against South Carolina in the fourth quarter two weeks ago, he delivered the decisive blow with a 47-yard touchdown run. He’s big (235 pounds) but can also run away from people.

NOT

Alabama’s drama: It’s almost as if No. 1 Alabama has been playing in its own league this season, and some of the coaches who’ve had to face the Crimson Tide would argue that they are in their own league. Alabama’s “close” game was a 19-point victory over Ole Miss back in late September. The Crimson Tide’s other six wins were all by at least 27 points. They’ve only trailed for 15 seconds this season, which occurred in the second quarter of the Ole Miss game. It's not supposed to be this easy.

HOT

Florida’s coordinators: Will Muschamp gets the nod as SEC Coach of the Year to this point and deservedly so. But look at the job his coordinators have done -- Brent Pease on offense, Dan Quinn on defense, D.J. Durkin on special teams and Jeff Dillman in strength and conditioning. The entire Florida staff has pressed a lot of the right buttons with this team, and that goes all the way back to the offseason program.

NOT

Mississippi State’s respect: The Bulldogs are 7-0 for only the second time in the 113-year history of the program, own the third-longest winning streak in the country and are No. 11 this week in the BCS standings. But when they travel to No. 1 Alabama this weekend, they’ll do so as more than a three-touchdown underdog. Even Rodney Dangerfield got more respect than that.

FREEZER BURN

Hope on Rocky Top and the Plains: Between them, the once-proud programs at Auburn and Tennessee have lost 19 of their past 21 SEC games going back to last season. Auburn has lost seven in a row and eight of its last nine in the conference. Only three of those losses have been under 17 points. Tennessee has lost five in a row and 11 of its past 12 in the conference. The Vols have given up 41 or more points in each of their past three league games and have given up 30 or more points eight times over their past 12 SEC games dating back to the 2011 season. As you might expect with those kind of numbers, both coaches are in trouble. Both coaches also have steep buyouts. Gene Chizik just won a national championship two years ago and would be owed $7.5 million if Auburn fired him after this season. Derek Dooley, in his third season, would be owed $5 million if the Vols sent him packing.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Even during some of the darkest moments last season, Will Muschamp had a very clear vision of what he wanted this Florida football program to be.

Envisioning it was the easy part. Getting here was the hard part.

And while Muschamp himself would tell you that the No. 2 Gators are still a long way from being a finished project, they’ve made the kind of transformation that few teams in the SEC make in a year’s time.

Their 44-11 dissection of No. 7 South Carolina on Saturday at the Swamp was another reminder of what playing good defense, playing even better special teams and capitalizing on mistakes can do for a football team.

That, and a blend of physicality and mental toughness that was missing a year ago in Gator Land.

“There’s no mad recipe for what we’re doing,” Florida defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd said. “It’s simple. We’re just playing physical and out-dominating the person in front of us.”

It remains to be seen whether these Gators (7-0, 6-0 SEC) are a legitimate national championship threat, but this much is clear: They’re doing all the things it takes to win a title.

In fact, they could clinch the Eastern Division title next week in Jacksonville, Fla., with a win over bitter rival Georgia.

A year ago at this point, the Gators were merely trying to survive. They were on their way to going 0-for-October. They were getting mauled in the fourth quarter by SEC foes. They weren’t forcing turnovers. They weren’t making anything happen at quarterback, and they weren’t very physical.

On top of it all, there was a toughness element missing.

“I outlined for our coaches in late July what our program needed to be,” said Muschamp, whose Gators were 0-6 last season against teams that finished the season with a winning record. “We needed to get production out of our defense and special teams and help our offense in a new year, a new scheme and a new system.

“Right now, we’re doing what it takes to win football games, and that’s the bottom line. That’s all I care about.”

On Saturday, the Gators jumped out to a 21-3 lead despite having just 29 total yards of total offense at the time. Sophomore quarterback Jeff Driskel threw a career-high four touchdown passes but finished with only 93 passing yards.

As a team, Florida was held to a season-low 183 yards in total offense.

Driskel conceded that the Gators needed to be better at hitting more passes down the field. Then again, he only attempted 16 passes.

“We didn’t throw the ball that much because we didn’t have to,” said Driskel, who has thrown eight touchdowns and one interception this season. “When you’re winning ballgames by 33 [points], that’s pretty good. It doesn’t get any better than 7-0.”

The Gators have owned the fourth quarter this season, although Saturday’s game had long since been over by the time the fourth quarter arrived. In SEC games, they’ve outscored opponents 51-13. That’s after being outscored 72-22 in the fourth quarter of SEC games last season.

It’s been a similar story in the turnover department.

The Gators got four Saturday. Three of those came in the first half and led to 21 points.

For the season, Florida is now plus-11 in turnover margin. The Gators have forced 15 and lost just four. A year ago, they finished 113^th nationally in turnover margin at minus-12. They forced 14 and lost 26.

Equally important, the Gators have been masterful when it comes to making adjustments at halftime, both offensively and defensively.

Florida didn’t have any success moving the ball in the first half against South Carolina’s defense. But first-year offensive coordinator Brent Pease tweaked a few things, got the ball out on the perimeter a little more and took advantage of some things the Gamecocks were doing.

The result was a 10-play, 59-yard touchdown drive coming out of halftime to put the Gamecocks away. It was a drive that featured a little bit of Trey Burton in the Wildcat package and culminated with a double handoff to Omarius Hines on a reverse for a 6-yard touchdown.

Pease has been able to find things offensively all season coming out of the half that have worked for the Gators. He was a key hire for Muschamp this offseason, as was strength and conditioning coach Jeff Dillman.

There’s no comparison to how much more physical the Gators are now, both offensively and defensively, than they were a year ago.

“We were probably sleep-talking it,” Florida center Jonotthan Harrison joked of the constant push by the coaches to be more physical. “We heard it day in and day out, in the weight room, in the locker room, in the training room.

“Wherever we were, we heard that, and it’s showing right now.”

Moreover, Driskel said Muschamp’s intensity has been infectious.

“Our guys really respond well to him,” Driskel said. “He’s a high-energy guy. He’s going to be there during practice, and he’s going to be there during games. He’s not going to change.”

Muschamp might not say it publicly. But down deep, he loves the way this Florida team is winning games with its blue-collar, physical approach that’s long on resourcefulness and lean on style.

After all, the SEC has never been a fashion show.

“Our style of play will continue to evolve as we’re here,” Muschamp said. “That’s who we are at this point and will be who we are in three weeks. Next season, I think we’ll continue to evolve. We want to be more balanced and continue to stretch the field vertically and create more opportunities down the field.

“In our league, though, look at the last two [defensive] fronts we’ve played, LSU and South Carolina. Those are first-round draft picks. They’re not good players. They’re really, really good players, and come April, they’ll be building houses for their parents.”

No doubt. And come next Saturday, the Gators will be playing for a chance to return to the SEC championship game for the first time since 2009.

“We’ll take this as if it’s our last game, our national championship game,” Harrison said. “That’s what’s driving us.”

So far, it’s been one heck of a drive.

The game couldn’t have started any worse for South Carolina. On the first play from scrimmage, Florida sacked Gamecocks quarterback Connor Shaw, forcing a fumble. The Gators recovered and scored three plays later to take an early 7-0 lead. The play set the tone for the rest of the game, which ended as a 44-11 Florida victory.

In all, the Gamecocks turned the ball over four times, and Florida turned the miscues into 17 points. On the other hand, UF’s offense wasn’t overwhelming, but it was efficient. Quarterback Jeff Driskel finished 11-of-16 for 93 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions.

Still, the key to the victory was the Gators’ defense. In addition to forcing four turnovers, Florida held South Carolina to just 36 yards on the ground, and both Shaw and backup quarterback Dylan Thompson threw for under 100 yards and each had less than 50 percent completion percentage.

It was over when: With the way Florida played in the second half, the game was essentially over at halftime, but the final nail in the coffin came when Driskel hit Frankie Hammond on a 6-yard touchdown pass late in the third quarter to put the Gators up 37-8. It was Driskel’s fourth touchdown toss of the game.

Game ball goes to: Florida dominated in all facets of the game, but the game ball has to go to the Gators’ special teams. They recovered a fumble on a South Carolina kick return in the second quarter that resulted in a touchdown. They blocked a field goal. UF’s Caleb Sturgis drilled a 42-yarder on his only attempt, and Kyle Christy averaged 54.3 yards on seven punts.

Stat of the game: At the conclusion of the game, South Carolina had more total yards than Florida, yet lost 44-11. The Gators finished with just 183 total yards in the game, but turnovers and special teams made it easy for the Florida offense.

Unsung hero: Florida is a team built around its defense, but UF offensive coordinator Brent Pease deserves credit for his work on Saturday. The Gators finished with less than 200 total yards, but they scored touchdowns when they got in the red zone, and they put together an impressive drive to start the second half, scripted by Pease himself.

What it means for Florida: Ranked No. 2 in the debut of the BCS rankings, Florida continues to prove it’s an elite team, and depending on what happens in the Alabama-Tennessee game, it has a chance to pass the Crimson Tide for the top spot next week with Saturday’s victory. The question now is can the Gators stay up for the Georgia game next week? A win there means they are headed back to Atlanta for the SEC championship.

What it means for South Carolina: When the Gamecocks blew out Georgia two weeks ago in Columbia, S.C., everybody thought they were on track to win the SEC East and compete for a BCS title appearance. After a close loss at LSU last weekend, the wheels fell off on Saturday. South Carolina has to bounce back with games against Tennessee and Arkansas coming up, but fortunately, it gets both the Volunteers and the Razorbacks at home.

When Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin delivered the news to his team that the Aggies’ opener against Louisiana Tech was postponed because of Hurricane Isaac, he could sense how devastated his players were. But imagine how he felt.

Everything is new for the Aggies, but it's also all new for Sumlin, who left Houston to coach the Aggies. Instead of seeing what his team is made of after a long offseason that consisted of installing a new offense and defense, he has to wait ... for A&M's first SEC game.

“There are pluses and minuses to both sides of this equation, it’s just how you handle it with your team,” Sumlin said last week about the postponement. “It all gets down to preparing and getting your guys ready to play on Saturday.”

Instead of having a game under their belts, the Aggies will host No. 24 Florida this Saturday a game behind. Sure, Texas A&M had the benefit of having a couple of more days to prepare for the Gators, but practicing and playing are two different things. Going through the motions against players you’re familiar with just doesn’t match up with playing and seeing someone different.

That’s where Florida has the advantage this weekend. While the Gators’ offense seemed to mirror its struggles from the past two years in its sluggish 27-14 win over Bowling Green, the Gators did have the chance to actually play someone inside of a stadium with fans around them. They were full go, while A&M rested.

"It's an advantage to go in there having played with some new players and a new QB for us, but there will be some new wrinkles in what they do,” Florida coach Will Muschamp said.

“We are at a little bit of a guessing game from the standpoint of them not playing. But that's always with the first game and you go through that as a coach and you go through that going into a bowl game after you've had some time off, we just need to adjust to what we're doing, we need to play fast, we need to have a great tempo because I know they will offensively. We need to get lined up and get our cleats in the dirt and play."

The Gators will be going into the A&M game a little blind, but it’s not like they gave the Aggies a ton of tape to pore over, either. Florida was incredibly vanilla Saturday. You didn’t see much creativity on offense or defense. First-year offensive coordinator Brent Pease barely opened his playbook, especially in the passing game.

Obviously, having two quarterbacks audition for the starting spot contributed to that. But Saturday gave Pease and his quarterback -- Jeff Driskel -- something to build off of. Driskel wasn’t great, but he's the guy now and the offense can officially mold around him. Expect to see Florida’s playbook open up a little bit to play to Driskel’s strengths.

And look for defensive coordinator Dan Quinn to bring a little more heat to A&M’s backfield, especially with first-year starting quarterback Johnny Manziel lining up for his first collegiate game. Unlike Driskel, Manziel doesn't have the luxury of any game experience, so expect some jitters and wide eyes.

It also helps Florida that Bowling Green's offense is similar to Sumlin's when it comes to all of those quick throws and screens. The Gators got a little preview of what to expect Saturday.

Anxiety should be flowing on both sidelines this weekend. The Aggies are playing their first game, and it’s the SEC opener. The Gators are taking an unproven offense into a very hostile environment.

But having a game out of the way is a big advantage for Florida. Not everything went right, and some of Saturday looked mediocre, but a game was played. The Gators have film to critique and build off of. Changes can be made.

A&M has practice film and nerves to work with. The Aggies aren’t sure yet what works and what doesn’t.

Sumlin will have his team prepared as best he can, but he’ll have to deal with watching all of the kinks being worked out in Week 2. He’ll have to suffer through the early mistakes that you expect in Week 1.

Unlike Muschamp, he doesn’t quite know what he’s dealing with in College Station.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- It was a little tense for a while, but No. 23 Florida finally pulled away in the fourth quarter for the victory over Bowling Green in front of 84,704 at Florida Field.

The Gators (1-0) didn’t look crisp on offense and struggled at different times on the defensive line, but were just good enough to win their 23rd consecutive season opener. That’s the second-longest current streak in the nation, behind only Nebraska (27).

It was over when: Frankie Hammond caught a short pass from Jeff Driskel, shook a tackle from Bowling Green cornerback Cameron Truss, and went 50 yards for a touchdown to give the Gators a 24-14 lead with 13:18 remaining.

Game ball goes to: Florida running back Mike Gillislee proved he’s capable of being the Gators’ No. 1 tailback. The senior ran for 148 yards on 24 carries. He set career highs with 94 yards rushing and two touchdowns in the first half.

Stat of the game: Florida committed 10 penalties for 76 yards in the first half, but committed just four in the second half.

What it means: It appears that Driskel will be the Gators' starting quarterback moving forward. The sophomore played the entire first quarter and into the second and the entire second half. Driskel finished 10-of-16 for 114 yards and one touchdown. Jacoby Brissett played only in the second quarter and completed 3-of-5 passes for 31 yards.

Turning point: Florida cornerback Marcus Roberson intercepted a tipped pass at the UF 17-yard line early in the fourth quarter to stop the Falcons from scoring a potential go-ahead touchdown. Roberson returned the ball 31 yards, and three plays later Hammond broke free for his 50-yard TD.

Second guessing: Offensive coordinator Brent Pease made several questionable play calls in short-yardage situations. He had Driskel pull off a quick punt (which went only 15 yards) on fourth-and-6, called a rollout pass on fourth-and-1, and called another rollout pass on third-and-2. None of them worked.

What we learned about this team: The offense is still a work in progress, especially the passing game. The receivers did not consistently get open, and the quarterbacks missed wide-open throws, too. Now, things may have purposely been a little vanilla because of next week’s game against Texas A&M. The Gators didn’t show as many motions and shifts as expected. Still, there was no rhythm to the passing game.

Best call: Bowling Green coach Dave Clawson called a fake punt on fourth-and-5 from midfield, and punter Brian Schmiedebusch ran to his right and gained 8 yards. The Falcons got an extra 15 because returner Andre Debose hit Schmiedebush out of bounds. Running back Anthon Samuel scored on a 12-yard run three plays later to tie the game at 14-14 with 9:57 remaining in the third quarter.