ESPN College Football

Super Bowl XLVI MVP Eli Manning was one of 10 former SEC players on the New York Giants' roster who will soon be getting Super Bowl championship rings.

Here's the entire list:

• S Deon Grant (Tennessee)
• QB Eli Manning (Ole Miss)
• OG Mitch Petrus (Arkansas)
• DE Justin Trattou (Florida)
• OT Tony Ugoh (Arkansas)
• RB D.J. Ware (Georgia)
• CB Corey Webster (LSU)

Also, offensive tackle Stacy Andrews (Ole Miss), receiver Michael Clayton (LSU) and linebacker Jonathan Goff (Vanderbilt) were on the Giants' injured reserve list.

Grant, Trattou and Clayton joined an exclusive club. They've now won a national championship in college football and a Super Bowl championship in pro football. Webster had already accomplished that feat. He was a part of the Giants' 2007 Super Bowl championship team.

Grant played on Tennessee's 1998 national championship team. Trattou played on Florida's 2008 national championship team, while Clayton and Webster were both on LSU's 2003 national championship team.

A couple of quick tidbits involving SEC players in the East-West Shrine Game over the weekend:

• Tennessee defensive end Chris Walker helped punctuate the East's 25-8 win by sacking Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor inside his own 2-yard line, forcing a fumble. The ball rolled into the end zone and was recovered for a East touchdown by North Carolina's Marvin Austin.
• It wasn't the best day for Auburn place-kicker Wes Byrum, who kicked the game-winning field goal in the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game. He was 1-of-3 on field goals in the Shrine Game, missing a 44-yarder that was short and a 27-yarder that was wide right. According to the Scouts Inc. analysts who were at the game, Byrum's lack of leg strength was noticeable in the windy conditions.
• Georgia linebacker Akeem Dent, who was second in the SEC this season with 126 tackles, showed up several times during the game, particularly on special teams. The Scouts Inc. analysts were impressed with his straight line speed, and his productivity on special teams should only help his draft stock.
• Florida defensive end Justin Trattou had a sack in the game.

Thanks to Alabama and Florida, there has been very little drama in the SEC divisional races after the third or fourth week of October the past two seasons.

That’s what happens when two teams go a combined 31-1 in SEC regular-season play.

Between them, Alabama and Florida have lost a total of three games over the last two seasons, and two of those losses were to each other in the SEC championship game.

There’s been a clear separation in the SEC. It’s been Alabama and Florida and then everybody else, and the two kingpins haven’t done anything on the recruiting trail to make anybody think they’re going to slow down any time soon.

The Crimson Tide and Gators have stepped up their games, too.

And when you consider some of the key components Alabama and Florida lost off last season’s teams, including six underclassmen who went in the top three rounds of the NFL draft, perhaps some of those mid- to late-November games in the league will be worth watching this season.

With so many new faces in key roles, it doesn’t sound like there’s a sense of entitlement in either Tuscaloosa or Gainesville.

Rather, there’s an air of “Let’s make our own legacy.”

Florida senior defensive end Justin Trattou acknowledges that a lofty standard has been set by some of those guys who’ve passed through the past few years -- the Tebows, Spikes, Hadens and Pounceys -- but that doesn’t guarantee anything for the Gators going forward.

“If anything, the target on us is only bigger,” Trattou said. “The only thing that matters is what we do this year, what this team does and how much this team accomplishes. Yeah, we have a lot of new guys, but we also have a lot of guys who’ve been here and know what it’s going to take. We know we’ll have to fight for everything we get.”

The East looks like a three-team race.

Georgia has 10 starters coming back on offense, and if redshirt freshman quarterback Aaron Murray plays the way coach Mark Richt thinks he will, the Bulldogs ought to have the most balanced offense in the league.

And don’t forget about Steve Spurrier and South Carolina. Yes, we’ve heard “This is the year” talk coming out of Columbia before, but this just might be the Head Ball Coach’s best shot yet at contending for an East title since returning to college football in 2005.

As junior quarterback Stephen Garcia said last week when asked what the Gamecocks’ expectations were, “Nothing less than SEC champions. We say that every year we’ve been here, but I think this is by far the most talented team we’ve had and the hardest working team we’ve ever had. That’s a pretty good combination.”

Navigating their way back through the West won’t be a picnic for the defending national champion Crimson Tide, who have to replace all but two defensive starters from a year ago.

But Alabama is loaded on offense, led by the explosive backfield tandem of Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson.

The West is also deeper than the East this season. Arkansas, Auburn and LSU are all talented enough to make legitimate runs, while the addition of former Oregon star quarterback Jeremiah Masoli gives Ole Miss a much-needed playmaker on offense. The Rebels were already going to be stout in their front seven on defense.

Mississippi State has a chance to be one of the most improved teams in the league, meaning the West could send all six teams to bowl games.

It also means that Alabama will have its work cut out if it’s going to get through the league unscathed again.

In fact, this might be one of those years when both division champions arrive in Atlanta with a loss.

“Every year’s a new year, and nothing stays the same very long in this league,” Arkansas tight end D.J. Williams said. “It’s on the rest of us to catch [Alabama and Florida].”

Schedule: Practice stars Thursday at an undisclosed time. Florida is not publicizing practice times since there are no open practices this year. The first day in full pads is Wednesday (Aug. 11).

What’s new: Teryl Austin replaces Charlie Strong as the Gators’ defensive coordinator. Austin had spent the previous seven seasons in the NFL. The Gators may go to more of a 3-4 look under Austin, which wouldn’t be completely new. They also used some three-down sets under Strong. Zach Azzanni is in his first season coaching receivers and serving as the Gators’ passing game coordinator. After two seasons away, Stan Drayton returns for his second stint as running backs coach. He’ll also oversee recruiting. D.J. Durkin is in his first season as linebackers coach and special teams coordinator.

Sidelined: Cornerback Adrian Bushell left the team in May and plans to transfer.

Key battle: Finding a replacement for Joe Haden at cornerback will be one of the first orders of business. Sophomore Jeremy Brown may be the guy if he can overcome his chronic back problems. Senior Moses Jenkins has the most experience, while true freshmen Joshua Shaw and Jaylen Watkins are both big-time talents. Both went through spring practice and will be hard to keep off the field.

New on the scene: Given that Florida’s bringing in what many consider to be one of the most talented signing classes in history, there could be several of those guys on the field. Redshirt freshman receiver Andre Debose isn’t brand new, but this will be his first season after undergoing hamstring surgery last year. Redshirt freshman Jelani Jenkins is the likely starter at middle linebacker, and the Gators can’t wait to get three true freshman defensive linemen in uniform -- Ronald Powell, Sharrif Floyd and Dominique Easley. True freshman safety Matt Elam will almost certainly play early, and true freshman Gerald Christian has a chance to win the tight end job.

Breaking out: Senior captain Justin Trattou was the Gators’ inside pass-rushing specialist a year ago. He’ll go back to more of a traditional defensive end this season and will also be healthy after playing the second half of last season with a torn biceps tendon.

Don’t forget about: Chris Rainey is moving to slot receiver, and the Gators plan to utilize his speed in a number of different ways, including the return game.

All eyes on: Junior quarterback John Brantley. It’s never easy taking over for a legend. Brantley is a polished passer and will give the Gators a look on offense they haven’t had in a while. The tricky part will be replacing Tim Tebow’s third-down prowess. Go back and count how many times he willed the Gators to key third-down conversions the last few years.

Quoting: “We’re young, but we’re focused. Everybody has the same mindset. We don’t have any superstars on this team. Everybody just wants to go out and win games.” -- Florida center Mike Pouncey

In a lot of cases, the defensive line is what has set the SEC apart over the years. When you’re strong up front defensively, you’ve always got a chance.

Who’s the strongest in the SEC this season? Here goes:

1. Ole Miss: For the second season in a row, the Rebels will be as formidable as anybody up front defensively. Senior tackle Jerrell Powe is perhaps the best interior defensive lineman in the league, and senior end Kentrell Lockett is one of the better pass-rushers. Between them, Powe and Lockett had 22 tackles for loss last season. It’s also a deep and experienced defensive line, especially at tackle, and the Rebels added a newcomer at end, junior college transfer Wayne Dorsey, who should be a factor right away.

2. Alabama: Players leave to go to the NFL, and Alabama slides in another great one right behind them. Welcome to Nick Saban’s recruiting machine. Junior end Marcell Dareus was the star of the BCS National Championship Game last season and is one of the top NFL draft prospects in the league. He’ll have to wait and see if anything comes of his trip to Miami that’s being investigated by the NCAA, but there’s no shortage of talent. Kerry Murphy may be the next star in the making and could potentially play nose or end in the Tide's scheme.

3. South Carolina: Assistant head coach for the defense Ellis Johnson would like to have a little more depth, but if everybody holds up health-wise, the Gamecocks will be plenty imposing up front defensively. It starts with senior end Cliff Matthews, who’s one of the most complete defensive linemen in the SEC. He had 10 tackles for loss, including seven sacks last season. Senior Ladi Ajiboye and junior Travian Robertson anchor the middle of the line, and both are explosive and powerful.

4. Mississippi State: As the Bulldogs attempt to make their move in Season No. 2 under Dan Mullen, the strength of their football team will be their defensive line. Senior Pernell McPhee is an All-SEC performer at end and should be even better his second time around in the league. Sophomore tackles Josh Boyd and Fletcher Cox have both bulked up to the 300-pound range after solid freshman seasons, and the Bulldogs brought in massive junior college tackle James Carmon (6-7, 345 pounds) this spring.

5. Florida: The Florida defensive linemen themselves will tell you that there aren’t any superstars in this group, but there are five seniors returning, not to mention the most talented freshman defensive line class in the country. Senior captain Justin Trattou returns full time to end after playing inside on passing situations last season. He’s healthy, too, after tearing the biceps tendon in his left arm last season. Sophomore tackle Omar Hunter is just waiting to break out, and freshmen Ronald Powell at end and Sharrif Floyd at tackle won’t have to wait long to make an impact.

6. LSU: Some new faces will be counted on to play key roles for the Tigers up front this season, but a veteran remains the centerpiece of this defensive line. Senior tackle Drake Nevis rates up there with Jerrell Powe as one of the top interior linemen in this league. The Tigers are also eager to see what redshirt freshman end Sam Montgomery and redshirt freshman tackle Michael Brockers can do after big springs. Senior Pep Levingston is moving inside to tackle after starting 10 games last season at end. One thing the Tigers would like to generate more of is sacks. They only had 21 last season, which was tied for eighth in the SEC.

7. Tennessee: The Vols have excellent depth at the end positions, starting with senior Chris Walker, who led the team with six sacks last season. Seniors Ben Martin and Gerald Williams also return at end, while former Southern California end Malik Jackson will be eligible to play this season after transferring from the Trojans. Tennessee doesn’t have much depth inside, but Montori Hughes and Marlon Walls both had solid freshman seasons. The Vols can’t afford for either, though, to go down with an injury.

8. Georgia: With the Bulldogs switching to a 3-4 defense under first-year coordinator Todd Grantham, some guys will be playing new positions. One of the keys will be junior DeAngelo Tyson at the nose and establishing some depth behind him. Grantham wants to get to a point where he has a steady rotation up front, but that may take another recruiting class or so. Senior Demarcus Dobbs is the starter at one end, while sophomore Abry Jones impressed Grantham in the spring at the other end spot.

9. Auburn: The Tigers lost their top playmaker up front last season in Antonio Coleman and are hopeful senior Antoine Carter can step in and be that guy this season at end. The first thing Auburn has to do if it’s going be a better defense this season is be stingier against the run. Senior Mike Blanc returns at one tackle, and the Tigers are also counting on a big season from junior tackle Nick Fairley, who showed flashes a year ago. Another guy to watch is redshirt freshman end Nosa Eguae, who would have played last season had it not been for a stress fracture in his left foot.

10. Arkansas: The Hogs will be better on defense this season. So says Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino, and they’ll need to be better if they’re going to make a run in the Western Division race. The depth should be better, although losing Malcolm Sheppard in the middle is a killer. Junior end Jake Bequette had 5.5 sacks last season and is one of those guys who could really blossom this season. Junior Zach Stadther returns at one tackle. Sophomore Tenarius Wright missed the spring with a foot injury, but will also be a key at the other end position.

11. Kentucky: The big blow for the Wildcats was losing tackle Corey Peters, who was dominant a year ago and made everybody around him that much better. Replacing him will be a chore, but Kentucky hopes Mark Crawford can have a breakout season inside after coming over from junior college last year. Speaking of breakout seasons, senior end DeQuin Evans emerged as one of the most productive pass-rushers in the league last season, his first in the SEC after coming over from junior college. He finished with 12.5 tackles for loss, including six sacks.

12. Vanderbilt: The bad news is that senior tackle Adam Smotherman tore his ACL early in spring practice. The good news is that he’s recovering quicker than anybody could have imagined and has a chance to be back for at least part of the season. The Commodores need Smotherman and T.J. Greenstone there in the middle, especially after losing three key senior defensive linemen to graduation. It was a struggle for Vanderbilt up front defensively in the fourth quarter last season. That will again be the challenge in 2010.

HOOVER, Ala. – One of Florida’s most inspirational players a year ago on defense might end up being one of the Gators’ most important players in 2010.

Senior defensive end Justin Trattou played the second half of the season with a torn biceps tendon in his left arm.

As he says himself, “I was playing with one arm.”

The Gators used Trattou as an inside rush guy in passing situations, and even though he admits he wasn’t close to 100 percent, he wound up making one of the plays of the year against South Carolina. His interception and 53-yard return on the first play of the fourth quarter with the Gamecocks driving completely turned that game around.

“Anything I can do to help the team,” Trattou said. “I hope to do even more of that this year.”

Chances are that he will.

He’s back to playing with two arms again. He’s able to lift weights again, and his strength has returned. Trattou will also go back to playing a conventional defensive end position with Carlos Dunlap and Jermaine Cunningham gone to the NFL.

“I’m stronger than I was this time last year, and I’m back down in the low 250s after trying to bulk up more to play inside last year,” Trattou said. “I beat all my previous bests in all the lifts and runs this year. I’m looking forward to it.

“Even though I basically played the whole second half of the season with one arm, I was effective enough that they could get a solid 20 or 25 plays out of me. But this spring, it was totally different.

“I was able to play real football again.”

Surgery was tossed out there as an option last season, but Trattou would have missed four to six weeks. He never seriously considered it when doctors told him he wouldn’t do any long-term damage to his arm.

“At that point, it was all about managing the pain,” Trattou said. “It hurt more during the week. But your adrenalin is flowing so much during the games that you don’t really think about it until your back in that locker room and it starts hurting again.”

Trattou, one of Florida’s senior captains, likes the makeup of the Gators’ defensive line even though there are not any so-called stars returning.

What the Gators do have is five seniors coming back up front who have played a lot of football and are hungry to prove that the standard for Florida’s defense hasn’t changed, even though guys like Brandon Spikes, Ryan Stamper, Joe Haden, Major Wright, Dunlap and Cunningham are no longer around.

“When you think of Florida, you think of great defense,” Trattou said. “We’re going to work real hard going into camp and are going to get this defense tight like we were the past couple of years and uphold that tradition of Florida defense.

“We definitely have a lot of experience in this line, but we haven’t had that star player in this group yet. This is our chance to go out and prove what kind of players we are.”

Right now, Duke Lemmens is the starter at end opposite Trattou, but everybody in Gator Land is eager to get a look at prized freshman Ronald Powell. Dominique Easley is another highly touted freshman who projects as a tackle, but could get a shot outside depending on what happens.

Trattou doesn’t want to make any predictions about the freshmen until seeing them in pads, which is probably smart.

But he is confident that this defense as a whole has what it takes to carry the Gators back to Atlanta for a third straight SEC championship game appearance.

“It’s definitely different than last year when we were the top-rated team, but this is a new team and a new year,” Trattou said. “The expectations around us might be different, but our expectations are the same, and you could see that by how hard we’ve worked this summer.

“Our goal is the same as it’s always been, to win the SEC East, get to Atlanta and win and let everything else take care of itself.”

Today, we examine the Gators’ strengths and weaknesses coming out of the spring.

Strongest position: Offensive line

Key returnees: Senior center Mike Pouncey, senior guard/tackle Carl Johnson, senior tackle Marcus Gilbert, sophomore tackle Xavier Nixon, senior guard Maurice Hurt, junior guard James Wilson

Key departures: Center Maurkice Pouncey

The skinny: The Gators did some bang-up recruiting this offseason with a signing class some have called the most talented ever. But their most important recruit might have been holding onto Mike Pouncey, who opted not to turn pro early and will instead slide over from guard and take over for his twin brother, Maurkice, at center next season. Maurkice was a first-round selection and will certainly be missed, but the Gators return four starters up front -- and three of those are seniors. Nixon took over at left tackle as a true freshman last season and started the last five games. Johnson returns at left guard, but has also started at tackle. Gilbert returns as the Gators’ right tackle. Hurt and Wilson will probably battle it out for the right guard spot. Hurt started some at guard a year ago. The Gators have enough depth and versatility in their offensive line that Steve Addazio will have the luxury of working a couple of different combinations to ensure getting his best five guys on the field. Junior tackle Matt Patchan could also factor in somewhere after being injured most of last season. Barring a rash of injuries, this may end up being the best offensive line Urban Meyer has had at Florida.

Weakest position: Defensive end

Key returnees: Senior Justin Trattou (17 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, one interception), senior Duke Lemmens (10 tackles), junior William Green (12 tackles, three tackles for loss)

Key departures: Carlos Dunlap (38 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, nine sacks), Jermaine Cunningham (34 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, seven sacks, two forced fumbles)

The skinny: If ever the Gators could use an infusion of talent, it’s at defensive end. Not by coincidence, they went out and signed some of the most talented end prospects in the country, most notably Ronald Powell of Moreno Valley, Calif. He might need to bulk up some, but Powell is an incredible athlete who will be a nightmare for opposing offensive tackles off the edge. It’s rare that true freshman defensive linemen come into the SEC and make an immediate impact, but Powell is that kind of talent. Trattou is the top returnee and will need to make more big plays for the Gators, who got a combined 31.5 sacks from Dunlap and Cunningham the past two seasons. Green has big-play potential at the other end. He just has to go do it. Lemmens is a steady player, but neither is in the class of Dunlap and Cunningham. Rushing the passer effectively will be more important than ever next season, too, when you consider that the Gators will be filling holes in the secondary created by the early departures of cornerback Joe Haden and safety Major Wright. Two more true freshmen who could end up helping are Dominique Easley and Lynden Trail. Easley could get snaps at both end and tackle.

2009 overall record: 13-1

2009 conference record: 8-0, lost in SEC championship game to Alabama

Returning starters

Offense: 6; Defense: 5; Kicker/punter: 2

Top returners

RB Jeffery Demps, RB Emmanuel Moody, WR Deonte Thompson, C Mike Pouncey, LB Brandon Hicks, CB Janoris Jenkins, S Ahmad Black

Key losses

QB Tim Tebow, WR Riley Cooper, TE Aaron Hernandez, C Maurkice Pouncey, DE Carlos Dunlap, DE Jermaine Cunningham, LB Brandon Spikes, CB Joe Haden, S Major Wright

2009 statistical leaders (* returners)

Rushing: Tim Tebow (910 yards)

Passing: Tim Tebow (2,895 yards)

Receiving: Riley Cooper (961 yards)

Tackles: Ryan Stamper (78)

Sacks: Carlos Dunlap (9)

Interceptions: Joe Haden (4)

Spring answers

1. Brantley steps in: We’ve been hearing about how well John Brantley can throw the football for a couple of years now. We finally get to see it next season. For the second straight spring, he looked polished and comfortable in directing the Gators’ offense. Obviously, he’s a different type of quarterback than Tim Tebow, and the Gators will gear their offense around what Brantley does best, which is throw the football. He’ll take his lumps like any first-year starter in this league, but he also has the ability to put up big numbers.

2. Options to replace Tebow: Other than Tebow's leadership, the hardest thing to replace will be his ability to convert third downs in short-yardage situations and his presence on the goal line. The Gators think they found a couple of guys this spring. Converted tight end Jordan Reed looked very good running the “Tebow” package, while true freshman Trey Burton is also more than capable. Granted, nobody is expecting either to be Tebow, but the Gators also know they still have that part of the offense available to them.

3. Young talent on ‘D’: How good was the Gators’ signing class? We shouldn’t have to wait long to find out. Already, a few of the early enrollees have shown their stuff. Cornerback Joshua Shaw will certainly play as a freshman, while safety Matt Elam and tackle Leon Orr will also be difficult to keep off the field. End Ronald Powell and tackle Sharrif Floyd arrive this summer, and they also figure to play early. This defense won’t lack for talent, just experience. Guys like Jon Bostic, Jelani Jenkins and Omar Hunter, who haven’t played starring roles because of the people in front of them, are poised to break through.

Fall questions

1. Generating more big plays: The Gators will be looking for more big plays down the field next season and were lacking in that area a year ago. They hope redshirt freshman receiver Andre Debose can fill that void. Hamstring surgery caused Debose to miss all of last season, and he was limited this spring. But he came back toward the end of practice and provided a glimpse of how explosive he can be. It’s also a big season for junior receiver Deonte Thompson, who needs to be more consistent. Former running back Chris Rainey has moved to the slot, and the Gators are hoping to get the ball to him any number of ways and better utilize his speed.

2. Defensive line firepower: The Gators were stocked at defensive end the past two seasons and had dominant interior defensive linemen when they won the 2006 national title. With Carlos Dunlap and Jermaine Cunningham both gone to the NFL, Florida will have to lean on some younger guys up front. Several of the freshmen will get long looks, while senior Justin Trattou will be counted on to be more of an every-down player at end. This is a group that should be outstanding in another year or two, but they will fight some inexperience next season.

3. Meyer’s health: Let’s face it. Pinning down how much longer Urban Meyer plans to coach at Florida, what his state of mind is going into this season and what kind of impact the last five months have had on him are things nobody really knows … with the exception of him. And he’s not saying much, nor is anybody around him saying much. It’s been a bizarre past few months, to say the least. But the Gator Football Machine seems to roll right along. The real test, though, may come this fall.

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- This time, it wasn’t Tim Tebow, Brandon Spikes, Aaron Hernandez or even Joe Haden.

Nope, the guy who turned this game in Florida’s favor -- in what’s becoming vintage Gator football 2009 -- was a guy that some weren’t even sure would be able to make it through the season.

Junior defensive end Justin Trattou had his biceps tendon ripped off the bone in his left shoulder in the Arkansas game back on Oct. 17.

There was some concern that he might be done for the season, and if he did come back, there was no guarantee that he would be able to tolerate the pain.

“He had an injury that many people, when it happened, said was a four, five or six-week injury,” Florida coach Urban Meyer said. “But he called me and said, ‘I’m going to play (two weeks later) against Georgia.

“We have some guys on our team who have that kind of mentality. Obviously, Tim (Tebow) gets a lot of recognition, but we have a bunch of guys on our team who are fighting through injuries and playing very well.

Trattou’s prognosis was right.

He ended up missing just one game, and it’s a good thing for the Gators that he was on the field Saturday. His interception and 53-yard return on the first play of the fourth quarter changed the entire complexion of the game and sent the Gators on their way to a 24-14 win over South Carolina at Williams-Brice Stadium.

“It was a tremendous play. It will go down in history and should go in some book somewhere,” Meyer said.

And, really, it’s the kind of play championship teams make. The Gators were clinging to a 17-14 lead to open the fourth quarter. The Gamecocks were threatening with a third-and-3 at the 22, and the crowd was sensing upset.

The Gators, though, were sensing that it was time to make a play.

“That’s what we do,” Trattou said. “We put it on each other to make a play. We expect to make those plays. It’s usually somebody different every week. We’ve been doing it all year, and we’ve got to continue doing it.”

The pain associated with his injury isn’t nearly as bad as it once was, but even right after it happened, Trattou never once considered taking any lengthy time away from the game for it to fully heal.

“The only thing that was going to keep me out was surgery,” Trattou said. “If it was a matter of dealing with a little pain here and there, that wasn’t going to keep me out.”

When the ball was thrown Saturday, Trattou was actually on the ground. He’d been cut block by one of the Gamecocks’ offensive linemen, but saw the ball bounce off South Carolina receiver Moe Brown’s hands up into the air.

It looked like it was in slow motion.

“I got back up, and there it was,” Trattou said. “I thought I was going to score, but I stumbled.”

He was finally tackled at the South Carolina 26, and four plays later, Tebow vaulted in for the touchdown to make it a 10-point lead.

At that point, it might as well have been 40 points.

“That was the dagger,” Florida defensive end Carlos Dunlap said. “The interception was one thing, but the return helped the most. He was running like he was getting chased by a dog.”

Torn biceps tendon and all.

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- There were some warts on offense -- some of the same ones we've seen all season -- but No. 1 Florida plodded a step closer Saturday to a berth in the BCS National Championship Game.

The Gators (10-0, 8-0) broke open a close game in the fourth quarter with a huge defensive play to hold off South Carolina 24-14 at Williams-Brice Stadium. Defensive lineman Justin Trattou intercepted a deflected pass off South Carolina receiver Moe Brown and returned it 53 yards to set up the clinching touchdown.

South Carolina's defense kept the Gamecocks in the game, but Trattou's interception and return in the early minutes of the fourth quarter was the back-breaker for Steve Spurrier's club.

Florida's defense was dominant in the fourth quarter, but the offense again had its hiccups. Place-kicker Caleb Sturgis also missed three field goals for the Gators, who are now finished with SEC play and have Florida International and Florida State the next two weeks.

The Gamecocks (6-5, 3-5) have now lost three straight games. They're off next week before facing Clemson in the regular-season finale on Nov. 28.

Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low

Making the rounds in the SEC:

• Steve Spurrier is upbeat about his future at South Carolina and says he's not thinking about walking away, writes Travis Haney of The Charleston Post and Courier.
• Alabama's defense is looking forward to getting another shot at Dan Mullen's offense, writes Gentry Estes of The Mobile Press-Register.
• Two of the best running backs in the SEC will meet head-on Saturday in Starkville, writes Kyle Veazey of The Jackson Clarion-Ledger.
• When Bobby Johnson talks, the SEC should listen, writes David Climer of The Tennessean.
• It's still wait and see for Kentucky quarterback Mike Hartline, who might be able to play this weekend after missing the last four games with a knee injury.
• Troy coach Larry Blakeney strongly denies telling a radio show host this summer that his team would beat Arkansas.
• The Ole Miss chancellor has asked the band to quit playing a song at home games where fans chant "the South will rise again" at the end of the song.
• Florida defensive lineman Justin Trattou has toughed it out for the Gators despite a painful detached biceps tendon.
• Glenn Guilbeau of Gannett Louisiana Newspapers wonders if this is finally Keiland Williams' time at tailback.