Thoughts about the weekend ahead

• I expect the Gators to smash Bama. The truth is the Tide lost too much from last year's excellent team and that Florida badly wants to do to Bama what they did to the Gators last season. Look for a Gator rout.
• Just because the Gators rout Bama does not mean they are the SEC's best team. Despite Georgia's struggle against Colorado, I believe once the Dawgs settle on a QB, they have too much in the trenches not to win the SEC East. Florida maybe the next best team in the league and may actually beat UGA, but Georgia has a softer schedule than the Gators.
• Georgia is fortunate they played South Carolina before Steve Spurrier moved Syvelle Newton from WR to QB. He is the real deal and after last night I would be shocked if we see Blake Mitchell again this season. Newton was the best player on the field even though South Carolina lost the game in heartbreaking fashion.
• Houston will beat Miami tomorrow night. Throughout the Larry Coker years, Miami has allowed distractions and devastating defeats to linger for longer than they should. Miami has typically either lost the week following a bad loss or underperforming against an inferior opponent in an ugly win. Besides, Kevin Kolb could be most under rated QB in the nation, and Houston has a legitimate shot to go undefeated and make a case to be a BCS buster at the end of the year.
• Despite Miami's woes look for a big game tomorrow night from Lance Leggett. Leggett seems to be the only Miami player who took last year's disasters to heart and improved his game. Unfortunately for Leggett, he must count on Kyle Wright to get him the ball.
• Iowa is hosting only their second prime time game ever at Kinnock Stadium this week against Ohio State. The first game against Miami in 1992 was a blowout loss on national TV which probably won Gino Toretta the Heisman. Maybe the Hawkeyes will do the same for Troy Smith.
• South Florida needs a big effort from Matt Grothe to beat Rutgers tonight. The Bulls looked outstanding in a win @ Rutgers last season, but that was with Andre Hall running all over the field. USF still hasn't found a comprable replacement for the departed superstar.
• The ESPN hype machine has given Notre Dame the national title based on a comeback against "mighty" Michigan State. Let's cancel the season now and anoit Charlie Weiss the new Knute Rockne.