Not many will be surprised by this high of a ranking, especially with a Heisman winner at QB. The Urban Meyer-led Gators will be savvy and swaggering as almost every unit returns intact. The Gators had a huge turnover this past year on defense, and they will again lose two safeties that truly had everyone’s back. But the trial-by-fire that forced this year’s learning curve on D will pay dividends next season with nine starters returning. The only thing seemingly working against them is the fact that most of the country is now running similar versions of the spread - Florida used to have a unique version, but Meyer’s innovative approach is now in fad, so defenses are better geared for it. Still, superior athletes like Brandon James, Percy Harvin and dual-phenom Tim Tebow will continue to keep the ball moving with their balanced effectiveness, regardless of the opponent. Non-cons Miami and Hawai’i – both at home - look manageable. Trips to Knoxville (won SEC East) and Auburn, who has beat UF the past two times, are true challenges, and home tilts with national title hopeful LSU, South Carolina and FSU are no gimme’s. The superior recruiting classes seen here lately have so much talent waiting in the wings, a Florida J.V. team would do nearly as well. This past season was not supposed to be the year the Gators would defend a national championship with all of the youth being served. The expectations for 2008 are quite the opposite.