Steve Spurrier knows all about expectations. He set the goals high at the University of Florida and met them. He won again and again, piling up Southeastern Conference titles and throwing in a national championship. He dared others to come after the Gators.

That has made the past two seasons grudgingly humbling for Spurrier, who knows that 10 victories and a lopsided bowl win mean nothing in his part of the world.

	Travis Taylor gives Steve Spurrier the game-breaker he needs against the Vols and 'Noles.

Not when his team didn't even get the chance to play for the SEC title for the second year in a row. Not when the Gators' only losses last season were to dreaded rivals Tennessee and Florida State. Not when they had to sit on the sideline last January and watch those two schools play for the national championship.

"I wish they both could have lost, but in the end, I pulled for Florida State, because at least they were from Florida -- have to keep it in the state," said Gators wide receiver Travis Taylor.

The first shot at redemption looms on Saturday in Gainesville, when the teams renew their SEC East war. Last year, the Vols stopped a five-game losing streak to the Gators, winning in overtime. They went on to capture the national championship.

Florida, meanwhile, saw would could have been a shot at a rematch foiled when the Gators lost to FSU. That is a score to be settled later.

For now, it's Tennessee, and Spurrier likes his chances, even with a revamped defense under new coordinator that has 10 new starters.

When it came to light earlier this spring that several of his defensive stars from a year ago allegedly ran afoul of NCAA rules by accepting payments from an agent, everything came together for Spurrier. He realized that perhaps some of his players had their minds in other places.

Disgusted with the off-field endeavors, Spurrier was blunt. Said they'd no longer be welcome in the Gator family. Pledged that a young defense would be better off without so many stars.

"We don't have as many fancy cars being driven around this year," Spurrier quipped.

The reference was to selfishness and distractions, which apparently has been replaced by chummy teammates who are committed to the cause. Of course, such resolve means nothing if a cornerback can't cover a speedy receiver, a glaring weakness in the opening 55-26 victory over Western Michigan, and one not fixed much in Saturday's 58-27 win over Central Florida.

Spurrier has put a great deal of emphasis on camaraderie in the wake of a volatile spring in which seven members of the 1998 defense were implicated in an agent scandal for allegedly accepting improper inducements. To many, including Spurrier, the off-the-field no-nos went a long way toward explaining the on-field deficiencies.

The problem is, cohesiveness doesn't tackle. That was quite evident in the opener, where Western Michigan made Florida's defense look like some downtrodden Mid-American Conference foe chasing Randy Moss all night.

The Broncos marched up and down the field as if they owned the place. By halftime, quarterback Tim Lester had passed for 314 yards. Steve Neal had caught six passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns. Remember, this is the Michigan team from Kalamazoo, not Ann Arbor. Against Central Florida, the Gators yielded 447 yards, including 379 passing.

What happens when Tee Martin comes to down next week?

"You can throw out these first two games," Spurrier said. "All we did was win us a couple ball games and not lose much in the rankings. Now, the real season starts."

If anything, Spurrier knows he'll have his team's attention. Great statistical performances would have been a ruse. Growing pains were inevitable. There are so many newcomers on the defensive side of the ball, it's a wonder they found the Florida bench. Heck, first-year defensive coordinator Jon Hoke is still finding his way. Did he know what he was getting into?

Working as Spurrier's defensive coordinator might be the most thankless job in football, and then Hoke gets a defense that returns just one starter. There are seven sophomores in the starting lineup. And you expected shutouts?

This is the paradox: Last year, the Gators defense was loaded with experienced playmakers who didn't make many plays. For the first time since 1992, Florida's defense did not score a touchdown.

Now the Gators seemingly have a hungry bunch intent making in impact. But it's going to take time. Lots of time.

Not everything is bad. The Gators forced three fumbles in the opener and got four turnovers that led to 17 points Saturday, something they did far too infrequently last season. No doubt, there are talented players.

But right now, none of them worthy of one of those fancy cars.

Something to think about
Tennessee was off Saturday, but in last week's season-opening victory over Wyoming, the defense recorded a school-record 13 sacks. ""It should have been 17 or 18, but we missed a few," said Vols defensive line coach Dan Brooks.

Another big game
The Orange Bowl should be rocking, and how long has it been? The Miami Hurricanes have not been worthy of the stadium's aura for the past few seasons, but Saturday will offer a good indicator of whether they are, indeed, back. Of course, fellow Big East member Pittsburgh almost ruined what shapes up to be an early-season showdown.

The Panthers gave No. 2 Penn State all it could handle, tying the game late in the fourth quarter, falling behind by a field goal, then driving into Penn State territory, only to have LaVar Arrington block a game-tying field goal attempt. The Nittany Lions escaped 20-17.

"We knew a game like this would come for us because things have come so easy for us," said coach Joe Paterno.

That sets up the matchup in the Orange Bowl, where the eighth-ranked Hurricanes will look for their second high-profile victory of the season. They defeated Ohio State in the Kickoff Classic.

Surviving
The top-ranked team in the country was also in for a battle. Florida State could never shake Georgia Tech, finally prevailing 41-35 when the Seminoles recovered an onside kick with just more than a minute to go. The potent FSU offense was as advertised, striking for big plays and answering every Georgia Tech rally.

But the much-acclaimed defense was far from its dominating self. Of course, Tech quarterback Joe Hamilton had something to do with that. He completed all 14 of his passes in the second half, including 22 of 25 for the game. The Seminoles yielded 501 yards of total offense, the most they have surrendered since allowing 587 in a 35-24 loss to Florida in 1995.

"It's been a long time since I've seen us get pushed around like that on defense," said FSU coach Bobby Bowden. "Tech lined up and whipped our defense. I never thought I would see the day that an offense would score that many points on us."

Pass or shoot
In North Carolina's game at Indiana, two basketball schools locked heads in football with starting quarterbacks who are also point guards on the basketball team.

Ronald Curry became the Tar Heels' starting quarterback five plays into last season and was named the Most Valuable Offensive Player in North Carolina's 20-13 victory over San Diego State in the Las Vegas Bowl. Antwaan Randle El was the Big Ten freshman of the year in football, but broke his hand twice during the basketball season.

Curry got the best of it this time, running for one touchdown, passing for 241 yards and two scores in a 42-30 victory. Randle El ran for 62 yards and a score, threw for 159 yards and two more.

"Antwaan has really benefited from being a part of our basketball program," said Indiana coach Cam Cameron, who was also played basketball and football at the school. "I like the fact that, when he's not playing football, he's out competing. I like the fact he's around the finest head coach in the country (Bob Knight). I like the fact that he's going to be challenged every day."

Bob Harig, who covers college football for the St. Petersburg Times, writes a weekly college football column for ESPN.com.