“I must’ve missed that,” Leak said, when asked about the boos, his non-plussed expression never changing.

Sounds like what has happened to some fans. Must’ve missed that.

Tebow, who looks the left-handed version of Alex Smith (Meyer’s old quarterback at Utah), is the future. But Leak, the present, is worthy of some appreciation, too.

Pay attention, Gator Nation. Don’t miss the show.

Q: Big if, but if the Gators finish October undefeated, are they in the top two?
— Michael, Tampa, Fla.
A: If the Gators sweep through LSU, Auburn and Georgia — three top 10 teams –— there’s no doubt in my mind that they deserve the nation’s No. 2 ranking. My memory is fading, but has ANYONE ever defeated three top 10 teams in one month?

Special feature Top games remainder of the season

Ohio State is No. 1 and deservedly so. But USC’s tough games aren’t until November. West Virginia’s schedule doesn’t compare. And Auburn, in this theoretical example, will have a defeat after facing Florida. So it’s a logical leapfrog.

Q: It seems odd that coaches and teammates are more forgiving of kickers who miss field goals than quarterbacks that throw picks. They say games shouldn't have come down to field goals, but football is a battle of capitalizing on field position. It's hard to argue that John Vaughn cost Auburn an SEC championship bid last year with five missed field goals in a tight game. Why do you think there is a double-standard?
— Eric, Savannah, Ga.
A: I’m not sure I agree with your premise. Place-kicker can be the loneliest position on the team. Ask Vaughn. Ask any of the Florida State kickers who missed the field goals that could have beaten (or tied) Miami in those well-documented classics.

Teammates may go out of their way to encourage a kicker, but they don’t forget the miss, believe me. Obviously, there are different degrees of interceptions. Sometimes, the defense just makes a great play. Sometimes, there’s a tip or a juggled pass. And the circumstance of the game dictates how critical the turnover can become.

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If a quarterback throws a bad interception — particularly on a late drive that could win the game — he won’t escape the blame. But to me, there’s no greater pressure than missing a kick that would’ve won a game, then shouldering the silent disgust of an entire team. 

Q: Does N.C. State's Chuck Amato survive this season even if he pulls out another 6-5 and a bowl game? If not, I've heard Norm Chow, Bill Cowher and Portland State's Tim Walsh rumored on local talk radio to be on a short list to replace Amato. Any thoughts?
— Jill Brenneman, Raleigh, N.C.
A: Making a bowl game is practically a must for Chuck Amato and the Wolfpack. But just when you thought the situation was beyond hope, after dismal losses to Akron and Southern Miss, the Wolfpack came up with a huge, last-second win against Boston College. N.C. State, which hasn’t made a serious push for a BCS bowl in six previous seasons under Amato, needs to compete well in the remainder of its games and come up with another victory against a top-shelf ACC opponent. Georgia Tech and Clemson remain on the November schedule.

Q: Who is the most underrated college football player?
— JT Simmons, Southaven, Miss.
A: I’ll go with Duke senior cornerback John Talley. He has 12 career interceptions (tied for fourth among active players) and does so many little things well, but who’s going to notice? The Blue Devils are winless again, with no hope of immediate improvement. So Talley is lumped in with a woeful program, when, in reality, he’s playing at an extremely high level.

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