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Q: How will Florida respond the rest of the season following Ron Zook's firing?
— Jason Szczutkowski, North Miami
A: In any other situation, given the University of Florida's curious decision to fire coach Ron Zook but allow him to finish the season, I would see doom ahead. Players quitting on the season. Massive dissension. The train coming completely off the tracks. You name it.

But even though Zook has not come close to approaching the accomplishments of his predecessor, Steve Spurrier, there's one scenario where he has almost no peer. Backs against the wall, when trouble mounts, the Gators have lashed back under Zook. He beat top-five Tennessee on the road. He swept Georgia in two tries. He handed LSU its only loss in 2003, in Baton Rouge, no less.

Despite Florida's problems, Zook's players are fiercely loyal. They are angry about the administration's decision to fire their coach. They want to play for him, and prove a mistake has been made.

It's a shame they didn't think of that last week, before the Gators laid a major egg in losing to woeful Mississippi State 38-31. Zook's tenure was marked by way too much inconsistency and numerous tactical blunders. Zook worked awfully hard and recruited pretty well, but he was overmatched as a head coach. The talent always has been there, but the Gators haven't capitalized on opportunities.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL More on Florida's coaching change Spurrier reportedly eyes return Ask the Expert: Gators will rally behind fired coach Glier: Don't beg Spurrier to return TSN: Plenty of candidates for job Pells: No-win situation for Zook Florida players question firing Web site part of Zook's legacy More on college football

I agree with the decision by athletic director Jeremy Foley and Florida president Bernie Machen. It wasn't working. Support for the Gator program was splintering. You could say it isn't fair to replace someone in midseason. Zook was 20-13 (with a pair of 8-5 finishes and Outback Bowl losses).

But this wasn't personal. It was business. And Gator football is big, big business.

Now the rumors can be halted. Recruiting can be salvaged. And, of course, Gator Nation anxiously awaits to see whether Spurrier can return to the sideline. Spurrier, who left Florida following the 2001 season for an ill-fated NFL stint, is unemployed and seemingly interested.

The next month will tell us how this plays out. Foley says the ball will really start rolling in early December, after other coaches have finished their regular season. The Gators are seeking someone with head-coaching experience — a proviso that would have proved helpful when the last search turned up Zook, a career assistant — and someone to rally the alumni, students and players.

It sounds like that someone could be Spurrier. Frankly, though, I don't think a Spurrier-to-UF reprise is a great idea. When Spurrier left Florida, he talked about the massive expectations and how fans weren't that excited anymore about winning an SEC championship. Spurrier's legacy is safe. He's about to turn 60. It's a great story potentially, and I'm sure Spurrier won't mind being mentioned in all the speculation, but it's time for the Gators to look elsewhere.

Where? The short list should include Oklahoma's Bob Stoops (a good friend of Foley's and a former Florida defensive coordinator), Utah's Urban Meyer and Louisville's Bobby Petrino, among others. Spurrier's tenure made one thing clear. Florida is a great job. The Gators should contend annually for SEC and national championships. The new coach will be stepping into a great situation.

As for this season, I expect Florida to beat Georgia. Win One For the Zooker is a battle cry that will work, for at least one week. The Gators (4-3) have a shot to be 7-3 heading into the Florida State game Nov. 20. Can't see the Gators winning that one. In fact, the Gators haven't won in Tallahassee since 1986.

Q: What's your take on Hawaii's Timmy Chang, who about to break Ty Detmer's NCAA career passing record?
— Lou, Hawaii
A: First of all, I'm giving Timmy Chang the Major Ogilvie Award. It seems like Chang has been playing for Hawaii since I was in grade school. He needs 241 yards against Boise State to break Ty Detmer's career passing record of 15,031 yards. It's hard to knock anyone who puts up those kind of numbers. Chang is efficient and resourceful, a winner, a guy who knows how to distribute the football and utilize all his weapons. He'll get a shot to play in the NFL. But his lasting legacy will be as one of the best quarterbacks in recent college history.

Q: What must Oklahoma State do to knock off Oklahoma? If there's an upset, which team would likely emerge as Big 12 South champ?
— Ralph Alderson, St. Louis
A: It sounds simple, but it's much harder to accomplish. Oklahoma State's Vernand Morency must have a monster rushing game. The Cowboys must avoid mistakes. Oklahoma State's defense needs to hold down OU running back Adrian Peterson, and hope that quarterback Jason White has an off-day. That's a lot of contingencies, but the Sooners present so many problems. Here's one thing the Cowboys have going for them: They aren't scared of Oklahoma, not after unexpected victories in 2001 and '02. The Bedlam game really had some bedlam until last season returned to normalcy.

Even if Oklahoma loses to Oklahoma State — frankly, I don't see it happening — I still like the Sooners to win the Big 12 South. Oklahoma gets the next biggest challenger, Texas A&M, on Nov. 6, and it already has a win against Texas. Oklahoma would have to lose two league games before I start anointing another team as the favorite.

Q: I'm a Notre Dame fan, so here's what I'm hoping. Since the Miami Dolphins have only one victory this year, why don't they go after USC's Pete Carroll, who takes Norm Chow with him? Is that asking too much!
— Ken Larson, Pensacola, Fla.
A: If you are Pete Carroll, yes it is asking way too much. I understand why you'd like to be rid of Carroll in the college ranks. He's an excellent coach who has surrounded himself with good assistants. He's an energetic recruiter who has restored USC to its proper place in the Pac-10. Remember that Carroll has some less-than-satisfying stints with the New York Jets and New England Patriots, and he probably has soured forever on the NFL. Carroll has even said it himself. College football is a better fit, and he's happier. So don't look for Carroll to have any wandering eyes. He has a nice little kingdom with the Trojans.

Q: Everyone is considering LSU a big disappointment this season. But considering the losses to the NFL and the road schedule, can it really be a big disappointment? Aren't the Tigers set to be in a good position next year to make a run with young talent with a year under their belt and all their tough games (Tennessee, Florida, Auburn) heading to Baton Rouge?
— Joe, The Woodlands, Texas
A: I thought LSU would be a top 10 team, and who knows? The Tigers still could end up there by season's end. Nobody anticipated the amount of adversity LSU would encounter. Coach Nick Saban even said the team has battled complacency, a common ailment for defending champions. However, I very much admired the heart and spunk LSU displayed in coming back at Florida. Despite inconsistency at quarterback and plugging in new players at other positions, the Tigers seem to be rounding into form. With the recruiting of recent seasons, and more certainty behind the center, there's no question that the Tigers will be a major SEC force in 2005.