The reason? He wants his current program at South Carolina to challenge the Gators in the history books.

"It was a big year for the Gators and, of course, in basketball they've had two big years (with back-to-back national titles)," Spurrier said. "Now we're getting ready to go to '07, and everybody's going to try to do their best and see if they can do what Florida did last year or come close to it."

There is little question that the impact of a national title in any sport raises the bar for the rest of the teams in any league. But imagine what life is like now in the Southeastern Conference.

To say that the Gators have pushed the rest of the SEC to demand a higher level of excellence would be putting it lightly. Beat the Gators? It's on everyone's mind as they enter the fall. Spurrier says simply playing in the SEC is a constant demand that teams be good — in any sport.

But that's especially true in football.

"I've always said that I don't know what the strongest conference is in the country," Spurrier said. "But I do know the one that has the biggest stadiums and the most fans because that's factual, right there. Interest in the SEC in football is, in my opinion, greater than it is anywhere else."

Spurrier estimates that of the 12 teams in the league, eight or nine could compete for a national title any given year.

"There are at least six schools (where) their fans think they are supposed to win it all every year and the other six of us we're trying to get to that level," he said.

That means the Gators are a marked team this fall ... and next winter when hoops heats up again. But Georgia coach Mark Richt insists that the start of a new school year means a lot of expectations and hopes in the league.

"I think everybody's shooting for a championship, whether it's the SEC or a national championship," Richt said. "I don't know if that changes at all, regardless of who won it. I think it's probably right up in your face a little bit more when someone in your league wins it."

Nick Saban won a share of the national title in 2003 before bolting LSU for a couple of seasons with the Miami Dolphins. He now is back in the SEC at Alabama, and says he's proud that four coaches in the league own national titles — Tennessee's Phillip Fulmer, Florida's Urban Meyer, Spurrier and Saban.

"I think it speaks volumes for the quality of coaches and quality of programs that we have and I think coaching is important," Saban said. While most avoid the talk directly, there's little doubt all of the SEC coaches on the Florida schedule have taken a peek to see when and where they get to play. It's another measuring stick. Beat the Gators and the boosters will love you. For a week, anyway.

"I admire what they did," said Arkansas coach Houston Nutt, whose Razorbacks lost 38-28 to UF in last year's SEC title game. "We had a great opportunity in Atlanta this past year. ... It's just the competitor in you, you're proud of your league and yet you're proud of the University of Arkansas, too, to be in that championship game. Florida had to play four quarters to beat us."