On Saturday, the Gamecocks of the University of South Carolina host the number one team in college football – the University of Florida.  Florida is led by the man who may well be the greatest college football player of all time, Tim Tebow.  That’s not sarcasm – I really believe that.

I love ‘em, but my boys are gonna get their heads bashed in.  This isn’t disloyalty, it isn’t surrendering, it isn’t jumping on or off bandwagons.  It’s fact. It’s fact for two reasons.

First, I’ve been a Gamecock fan for somewhere around 45 years.  ‘Nuff said.

Second, the SEC isn’t gonna let a mediocre program like South Carolina knock off its top team – a team with a legitimate shot at the national title.

WHAAAAA?

I’ve lived in the real world.  Nefarious practices are more the norm than people know or believe.  Unless Carolina completely, totally and embarrassingly dominates the Gators Saturday, my boys will lose.  There will be no one, two or three point win unless it’s by Florida.  The referees will see to that.

OH.  SOUR GRAPES.  Well… YEAH!

I’ve seen enough SEC football to identify favoritism when it’s screaming at me from the television.  And the SEC knows it, too.  So does Bobby Petrino and his Razorbacks.  The conference suspended the officiating crew that worked their game against #1 Florida – the same crew involved in a controversial – aw, hell, it wasn’t controversial – call that assisted LSU in their win over Georgia last month.  At the time, LSU was ranked #4 in the nation and Georgia #14.  The higher ranked team had to be protected.  Just as Florida had to be protected against Arkansas.

The same thing happened in the NFL years ago when the Dallas Cowboys were being touted as “America’s Team.”  GAAAAAG.  The Cowboys got calls on penalties that didn’t even exist because the league had to promote into certain regions of the country.

Now, it isn’t likely Florida needs officiating help from the officials, though I’m sure they’ll be the first responders should the Gators get into trouble.  After all, Carolina ain’t exactly lighting up scoreboards across the conference.

And they do have Mr. Tim Tebow.

Still…