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The college football season is rapidly approaching, and the Florida Gators will try to capture back-to-back championships for the first time in school history. Both previous attempts ended in heartbreak, with the 1997 Gators losing to both LSU and the University of Georgia, and the 2007 Gators dropping three out of four games midway through the season. The Gators are the definition of college football excellence, being the winningest program in Division 1 since 1990. But how will Florida fare this year?

Taking a look at the 2009 schedule, the Gators have their best opportunity yet to win a second consecutive title. Three out of their four non-conference games are against weak opponents (Charleston Southern, Troy, and Florida International), and all four non-SEC opponents take on the Gators in The Swamp. Their schedule does not contain Alabama, Auburn, or Ole Miss. Not to mention 2007 Heisman Winner Tim Tebow will play his senior year for the Gators instead of entering the NFL Draft. Tebow has some help too – every defensive starter from last year has returned this year. It’s easy to like the Gators as a repeat pick, but there are a few other things to consider before crowning the champions this early.

First of all, and most surprising, the Gators have never had a perfect undefeated season. Look it up if you didn’t believe me - I couldn’t believe it myself. Florida went 5-0-1 in 1911, but they were not in a conference, it did not take place in the modern era, and they didn’t win the national title that year (Princeton did). Every national championship year has consisted of exactly one loss, including the 1997 team losing to their hated rival Seminoles, only to get revenge in the title game.

Speaking of Florida State, all three championship seasons featured a win over the Seminoles. And while the easy non-conference schedule guarantees at least three easy wins, and probably a fourth over FSU, a loss will hurt their chances at reappearing in the BCS title game.

To consider past champions, if you’re going to lose a game, do it early on; a late-season loss is a BCS rankings killer. At least if it happens early enough, other top teams will fall as well, and a chance arises to reclaim one of the top two spots. A prime example is last year’s Oklahoma team, losing to Texas in the Red River Shootout, and later annihilating Texas Tech late in the season to controversially win the Big 12 South title.

The biggest obstacle the Gators will face all year is avoiding trap games. Every year, a high-profile team takes a seemingly weaker opponent lightly, and after what Appalachian State did to the University of Michigan a few years ago, no win is a guarantee anymore. The September 19 matchup against the Tennessee Volunteers has such potential. After a season of mediocrity in 2008, Lane Kiffin has lit a fire under his team. And with his father, the great defensive mastermind Monty Kiffin on his staff, this team is going to be back to prominence soon. The fact that the game is in The Swamp makes it even more alluring. After all, the Wolverines dropped the ball in the Big House to App State, so home field isn’t a guarantee either. Other trap game possibilities are road games against Kentucky and South Carolina, and their former coach Steve Spurrier. The Gators are 3-1 against the Old Ball Coach since his return to the college game, and there’s no doubt he wants to beat them as many times as he can.

The last three seasons, and four out of the last six overall, the SEC champion has appeared in the BCS National Championship, and all four teams won. The SEC Championship game may be the toughest game of the year for the Gators, with all likelihood of a repeat of last year’s game against Alabama. If they can win that game, Florida is home free, and you can expect to see Tim Tebow hoisting the BCS trophy for a third time.

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