ESPN College Football

The turmoil surrounding the Alabama football program was well-documented during the offseason, and the circumstances surrounding the hiring of new head coach Mike Shula surely put plenty of additional pressure on his back.

You can also be sure that the Crimson Tide falling behind 17-7 to an inferior South Florida team last weekend had Alabama fans in shock. But the Tide rallied and scored 33 unanswered points for a 40-17 win, and in maintaining their cool had a chance to grow as a team and gain a little momentum in preparation for a visit by No. 1 Oklahoma.

Don't forget that plenty of players on this 'Bama team were around last year when the Tide took OU to the wire in Norman. These guys are coming into the game with a nothing-to-lose attitude, and because of everything the program has been through I think some people are underestimating the talent of the Alabama players.

When I visited Tuscaloosa a few weeks ago, there was a look in the eyes of the players that said they know they can overcome adversity, and I now believe 'Bama could win eight games this year. This week could be tough, though.

For the Alabama defense, the main focus will be containing an Oklahoma running game that struggled in their opener against North Texas. Sooners head coach Bob Stoops feels this year's offensive line is the best he has had at OU, but breaking in new running backs, even those as talented at Kejuan Jones and Renaldo Works, takes time. The Oklahoma rushing attack was terrific at the end of last season, and for the offense to be successful this year there has to be balance.

The Sooners cannot afford to rely solely on the passing game, because Alabama will look to exploit obvious passing situations, taking advantage of the crowd and putting as much heat as possible on OU quarterback Jason White.

The Crimson Tide offense looked impressive in the second half against USF, but it faces a daunting task against an Oklahoma defense that rivals the national championship unit of 2000. The addition of Rodney Pool and juco transfer Donte Nicholson to the secondary has made it the best in the country -- the Sooners are not only strong in pass coverage with Antonio Perkins and Derrick Strait at the corners but very physical at the safety spot with Brandon Everage coming back from suspension.

The key matchup to watch is Wesley Britt, Justin Smiley and the rest of Alabama's veteran offensive line against OU's dominating defensive front, led by Dan Cody, Tommie Harris and Jonathan Jackson. That is as good a battle as there will be this weekend, but I still think the Tide will struggle against the aggressive schemes of Sooners defensive coordinator Mike Stoops.

Oklahoma linebackers Teddy Lehman and Lance Mitchell will be making plays all over the field, and the best chance for the 'Bama offense may be quarterback Brodie Croyle finding seams in the defense down the field and giving the ball to superb back Shaud Williams. The only question is whether or not Croyle will have time to do those things, because pressure on the passer is a staple of the Oklahoma defense.

Be sure to tune in Saturday morning for my prediction on College GameDay.

No. 18 Florida vs. No. 3 Miami
Florida enters Saturday's game at Miami in an enviable position. People are talking like the Gators have no chance after last year's drubbing at the Swamp, and Miami fans are expecting the Hurricanes to do even more damage at the Orange Bowl in prime time.

But while Florida is certainly a young team, it is incredibly athletic -- much more so on offense than a year ago. And while the Miami defense lost six of its top eight defensive linemen from last year, it simply reloaded with guys like Baraka Atkins and John Square.

But because the 'Canes rely so heavily on the front four to stop the run and rush the passer, they play a ton of man-under coverage and have been vulnerable in the past against quarterbacks who can create plays on the run. Florida will play both Chris Leak and Ingle Martin at quarterback and will likely come up with schemes to get them in the open field. Look for offensive coordinator Ed Zaunbrecher to use draws, bootlegs and options to get Leak and Martin loose with the Miami back seven caught up in man coverage.

The key, though, is early success -- getting the players believing they can win. Florida has to move the chains early and must avoid turnovers and mistakes. The Gators need confidence.

On the other side, Florida gave up over 300 yards rushing to Miami last season because the Gators were often moving and shifting at the snap. New defensive coordinator Charlie Strong will have the front lined up consistently and playing more gap-control defense this year.

The secondary is the strength of the Florida defense with Daryl Dixon, Keiwan Ratliff and Guss Scott patrolling the back end, so expect the Gators to put eight defenders in the box to take away Frank Gore and the Miami running game. They will attempt to force Hurricanes quarterback Brock Berlin to beat them, and pass protection could be an issue for Miami with right tackle Vernon Joseph questionable because of a knee injury and left guard Vernon Carey nursing a sprained ankle.

As for Berlin, he needs to avoid getting caught up in the pressure and hoopla of facing the school he transferred from. He can't worry about making big plays and has to take what the defense gives him, continuing to develop his field vision.

I wouldn't be shocked if Florida's defense keeps it in the game with its nothing-to-lose attitude, but in a night game at the Orange Bowl, where momentum is key, the Miami defense and special teams gaffes by the Gators will lead to a 34-17 Hurricanes victory.

Washington State vs. No. 16 Notre Dame
Washington State is coming off a big offensive game. Jonathan Smith and Chris Bruhn both rushed for over 100 yards and took the pressure off new quarterback Matt Kegel. The Cougars could afford to ease Kegel into the starting role against Idaho, but things will be much tougher this week against Notre Dame.

I'm interested to see how the Wazzu passing game fares against the Irish defense, because with athletes like Devard Darling at wide receiver, Kegel could hit some big plays if he has time. But that could be a problem -- Cedric Hilliard, Justin Tuck and the rest of the ND front could spend a big part of the game in the offensive backfield.

The Notre Dame offense is in its second year of Tyrone Willingham's West Coast system, and while Carlyle Holiday's development from an option quarterback to drop-back passer hasn't happened overnight, he is definitely more confident.

Receivers Omar Jenkins, Rhema McKnight and Maurice Stovall are also more familiar with the routes and how to get open down field, allowing the Irish to take pressure off Ryan Grant and Julius Jones in the running game. Holiday's health is the key to offensive success, though, and if he stays in the lineup this will be a much more multi-dimensional attack, starting this Saturday.

Washington State plays a lot of man coverage, and it will be up to the Notre Dame wideouts to beat the corners off the line. The Irish offensive line will also have to stop Cougars defensive ends Isaac Brown and D.D. Acholonu, who combined for 14.5 sacks last season. The best matchup to watch, though, is the ND rushing attack against Wazzu's front seven, especially linebacker Will Derting. He is one of the best young linebackers in the Pac-10, and when fully healthy is an incredible physical force.

Expect the competitive, four-quarter battles Notre Dame likes to play. But too much Holiday and an opportunistic defense should be the difference in a 24-17 Irish victory.

Maryland vs. No. 10 Florida State
The challenge facing Maryland this week is how to keep its head up after their disappointing loss at Northern Illinois. The Terps still have high hopes for the season, with 16 starters back from a team that went 11-3 last year, but they need to pick up the pieces in a hurry to have a chance against Florida State in Tallahassee.

Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen always seems to have an offense that knows how to attack FSU, dating back to his days as the offensive coordinator at Georgia Tech, but the Seminoles come into this game feeling their defense is back to top form. You have to believe they'll play with enthusiasm after a season-opening shutout of North Carolina and put a lot of heat on Terps quarterback Scott McBrien.

It will be paramount for Maryland to ride out the early emotional storm at Doak Campbell Stadium. The Terps have to be patient, avoid turnovers that could give the 'Noles a short field, and hope Josh Allen can fill in admirably for the injured Bruce Perry at running back. McBrien will have to make the best decisions of his life in the passing game, knowing when to throw it away or hit the outlet receivers, because this Florida State team is out to prove just how good it is.

Defensive tackle Darnell Dockett look to be in midseason form and will try to wreak havoc in the middle, while the speed and athleticism of linebackers Michael Boulware and Kendyll Pope will be on full display.

The Maryland defense will have to find a way to contain the dynamic 1-2 punch that has developed in the FSU backfield. Senior Greg Jones is displaying power as he works his way back from a knee injury, and freshman Lorenzo Booker is showing the burst and speed that made him one of the top recruits in the nation.

Seminoles quarterback Chris Rix needs another game in which he doesn't try to do too much. He simply needs to make good decisions. He will likely be able to get the ball underneath to wide receivers Craphonso Thorpe and Chris Davis, softening up the defense for the running game.

FSU seems once again to be playing playing with some swagger, and I look for that emotion to lead to some big turnovers on the way to a 35-20 Seminoles victory.

UCLA vs. No. 22 Colorado
Colorado has seemingly developed a new look on offense, with new quarterback Joel Klatt throwing for more than 400 yards last week against Colorado State. Wide receiver Derek McCoy made some big plays and gives the Buffs a complement to their physical ground game.

But CU fans better not get too excited, because people in the Pac-10 and elsewhere are forgetting that UCLA has great athletes on defense. Bruins defensive coordinator Larry Kerr held the same position at Colorado State for the last 10 seasons, so the Bruins will utilize the same scheme Colorado torched last week but with better speed and athletic ability. They are experienced up front with senior ends Dave and Mat Ball and tackle Rodney Leslie, while linebackers Brandon Chillar, Spencer Havner and Justin London can fly all over the field.

The better matchups should result in the ability to slow both phases of the Colorado attack and possibly some big turnovers.

We don't quite know what to expect from the UCLA offense under new head coach Karl Dorrell. The attack will likely be some kind of West Coast offense relying on sophomore Tyler Ebell -- who rushed for nearly 1,000 yards last season -- and either Matt Moore or Drew Olson at quarterback, both of whom have plenty of game-day experience.

Colorado put up 42 points last week, but I look for that total to be significantly lower against the Bruins. I like UCLA in a 27-17 upset special.

BYU vs. No. 5 USC
Everyone seems overwhelmed by USC's defensive domination of Auburn last week, but that was a scheme built specifically to stop the Tigers' running attack. BYU will be a different challenge, with its sophisticated passing attack led by mature quarterback Matt Berry. Don't be surprised to see the Cougars move the ball and possibly make this a game.

I'm not calling for a shocker here, but BYU could have more success than Auburn did against the Trojan defense, and if the Cougars do they could cash in for some easy points and wait it out.

In the end, though, USC's overall athletic ability will be too much for BYU. I just don't think Brigham Young can completely contain Mike Williams, Keary Colbert and Hershel Dennis. I like Southern Cal, 37-20.

Kirk Herbstreit is an analyst for ESPN College GameDay and a regular contributor to ESPN.com during the college football season.