Philadelphia, PA -- (Sports Network) - 2007 SEASON IN REVIEW: In 2006, the Florida Gators captured the national title. In 2007, the team was faced with the daunting task of replacing 10 starters on the defensive side of the ball. After winning the first four games of the season, including a 39-point thrashing of Tennessee, the Gators dropped back-to-back decisions to Auburn and LSU by a grand total of just seven points. After a narrow win over Kentucky, Florida was knocked off by Georgia. At 5-3, the Gators were clearly out of the national title picture, but a strong finish would certainly land the program in a respectable bowl game. That is exactly what happened, as Florida beat Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Florida Atlantic and Florida State in succession to close out the regular season.

The club was rewarded with a berth in the Capital One Bowl, and Big Ten power Michigan was the opponent. In one of the best bowl games of the season, Florida lost by a 41-35 final, but the young team gained valuable experience. Quarterback Tim Tebow was a one-man wrecking crew for much of the campaign, and he accomplished the unprecedented task of capturing the Heisman Trophy as a sophomore.

2008 ANALYSIS:

OFFENSE: Heading into the 2007 season, head coach Urban Meyer would have been disappointed if someone told him that his team would lose four games. Still, the campaign was certainly memorable, largely because of the accomplishments of the squad's star quarterback.

Tebow had one of the most remarkable seasons in college football history from a statistics standpoint, and the sophomore was rewarded with the Heisman Trophy. He threw for 3,286 yards and 32 touchdowns, while rushing for 895 yards and 23 scores.

"My biggest goal this year as far as football goes was becoming a better decision maker," says Tebow. "I mean, that's what separates Tom Brady and Peyton Manning from every other quarterback, is their decision making. They're not more blessed as far as athletic ability; they just make better decisions on the field."

Not only is Tebow back to further assault the NCAA record books, he is surrounded by a wealth of talent, especially at the receiver position. Percy Harvin is one of the nation's most explosive athletes. He is more than capable of catching a short pass and scoring. Harvin caught 59 passes for 858 yards and four scores a year ago, and it would not be surprising at all to see him lined up as a tailback in certain instances. Louis Murphy and Riley Cooper are two other talented flankers with big-play ability. Keep an eye on Chris Rainey who is much like Harvin in regard to his versatility.

The fact that Florida has so many interchangeable parts and the ultimate weapon at quarterback makes the team a major contender for the national title. Senior tight end Cornelius Ingram tore his ACL in camp and will miss the season, and while he is a good player, it is unlikely the injury will bring down the offense.

DEFENSE: Last season, Florida had a wealth of new starters on defense. That will not be the case this season, as eight returning starters are in the fold.

Brandon Spikes is an outstanding linebacker who is the face of this defensive unit. Spikes made 131 tackles last season and is a force against the run. Dustin Doe and A.J. Jones add depth at the linebacker positions, and all three players have plenty of experience.

Up front, Jermaine Cunningham is back at defensive end after posting 6.5 sacks a year ago. Now that standout end Derrick Harvey is gone, Cunningham will draw plenty of attention from the opposition. The rest of the defensive front seems young and could see as many as three sophomores line up alongside Cunningham.

Junior Wondy Pierre-Louis should get significant playing time at one of the corner spots, and he is expected to take a major step forward as a junior. However, the secondary is another area where the team's youth will need to step up and produce.

This defense as a whole is fast and talented, no surprise for a Meyer-coached team.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Kicker Jacob Sturgis is just a freshman, but he has one of the strongest legs in the nation. He showed that in the spring game, hitting a 60- yard field-goal. Add sophomore punter Chas Henry to the equation and special teams figures to be an area of strength for Florida. Brandon James is a return specialist with major ability, and Harvin is capable of stepping in as well.

OUTLOOK: Florida is loaded for a run at the national title. The offense will score a ton of points, and the defense figures to be much improved. The schedule is daunting, including early matchups with Hawaii and Miami. Still, it is hard to imagine this team being an underdog in any game that it plays.

If things go as planned, Florida will stand alone at season's end.

"Seven wins comes from talent," says coach Meyer. "You start mixing in a little discipline, up to eight or nine wins. Somehow if you can develop a little leadership on your team, not necessarily seniors, but leadership to get you off the field on fourth down, defense, make a big play at the end of the game to win, that's when you start having great things happen for your program."