Saturday, September 3, 2011, 1:30 am

The great unknown

At Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Aug. 7, the first time I walked on Florida Field.

I was talking with a Notre Dame alumnus the other day about the prospects for the Irish in the upcoming season. He told me there was an over/under bet on 8.5 wins for Notre Dame, and I felt pretty comfortable that his team will go over. I have no idea what to think about my own alma mater.

We’ve got a coach who has never been at the helm and a quarterback who, though he has played in the wrong system, has had a career that has fallen short of his — and fans’ — expectations. The wide receivers coach/recruiting coordinator is entangled in the scandal that is about to swallow the program down in Coral Gables.

There’s plenty of talent, sure, but who really knows what’s going to happen? Practices have been closed. Even if they were open, how much would we really know?

We’ll find out at 7 p.m. tonight.

Those outside of Gainesville are giving the Gators little chance of even winning the SEC East, let alone the league. And that drought (if three years is a drought) might yet continue. But Muschamp can’t let happen what Texas, his then employer, went through last season: a 5-7 record and a last-place finish in the Big 12 South.

I’m still not sure what the “Florida way” is, but I know that ain’t it.

2011 schedule
Games I will be attending are in bold.

Sept. 3 – Florida Atlantic – Gainesville, Fla.
Sept. 10 – Alabama at Birmingham – Gainesville, Fla.
Sept. 17 – Tennessee – Gainesville, Fla.
Sept. 24 – Kentucky – Lexington, Ky.
Oct. 1 – Alabama – Gainesville, Fla.
Oct. 8 – Louisiana State – Baton Rouge, La.
Oct. 15 – Auburn – Auburn, Ala.
Oct. 29 – Georgia – Jacksonville, Fla.
Nov. 5 – Vanderbilt – Gainesville, Fla
Nov. 12 – South Carolina – Columbia, S.C.
Nov. 19 – Furman – Gainesville, Fla.
Nov. 26 – Florida State – Gainesville, Fla.