Let’s face it. The Florida Gators dropping the axe on head coach Ron Zook was not a surprise. The Gators have been underachieving for three years now; the surprising part was that Zook managed to hold onto his job this long. Since taking over for Steve Spurrier nearly three seasons ago, Zook has lost 13 games, including a sacrilegious six at home.

Over that span, the Gators have gradually tumbled down the rankings, and now find themselves unranked. Evidently, Athletic Director Jeremy Foley couldn’t bear to cough up any more lines on the virtues of patience and loyalty, and sacked Zook after an embarrassing loss to Mississippi State last week.

Zook was handed the keys to the Gators kingdom in 2001 with no head coaching experience whatsoever. In his very first press conference that year, he looked uptight and nervous. Three years later, his demeanor had not changed. Unfortunately for fans, the bewildered expression on Zook’s face following the loss to MSU was not the last one they’ll have to see. Though the athletic department denies it, Zook will have a lame-duck sign slapped in his back for the remainder of the season thanks to the pursuit of Spurrier and the resulting recruiting implications. It’s a cold business.

This weeks’ featured matchups include a couple of conference clashes between ranked teams. In the Big 12, Oklahoma State looks to avenge last year’s savage beating and derail Oklahoma’s BCS aspirations. Later, the Sun Devils of Arizona State will try to throw a wrench into California’s offensive machine and gain some ground in the Pac-10.

OKLAHOMA (2) AT OKLAHOMA ST. (19) 12 p.m. (ABC)

This is a classic rivalry, which means anything can happen. The Cowboys have only managed to win 16 of the 98 games played in this series, but two of them came in the last three seasons. The Sooners exacted some punishment for those upsets by whipping the Cowboys 52-9 last season, but Oklahoma State is a solid team again, and the Sooners will have to be careful. Oklahoma has leaped into the second spot in the BCS standings and has the national title on the brain. A loss here will ruin their season.

Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops knows full well how critical this game is, and he will have his offense prepared. Quarterback Jason White has struggled at times this season, but is coming off a huge game against Kansas in which he threw for 389 yards and four touchdowns. Coupled with outstanding freshman running back Adrian Peterson, the Cowboys defense will have fits all day trying to handle the Sooners.

On the other side, Oklahoma State has a strong running game of its own, led by Vernand Morency’s 1,153 yards and nine touchdowns. The Cowboys are a running team for sure, opting to hand the ball off 79% of the time this season. The Sooners do have the fifth-best run defense in the country, but they have yet to face a team as run-happy as the Cowboys. That defense has to earn its stripes in this game, one that the Sooners should win easily.

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ARIZONA ST. (15) AT CALIFORNIA (8) 10 p.m. (TBS)

This is going to be a carnival of a game, a festival of scoring. Two of the best quarterbacks in the country – Arizona State’s Andrew Walter and California’s Aaron Rodgers – square off in a game that will land one of these teams in second place in the Pac-10. The game will not be on until late Saturday night, but shifting your plans to squeeze it in would not be the worst move you ever made.

Walter is two touchdowns away from breaking John Elway’s Pac-10 record, one of the more glamorous marks he could hope to achieve. While he is not the most accurate passer, completing just 54% of his attempts, Walter has thrown for 1,846 yards in seven games this season, with 21 touchdowns and only six interceptions.

Walter is a swashbuckler on the field, a gunslinger who makes up in confidence what he lacks in form and technique. Sadly, Walter is about all the Devils have to offer right now, as their rushing game is anemic and their defense is lackluster, especially against the pass.

It is that defense that Aaron Rodgers should have little trouble picking apart. Unlike Walter, Rodgers has what many believe to be the best technique in the country. He has completed 75% of his passes and notched 14 touchdowns and four picks in compiling a massive 178.9 passer rating. Rodgers is just a junior, but he is most likely auditioning for the NFL draft next season. If so, he has already assured himself a first-round grand prize.

The Bears lead the nation with 508 yards per game, and not all of those are derived from Rodgers’s arm. Running back J.J. Arrington is the best in the Pac-10, with 153 yards a game and 10 touchdowns. If you want to see an example of how a running game can open a field for a quarterback, check out the California offense in action. Arizona State will be going crazy worrying about Arrington, only to have Rodgers kill them over the middle all night. When they tighten up against Rodgers, Arrington will take off down the field for chunks of yards. Cal could easily top 50 points in this one.

This is the first game in 11 years in which California and its visitor have both been ranked, but don’t expect a close game. The Bears have too much offense and Arizona State has too little defense.