Florida is concerned about field-goal kicking and pass coverage.

Georgia can't decide who its best quarterback is.

Tennessee is struggling with the running game -- on both offense and defense.

If you watched the best of the East at work Saturday, you probably have doubts about all of them.

Reserve quarterback Joe Cox rallied Georgia to a 14-13 victory in the fourth quarter against Colorado. But for most of the game, the winless Buffaloes played the unbeaten Bulldogs off their feet.

Florida only led Kentucky by five points at halftime. The Gators' extra-point kicks and field-goal tries have become an adventure. So has their secondary coverage.

UT got an 89-yard, fourth-quarter touchdown run from redshirt freshman tailback LaMarcus Coker, but its running game often floundered against a Marshall defense that was overwhelmed by West Virginia. Moreover, run defense -- probably the most consistent aspect of UT football in recent years -- can no longer be counted on to shut down an opponent.

The obvious early-season deficiencies for the East's Big Three will engender all sorts of coaching angst. But they also will make for an intriguing division race.

Although UT trails both Georgia and Florida, its status could change dramatically with a victory at Sanford Stadium in a couple of weeks. Despite UT's erratic performance against Marshall, it rarely looked as vulnerable as Georgia did against Colorado.

Georgia true-freshman quarterback Matthew Stafford looked over his head (think Erik Ainge last year). In fact, the way the Bulldogs dropped passes and stumbled around through most of the Colorado game, you easily could have mistaken them for the 5-6 Vols of 2005.

Late in the third quarter, Georgia had managed only 89 yards total offense with Stafford at quarterback. It gained almost 200 behind Cox, who completed 10 of 13 passes for 154 yards and two touchdowns.

Has Cox solved Georgia's quarterback puzzle? Or have the Bulldogs stepped into the same revolving door that left UT dizzy last season. For UT, it was Rick Clausen or Ainge? For Georgia, it's now Stafford or Cox? And who knows what will happen when Georgia's opening-season starter -- modestly talented Joe Tereshinksi -- is healthy enough to play again?

Georgia's running game wasn't supposed to be a concern -- not with three experienced tailbacks, and a supposedly solid offensive line. Yet the Bulldogs rank eighth in the league in rushing, which is as surprising as UT ranking seventh in rushing defense.

You can only wonder how much Georgia's shaky passing game has hindered its rushing attack. And that's not just an indictment of the quarterbacks. Georgia doesn't have a single receiver averaging as many as two catches a game, and its leading receiver is tight end Martrez Milner.

Florida doesn't have Georgia's offensive issues. Quarterback Chris Leak leads the SEC in yards passing per game and pass efficiency, Dallas Baker ranks second in receptions per game, and DeShawn Wynn is fourth in rushing.

But when Florida's offense stalls in scoring territory, it's in big trouble. Chris Hetland has missed his only two field-goal attempts, and two extra-point kicks as well.

The kicking woes extend beyond the kicker, according to Florida coach Urban Meyer, who hasn't been happy with his unit's overall execution on placekicks. He said on Sunday's teleconference that would be a point of emphasis in practice this week.

He also might want to take a hard look at his secondary. Not only did it give up big plays against UT, it also faltered at times against Kentucky, whose quarterback, Andre Woodson, completed 26 of 37 passes for 210 yards.

Florida's vulnerabilities will be magnified in the next four games -- against Alabama, LSU, Auburn and Georgia.

UT had more question marks in preseason than either Georgia or Florida. Although the Vols have played erratically, they have at least answered some of their major questions.

Most important, Ainge is much improved over last season. Critics might focus on a few crucial interceptions but he also has completed 66 percent of his passes. Even as good as Ainge looked as a freshman, I never envisioned him as a 65 percent passer.

Throughout last season, the Vols were crying for playmakers. That cry has been quieted.

Wide receivers Robert Meachem and Jayson Swain have combined for seven touchdown catches and are both averaging better than 16 yards per reception.

Never mind that the Vols haven't run the ball consistently. They have gotten big plays from their running backs. Before Coker's 89-run against Marshall, there was Montario Hardesty's 43-yard touchdown against Cal.

Sure, UT has plenty of concerns. But don't let Florida's and Georgia's top-10 rankings fool you.

They have plenty of concerns, too.

My top 25: 1. Ohio State, 2. Auburn, 3. Southern Cal, 4. Michigan, 5. Florida, 6. Louisville, 7. West Virginia, 8. Georgia, 9. LSU, 10. Texas, 11. Tennessee, 12. Virginia Tech, 13. Oregon, 14. Iowa, 15. Notre Dame, 16. TCU, 17. Oklahoma, 18. Clemson, 19. Florida State, 20. Boston College, 21. Boise State, 22. Nebraska, 23. Cal, 24. Rutgers, 25. Purdue.