By JIM STEELE
pressbox1.com

There seems to be a groundswell of disdain for current Michigan coach Lloyd Carr. His Wolverines are 0-2 to start the season, which included an historic 34-32 upset loss ito Division 1-AA Appalachian State and then a 39-7 blasting by Oregon a week later.

Carr, whose Michigan team won a share off the national crown in 1997, has struggled in post-season (losing to Tennessee in the 2002 Gator Bowl and last year to USC in the Rose Bowl) and is 1-5 in the last six meetings against archrival Ohio State.

So who is lurking out there as a possible replacement? Well, some Michigan fans think Louisiana State coach Les Miles would be a good choice. Miles played for Michigan.

His Bayou Bengal Tigers are currently rated No. 2 in the nation after destroying then ninth-ranked Virginia Tech 48-7 and categorized as the class of the SEC.

Miles says he hasn't even considered the Michigan situation, especially since the Wolverines already have a coach.

"I have given very little thought about that," Miles said. "For me to do so would be a distraction to the team and the only thing I'm doing right now is preparing for a pretty good team."

The Tigers face Middle Tennessee State 8 p.m. Saturday at Tiger Stadium. The Blue Raiders lost 51-35 to current No. 9 Louisville.

"I can tell you this," Miles said. "Michigan has a great coach who has won a national champoinship and he knows what's going on. I'm happy where I am right now and that will not change. That's my focus."

FLORIDA-TENNESSEE WILL SET SEC TONE: South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier has a knack for jumbling up the SEC East standings. He was always contending for a spot in Atlanta while he was at Florida and he's wreaking havoc once again as the Gamecock skipper.

SC defeated then No. 11 Georgia 16-12 in Athens last week, knocking the Bulldogs down in the polls and elevating the Gamecocks in the standings. Georgia fell to 22 and 25 while South Carolina climbed as high as 17th in the AP ratings.

"I think Georgia has an excellent team and will get better as the season goes on," said Spurrier. "With Tennessee and Florida playing, after this weekend, we'll have a better idea who is going to lead the SEC."

But the Old Ball Coach says it's a long season, too.

"We play eight (conference) games and we'll see who has the best record then," Spurrier said. "If we continue to play, we'll have a chance."

The Gamecocks face South Carolina State for the first time in the history of both schools. SC State is celebrating its 100th year of football while South Carolina has been playing 114 years. The Gamecocks have some tough games ahead. They travel to No. 2 LSU on Sept. 22, then have to go to No. 22 Tennessee on Oct. 27, then travel to 16th-rated Arkansas a week later. No. 5 Florida visits Columbia on Nov. 10 and then the Gamecocks entertain archrival Clemson on Nov. 24.