Kirk Herbstreit may have been calling the Auburn-Penn State game last weekend, but he still found time to make sure he watched No. 1 Alabama barely escaping The Swamp with a win over the Gators.

Now, he thinks the Gators are in a position where they can challenge Georgia for the SEC East title.

During his podcast this week, Herbstreit called coach Dan Mullen a “magician” and said he can’t wait to see what happens with the Gators from here on out (via On3 Sports):

“Florida’s not into having moral victories but Florida’s got to feel really good about that game,” Herbstreit said on the ESPN College Football Podcast. “They had some missed opportunities, or maybe they win the game. My personal feeling is Dan Mullen is a hell of a coach. He works like a magician when it comes to quarterback play. I’m excited to see not just where Florida goes but the entire SEC.”

Herbstreit added that maybe Georgia winning the SEC East isn’t such a foregone conclusion after all:

“I walked away thinking ‘OK Georgia, OK Georgia. We were already putting you in Atlanta, that was a mistake,’” Herbstreit said. “We just always get reminders in this sport. Just when you think ‘I know,’ you don’t know.”

Can the Gators defend their SEC East title? That Cocktail Party matchup on Oct. 30 suddenly looks a lot more interesting!