Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – At first blush, the first two games of the Florida season were likely viewed externally as mere afterthoughts to start a schedule that looked like one of the toughest in college football history.

Long Island? Who? They have football? 

South Florida? Again? When's the SEC opener? 

UF will open Southeastern Conference play next weekend at LSU – and that one will be chock-full of hype, no doubt – but first things first. Florida fans likely have a different take on Saturday's showdown between the No. 13 Gators (1-0) and surprising Bulls (1-0) at Spurrier/Florida Field after what USF did nine days ago in not only upsetting 25th-ranked Boise State, but flattening the Broncos, a College Football Playoff participant last season, with a 34-7 nationally televised statement in Tampa. 

[Read senior writer Scott Carter's comprehensive "Opening Kickoff" preview here]

The ride up Interstate-75 figures to be an invigorating one for the program that three years ago, in UF's first season under Billy Napier, threw a 31-28 scare at the Gators in "The Swamp." In that one, USF erased a 14-point deficit with 18 consecutive points (all but three coming in the second half) to take a 28-24 lead with 11 minutes to go. The Bulls, though, turned the ball over with six minutes remaining and the Gators drove to a 3-yard Trevor Etienne touchdown run with five minutes remaining, then held off a late USF drive to escape with a 31-28 victory.
 
Whether that sort of knee-knocker is in store for this one remains to be seen. The 2025 Florida team is much better than the one that 2022 version, but the same can be said for present-day USF, which went 1-11 that year and fired its coach, Jeff Scott, at the end of the season. 

In replacing Scott, the Bulls landed on Alex Golesh, a protégé of Josh Heupel at both Central Florida and Tennessee. The Gators will have to deal with Golesh's fast-breaking offensive scheme that produced 372 yards last week, as well as a nothing-to-lose mentality that already reared itself with a 45-yard touchdown off a fake punt against Boise.

Translation: We're a long way from Long Island, folks (in more ways than one).  USF, out of the American Athletic Conference, is led by quarterback Byrum Brown, who completed 16 of 24 passes for 210 yards and added 43 yards and two touchdowns rushing in guiding the Bulls to their first defeat of a ranked opponent since 2016. Brown had two receivers, Keshaun Singleton and Chas Nimrod, who topped 90 yards in the opener. 

Defensively, USF surrendered 378 yards, but forced three turnovers. Linebacker Jhayln Shuler was credited with 14 tackles, five solo, plus a pass breakup and was named the Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week.

They've got some dudes. 

The Gators opened with a 55-0 non-test against the FCS-classified Sharks, who despite being out-manned at every position managed to hold quarterback DJ Lagway and the UF offense below 500 yards, in great part by registering – get this – 11 tackles for loss against an offensive line that entered the season pumped as one of the nation's best. 

Lagway wasn't super-sharp in his first live action since working back from a nagging offseason calf injury, but did finish 15 of 118 for 120 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. The Gators, who also got 104 yards rushing and a score from tailback Jadan Baugh, had zero turnovers and did not commit a penalty on either side of the ball. 

Defensively, UF gave up just 86 yards (the 10th-fewest in program history, a measly two first downs (an all-time low) and forced a pair of fumbles. 

Suffice to say, the Gators (and Gator Nation) will know a lot more about this team after a test from a real opponent – and before the other really real teams start showing up on the schedule. As in next week. And the week after. And so on.

Coverage starts at 4:15 p.m. on SEC Network, with the crew of Dave Neal on play-by-play, Fozzy Whitaker providing analysis and Morgan Uber on the sidelines. The Gators Sports Network from Learfield broadcast will air with pregame coverage beginning at 1 p.m. and eventually give way to the team of Sean Kelley, Shane Matthews and Tate Casey on the call. For GSN stations, click here. 
 
The game will be re-aired Tuesday at 1 a.m. and Wednesday at 11 a.m., both on the SEC Network.
 
Finally, follow senior writer Scott Carter (@GatorsScott) on X for commentary and analysis throughout the game. FloridaGators.com will have complete post-game coverage from the game late Saturday night and follow-up content Sunday, also.
 
Email senior writer Chris Harry at chrish@gators.ufl.edu