I think it is unquestionably the biggest game in Napiers tenure at UF. Sure, lose it and win 8 - 9 more and it goes away. But the hostility of the fan base and the media, should UF lose will be absolutely overwhelming. It also means UF can hardly slip up against tamu and UT.
This team has all the pieces in place, but they still need to gel. They will continue to get better as the season moves along.
Well, true, initially. But it is a marquis game on our schedule and will help Napier's efforts recruiting. I realize one game isn't the season but if we cannot beat miami, who will we beat? With the exception of fsu, each team beginning with georgia is probably better than miami.
It better for everyones sake. By the time the back end of the schedule shows up they should be ready for it.
Lose to UM, FSU the last few years, nearly lose to USF with a top 5 pick playing QB...a substantially improved UCF team and the promises made to recruits from our state become shaky. I can tell you the noise in the system at the end of last year was very loud and subsided in the offseason. UM is a in state hate game particularly with them stealing our recruits spitefully with slime ball Ruiz. I honestly dont think UM is that good and we handle them easily in the Swamp (provided they dont have ACC officiating things in their usual manner) but if we lose at home after the endless string of losses ending the season(s) that noise will become instantly deafening and with our propensity to roll over at years end combined with difficulty of schedule it will be tough to settle the fan base. Honestly how many games in a row do you think a coach at UF can lose before the fans, recruits and administration lose confidence? Throw bacon all you want but we ended last season disastrously and the season needs to start with a resounding win. Its not like we finished the season last year 2-3 or 3-2...we sucked world class ass at years end again. You gotta look great, prepared and organized to begin the year.
Game one may be one of our lesser opponents is my concern. That’s the main reason losing would be a bad omen, it gets much harder on the back end..
Kentucky in 2018 didn't dictate our season. Neither did the mizzou disaster as Franks finally got it together and the Gators finished strong with a bowl blowout over Michigan that year. With that said, I'd be pretty damn concerned about a loss given our returning veteran QB, the best home field advantage in college football and everything to prove against a heated rival who we claim is led by a reportedly mediocre coach.
I go back to Utah 2 years ago… or the 28-3 stomping we gave Miami in ‘83, the year they won the title… or PSU starting their season 2-2 but won the B1G championship and just narrowly missed the playoffs in 2016ish… or Bucknut U falling to a mediocre Va Tech team early, then curb stomping everyone else on their way to a title in 2014. Just a few examples of how early OOC games didn’t define their seasons. There are just too many unknowns when 2 teams square off this early that don’t know each other real well. I think it’s how we respond after that game, win or lose, that will be the true indicator of what this team & staff are made of. If we win, then look sloppy against TAM or get embarrassed in our first road test in Starkville, then that first game didn’t show us much. If we lose, but the staff shows the ability to pivot and make changes & adjustments and we go into Knoxville 4-1 and playing solid football, then the L is a distant memory. It’s how we respond.
I guess that calling it one of the top six most important games in the history of our program is a little bit overboard. Yes it’s important because if we can’t beat Miami, we probably can’t beat several of the other teams on our schedule. But this is not playing FSU at the end of the season with the national championship on the line which has happened. It’s quite possible to lose to Miami and then beat Texas A&M, Tennessee, Florida State, Ole Miss, etc. that could still be a pretty decent season
I just hope we can get unexpected wins. Nape has shown the ability to provide unexpected losses over the past couple years. we keep hoping to see the 4th quarter magic, but how many games have we lost in the 4th quarter while leading most of the way. Vandy, fsu, missou, heartbreakers. I remember Kirby telling his guys in the locker room at half that we were soft and to go out and murder us. And they did. I want to see that whistle to whistle toughness, and play hard the entire 60. Foot on the gas. No matter what the analytics say. No excuses
