OGT-Florida at Utah Aug 31 (Thu) 8 PM ESPN

Florida at Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah

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ESPN
Play-by-Play: Chris Fowler
Analyst: Kirk Herbstreit
Reporter: Holly Rowe
Channel (Cox): 7 / 1007 [HD]
Channel (DirecTV): 8 [HD]

Gator Sports Network from LEARFIELD
Play-by-Play: Sean Kelley
Analyst: Shane Matthews
Reporter: Tate Casey
Channel: Local Affiliates

SiriusXM Channel: 136 or 190

Compass Media Network
National Radio Play-by-Play: Greg Daniels
Analyst: Chad Brown

FLORIDA
Head Coach: Billy Napier
Career Record: 46-19 (27-5 Sun Belt) [5th season]
Record at UF: 6-7 (3-5 SEC) [2nd season]
Bowl Record: 0-1
Rankings: RV (AP) / RV (Coaches)
2022 Record: 6-7, 3-5 SEC (T-4th\

UTAH
Head Coach: Kyle Whittingham
Career Record: 154-74 (95-57 PAC12) [19th season]
Record at UU: same
Record vs. UF: 0-1
Bowl Record: 11-5
Rankings: 14 (AP) / 14 (Coaches)
2022 Record: 10-4, 7-2 PAC12 (T-2

 

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: Florida leads, 2-0
Last Meeting: Florida 29, No. 7 Utah 26
Sept. 3, 2022 (Gainesville, Fla.)
Recent History: Florida, W2
In Gainesville: Florida leads, 2-0
In Salt Lake City: N/A
UF vs. PAC-12: 9-5-1 (.633)
Last Meeting: No. 14 Oregon State 30, Florida 3
(Dec. 17, 2022)
Recent History: Florida, L1 vs. Pac-12

 

NUMBER OF NOTE​

123
Entering year two of the BIlly Napier era, Florida brought in a combined 123 starts via the transfer
portal over the offseason. Those 13 players have accumulated more than 10,000 total snaps during
their college careers

 

THE STORYLINE​

• The 2023 opener marks the third-ever meeting between Florida and Utah, with the Gators holding a 2-0 series lead.

• UF and UU last faced off in the 2022 season opener, when unranked Florida upset No. 7 Utah, 29-26, behind 274 yards of total offense and three rushing touchdowns by QB Anthony Richardson and a game-sealing pick by LB Amari Burney.
» Florida matched its highest-ranked win ever in a season opener (Florida 59, No. 7 Houston 34 - Sept. 20, 1969).
» HC Billy Napier became the first Gators football coach to defeat a ranked team in his debut.

• Prior to last season, UF most recently played Utah on Nov. 19, 1977 in Gainesville, with Florida winning, 38-29.
» Florida’s 531 rushing yards in the team’s first meeting are the most all-time in a single game.

• Florida is 8-13 all-time in true road season openers including a 6-4 mark in the last 10 dating back to 1956.

• This is Florida’s third true road game in a season opener in the last 38 years (1987 at Miami, 2020 at Ole Miss).

• The last time the Gators faced a ranked opponent on the road in a season opener was in 1987 at No. 10 Miami (L, 31-4).

• Florida last opened consecutive seasons against ranked opponents in 1953-54 against Rice in Houston (L, 20-16; L, 34-14).

• The Gators have never won ranked matchups in back-to-back season openers.

• Florida has lost just one season opener since 1990, going 30-1 in that span (2017: No. 11 Michigan 33, No. 17 Florida 17).

• Although UF opens on the road, Florida’s 33-straight wins in home openers leads the NCAA (1989: Ole Miss 24, Florida 19).

• Napier embarks on his second season as a head coach, while Utah HC Kyle Whittingham enters his 19th campaign with 228 games under his belt. Whittingham replaced Urban Meyer in December 2004 when the latter left for Florida.
» Whittingham is the longest-tenured HC in the Pac-12 and the second-longest at the same school in the FBS.

• The Gators return four starters on offense, four starters on defense and two on special teams.

• Florida is coming off its fifth-straight bowl appearance and eighth in the last nine seasons.

• The Gators played seven opponents in 2022 that were ranked in the CFP Final Top 25 - tied for the most in the FBS -
and now eye up the SEC’s toughest schedule in 2023, according to CBS Sports.

• 31 different players made their Florida debuts last season, while 24 Gators made their collegiate debuts.

• The Gators’ 5.5 yards per carry in 2022 ranked fourth in program history (behind the 2008, 1976 and 2009 seasons).
» Florida ended the season ranking sixth in the FBS and fifth in the P5 in YPC.

• Florida’s 6.6 yards per play last season was the 10th-highest in school history.

• UF finished the 2022 campaign with 200.2 rushing yards per game - the program’s second-straight season over 200.
» That output ranked 25th in the FBS, 15th in the Power Five and fifth in the SEC.

• Florida has scored in 436-consecutive games dating back to 1988 - an NCAA record and 55 games longer than any other college football team in the history of the sport

 

ETIENNE + JOHNSON JR. LEAD DANGEROUS RUN ATTACK​

• Florida scored its most rushing touchdowns in a season in 12 years in 2022, as the Gators’ 29 were the program’s fifth-most all-time (2008 - 42, 2007 - 39, 2010 - 31, 2009 - 30).

• In their first seasons as Gators, RB Montrell Johnson Jr. (155 carries, 841 yards, 5.4 YPC, 10 TD) and RB Trevor Etienne (118 carries, 718 yards, 6.1 YPC, 6 TD) teamed up to form one of the top backfield duos in the country.

• Florida averaged 5.5 YPC and 200.2 rushing YPG, posted eight 200-yard games and eclipsed 100 yards 12 times.

• As a duo, Johnson Jr. and Etienne averaged 5.7 YPC and 120.0 rushing YPG.

• The duo combined for a touchdown in all 12 regular season games, scoring 17 total TDs (rush TDs in 11 of 13 games).

• They were one of 15 RB duos in the FBS to rush for over 700 yards apiece last season, including one of three duos to do so while each averaging over 5.4 YPC.

• Johnson Jr. and Etienne combined for 47 of Florida’s 76 explosive rushes (10-plus yards) last season (61.8%).

• Johnson Jr. is one of nine FBS players with 10-plus rushing TDs and 800 yards rushing each of the last two seasons.

• In 2022, Johnson Jr. became the first UF running back to rush for over 800 yards since La’Mical Perine in 2018.

• Johnson Jr.’s 10 rushing TDs last season ranked t-fourth in the SEC and t-24th in the Power Five.

• Etienne’s ‘22 FBS ranks among true freshmen RBs: YPC (fourth - 6.1), TD (T10th - six), rush yards (eighth - 719).

• Etienne had a career-high 129 yards rushing and one TD in Week 13 vs. FSU, marking his second 100-yard rushing game in the final four weeks of the season.

• Johnson Jr. posted back-to-back 100-yard rushing games in Weeks 10-11, including a career-high 161 yards vs. South Carolina in Week 11. He was the first UF RB with consecutive 100-yard games since Jordan Scarlett in 2016.

• Johnson Jr. and Etienne became Florida’s first pair of 100-yard rushers in 22 games (9/4/21 vs. FAU) in Week 11.

• Etienne’s 85-yard TD rush in Week 11 was the seventh-longest TD rush in school history, and the longest by a UF player since Lamical Perine’s 88-yard TD run vs. Auburn in 2019. It was also the second-longest TD run by a freshman in school history, and the tied for the 12th-longest TD rush in the FBS this season.

• Etienne ranked fourth in the FBS among true freshman running backs with 6.1 yards per carry and was one of nine true freshman RBs in the FBS with over 700 rushing yards.

• The trio of Johnson Jr. (841), Etienne (719) and QB Anthony Richardson (654) became the third trio in UF history to eclipse 600 rush yards apiece last year.

• The running back duo of Johnson Jr. and Etienne became the fifth pair of Florida running backs to eclipse
700 yards apiece in a season in 2022.

• Florida boasted three of the top-17 rushers in the SEC in yards per carry last season: Richardson (sixth - 6.3), Etienne (eighth - 6.1) and Johnson Jr. (17th - 5.4). Georgia was the only other team to do so.

• Florida was one of three FBS teams (Oregon, Georgia) with three qualified players averaging over 5.4 YPC.

• Over the last two seasons, 24 FBS RBs surpassed 800-plus yards and 12 RBs eclipsed 10-plus rushing TDs in consecutive years. Johnson Jr. is the only player on either list to accomplish the feats at

 

GATORS RECEIVING NOTES​

• 18 different players caught a pass for Florida last season - UF’s most since having 21 players do so in 2018.

• Senior WR Ricky Pearsall paced UF with 661 receiving yards in 2022, which was the most by a Gator since Kadarius Toney’s 984 in 2020.

• Pearsall finished fourth in the FBS with 20.0 yards per catch - the third-highest YPC in a season in program history.

• Pearsall is on the Maxwell Award Watch List for the nation’s most outstanding player.

• Pearsall enters 2023 having recorded a reception in 28-consecutive games.

• Of Pearsall’s 33 receptions last season, 27 went for first downs while 28 were for double-digit yards.

• Pearsall was one of six FBS players with 110-plus rushing yards and 650-plus receiving yards last year.

• Pearsall’s 76-yard TD run vs. Eastern Washington was the longest rush by an FBS WR last season and ranks t-10th in the FBS across the last five seasons (third-longest run by a UF wide receiver in the last 25 years).

• Pearsall led UF with four catches for 65 yards in the 2022 Las Vegas Bowl - identical to his 2021 Vegas Bowl output.

• At FSU in Week 13, Pearsall set a career high with 148 yards receiving while his two TDs tied his best.

• Florida finished with two receivers in the top-seven in the FBS in yards per catch in 2022, as Pearsall ranked fourth (20.0) and Justin Shorter ranked seventh (19.9).

• Florida was the only team in the FBS with two qualified WRs averaging over 19.0 yards per catch.

• WR Caleb Douglas made his first-career start vs. South Carolina in 2022, becoming the first true freshman
to start at WR since Kadarius Toney (10/7/17 vs. LSU). Douglas led UF with three receptions and 53 yards.

• Douglas’ 53 yards were the most by a UF WR in his first start since Josh Hammond’s 72 vs. North Texas (9/17/16

 

NO MERTZ, NO SHOES, NO SERVICE​

• Florida transfer QB Graham Mertz comes equipped with 34 career games played, having started all but one of Wisconsin’s 33 games at quarterback to total over 2,000 snaps across the past three seasons from 20-22.

• The Badgers went 19-13 in Mertz’s 32 starts at Wisconsin (.594).

• Mertz has completed 460 passes out of 773 career attempts (60.0%) for 5,405 yards and 38 touchdowns against 26 interceptions

• Ole Miss’ Spencer Sanders (41) and LSU’s Jaydon Daniels (43) are the only active SEC quarterbacks with more career starts than Mertz, who is tied for the third-most alongside Mississippi State’s Will Rogers (32).

• Among active SEC signal callers, Mertz ranks seventh in attempts and completions while sitting eighth in yards and passing touchdowns.

• Mertz wields more career games, starts, completions, attempts, yards and touchdowns than six other SEC quarterback rooms: Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Missouri and Vanderbilt

BUILDING THE FOUNDATION​

• Florida brought in a plethora of experience this past offseason, adding 13 players via the transfer portal.

• UF’s group of 2023 transfers wields more than 10,000 combined snaps and 123 career starts, helping to fill vital voids at quarterback, offensive line, defensive end and inside linebacker.

• Over 70% of UF’s scholarship players are in ther first or second year at Florida.

• 93% of the 2023 roster was on campus for the offseason, featuring 27 midyear enrolees (17 HS, 10 transfer).

• Staff attrition was minimal during the 2022-23 offseason, as seven of Florida’s 10 full-time assistants returned.

• Despite last year’s 6-7 record, Florida outscored its opponents, 384 to 375, including 70-42 off turnovers.

• Florida lost six regular-season games in 2022 by a combined 61 points

 

2023 PRESEASON AWARDS HUB​

Five Gators appeared on various preseason watch
lists heading into the campaign:
» Jeremy Crawshaw - Ray Guy Award
» Caleb Douglas - Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award
» Trevor Etienne - Paul Hornung Award
» Ricky Pearsall - Maxwell Award, Campbell Trophy
» Princely Umanmielen - Bednarik Award, Lombardi Award
» Derek Wingo - Wuerffel Trophy

• Additionally, Devin Moore was named to the All-State AFCA Good Works Team Watch List in July.

• RB Trevor Etienne, CB Jason Marshall Jr. and DE Princely Umanmielen all represented Florida on the media’s Preseason All-SEC Third Team.

SOLID OFFENSIVE LINE PLAY STANDS OUT​

• The Gators’ 17 sacks allowed in 2022 tied for the 27th-fewest in the Power Five and fourth in the SEC.

• Across the last two seasons (2021-22), Florida has out-sacked its opponents by a plus-29 margin, and the Gators’ 31 sacks allowed are tied for the 14-fewest in the FBS (second in the SEC behind Georgia).

• Austin Barber ranked as the No. 22 tackle in the FBS in 2022.

• Florida added three experienced offensive lineman out of the transfer portal this offseason in Micah Mazzccua (Baylor), Lyndell Hudson II (FIU) and Damieon George Jr. (Alabama)

OFFENSIVE GRAB BAG​

• Over the last five seasons, the Gators rank ninth in the Power Five with 449.9 scrimmage yards per game
and 13th in the Power Five with 34.0 points per game, ranking third and fourth in the SEC, respectively.

• Since 2018, UF ranks eighth in the P5 in passing efficiency (152.4) and 12th in TD-INT ratio (2.87).

• Florida out-gained its opponents in 18 of 26 games dating back to last season .

• The Gators totaled 500-plus yards in three of the last 10 games and in 15 of their last 37 games.

• Florida has amassed 400-plus total yards in eight of 13 games this season, as well as 24 times in its last 36 games, and 37 of the last 55.

• UF rushed for over 200 yards 26 times in its last 64 games (41.3%) including 14 times since 2021 and eight in 2022.

• UF scored 30-plus points 39 times in 64 games since 2018 (60.9%), and 30-plus in 26 of the last 40 (65.0%).

• UF scored 40 points 20 times in the last 64 games and six times in 26 games the last two seasons.

 

LONG-TERM DEFENSIVE TRENDS​

• Florida ranks second in the SEC and ninth nationally in sacks since 2018 with 179 - trailing only Clemson (234), Pittsburgh (230), Alabama (206), Miami (186), Ohio State (186), Penn State (182), Marshall (180) and Oklahoma State (180).
» Since 1996, UF sits 13th in the FBS with 853 sacks and rank second in the SEC behind Alabama at 878.

• UF has held opponents to a 54.0% passing completion percentage since 1996, which is the seventh-lowest in the FBS and third in the SEC.

• Since 1996, The Gators are fifth nationally in interceptions with 409 and lead the SEC, with the next closest team, Alabama, 17 picks behind.
» The Gators recorded an interception in six games last season - No. 7 Utah (1), No. 20 Kentucky (1), USF
(2), Missouri (2), No. 1 Georgia (2) and Vanderbilt (1).

• UF’s defense has produced 562 turnovers since 2000, leading the SEC and ranking eighth in the country
​

DEFENSIVE YOUTH GAINING EXPERIENCE​

• Outside of the veteran starters last year for the Gators - Amari Bunrey, Trey Dean III, Ventrell Miller and
Rashad Torrence II - six underclassmen returners (second season or fewer) earned starts including five who notched their first career-start.
» Those six underclassmen combined for a total of 32 starts last year.

• A total of 10 players made their collegiate debuts in 2022 including Georgia transfer CB Jalen Kimber, who made his Gators debut and played in all 13 games.
» Kimber’s 39-yard interception return TD vs. USF in the second quarter represented Florida’s first
pick-six since CJ Gardner-Johnson’s 30-yard interception return TD against Michigan in the Chick-Fil-A
Peach Bowl on Dec. 29, 2018. The pick-six marked Florida’s 51st since 1996.
» Five players - LB Shemar James, DL Chris McClellan, S Miguel Mitchell, DL Tyreak Sapp and S
Kamari Wilson - made their collegiate debuts in Week 1 vs. No. 7 Utah and appeared in every game.
» James started at LB in the season opener, becoming the first Gator true freshman to start a
season opener since Marco Wilson vs. Michigan in 2017 and the first true freshman LB since David
Reese II vs. South Carolina in 2016.
» James finished sixth on the team in tackles (47), t-fourth in sacks (2.0) and sixth in QB hurries
(four) while starting four games and appearing in all 13.
» James became the 14th UF linebacker to be named to the Freshman All-SEC Team and the first
since Antonio Morrison in 2012. It marked UF’s eighth-straight year with a Freshman All-SEC player.
» Wilson earned his first-career start vs. Eastern Washington. The last true freshman to start for
the Gators at safety was Trey Dean III in 2018 vs. Colorado State. Wilson started the final two games
of the season at No. 16 FSU and vs. No. 14 Oregon State in the Las Vegas Bowl.

• Six of the 22 turnovers forced by the Gators came from underclassmen - Jalen Kimber (1), Shemar James (1), Jason Marshall Jr. (1), Miguel Mitchell (1), Desmond Watson (1) and Kamari Wilson (1).

• The duo of CB Jason Marshall Jr. and DL Desmond Watson combined for 23 starts last season.
» Marshall Jr. has played in all 26 games in two seasons with 20 starts all-time, which is the most
starts by a defensive player on the roster.
» Marshall Jr. led the Gators in pass breakups with a career-high eight - tied for 10th in the SEC.
» Watson concluded 2022 with 10-straight starts beginning at No. 11 Tennesse

 

FRESH FACES PROVIDE LIFT TO GATORS D​

• Joining new defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong are seven defensive transfers this year: DL Caleb Banks (Louisville), EDGE Quincy Ivory (East LA CC), DL Cam Jackson (Memphis), LB Teradja Mitchell (Ohio
State), S R.J. Moten (Michigan), LB Mannie Nunnery (Houston) and Deuce Spurlock II (Michigan).

• The new Gators bring in a combined 44 starts and over 4,170 snaps played compared to 30 defensive returners with 69 total starts and 8,792 snaps.

• Moten, whose dad played LB for UF from 1982-86, started 10 games in 2022 including the Big 10
Championship.
» He has 15 career starts and 1,033 snaps played, which is 10th-highest on the roster and third-most by a defensive player behind Jason Marshall Jr. (1,417) and Mannie Nunnery (1,259).

• Jackson also comes with double-digit career starts (13) on top of 34 games in three seasons at Memphis.
» He finished with 41 tackles last season, which would have ranked second among Gator defensive
lineman last year behind only Gervon Dexter Sr., a second round pick by the Chicago Bears.

• Twelve rookie defenders also joined the program this season including four cornerbacks, three EDGEs, two defensive linemen, two safeties and one linebacker.
» Half of the first-year players were consensus four-star recruits and are all HC Billy Napier’s recruits.
» Five played in the 2023 Under Armour All-American Bowl Game with EDGE Kelby Collins earning MVP honors.

 

TURNOVERS TRENDED IN 2022​

• Florida tied for second in the SEC in takeaways (22) and ranked second in turnover margin (+8 / +0.62) last season after ranking 11th and 13th in those respective categories in 2021.

• The Gators produced at least one turnover in each regular-season game including seven with multiple.
» In 2021, UF finished the season with only 13 takeaways - the team’s fewest in the last 25 seasons.
» The last time the Gators produced at least 22 turnovers in a season was in 2019 (23).
» Against South Carolina, Florida caused three-consecutive turnovers to start the second half, as USC only ran a total of four offensive plays - the non-turnover play was a zero-yard rush.
» The fumble forced on Florida State’s opening drive marked the third game in which Florida caused a takeaway on the opponent’s opening drive last year.

• Half of the takeaways in 2022 came in the second half with five coming in the fourth quarter.

• Florida opened the season with 12-straight games with a takeaway, marking the Gators’ longest streak since having 15-straight games with a takeaway from Oct. 18, 2014 to Oct. 21, 2015 (last-seven games of 2014 + first-eight games of 2015).

• The 22 total takeaways resulted in 70 points for the Gators: nine touchdowns and two field goals.
» Seven of the turnovers caused marked career firsts for a group of Gators: CB Jalen Kimber (interception vs. USF), S Miguel Mitchell (forced fumble vs. Eastern Washington), CB Jaydon Hill (interception vs.Missouri), DB Jadarrius Perkins (interception vs. UGA), DL Desmond Watson (forced fumble vs. USC), S Kamari Wilson (forced fumble vs. USC) and LB Shemar James (forced fumble at FSU).
» Ten of the 22 takeaways were caused by Gators that are returning this season.
» The first turnover of the season by the defense was Amari Burney’s game-winning interception vs. No. 7 Utah in the opener. Burney was a sixth round draft pick by the Las Vegas Raiders.

• Two returners, CB Jaydon Hill (two) and EDGE Princely Umanmielen (two), forced multiple takeaways in 2022 for the first time in their careers.

CLIMBING THE (J) HILL​

• After missing all of the 2021 season the first four games of 2022 due to injury, CB Jaydon Hill started the final nine games for the Gators last year.
» Despite missing four games, Hill played 435 total snaps - the 10th most among defensive players, second-highest by a Gators CB, and third-most by a returning defensive player for UF.
» His debut vs. Eastern Washington marked 641 days since his last game (2020 Cotton Bowl vs Oklahoma).

• In his second start, he recorded two interceptions including a 49-yard interception return touchdown inthe first quarter vs. Missouri.
» The first pick marked his first-career interception and first-career touchdown.
» His first interception also represented Florida’s longest pick-six since Ventrell Miller’s 82-yard interception return touchdown vs. Idaho on Nov. 17, 2018.
» Hill became the first Florida player with two interceptions and a pick-six in the same game since CJ Gardner-Johnson vs. Michigan in the Peach Bowl on Dec. 29, 2018.

• The second interception late in the third quarter set up a nine-play, 91-yard touchdown drive that put Florida ahead, 24-10, thanks to a nine-yard touchdown pass from Anthony Richardson to Ricky Pearsall early in the fourth quarter.

• Hill’s performance vs. the Tigers also earned him his first-career SEC Defensive Player of the Week Honor.
» The last Gators DB to earn weekly conference honors was Shawn Davis in 2019 vs. Auburn

SPECIAL TEAMS CHANGING THE GAME​

• K Adam Mihalek’s three 50-yard field goals tied for the most in a season by a UF kicker (sixth to do so) last season (52 yards vs. No. 1 Georgia, 50 yards vs. No. 20 Kentucky, 50 yards at Texas A&M).
» His field goal vs. the Bulldogs was Florida’s longest since Evan McPherson’s 53-yarder on Oct.
10, 2020 vs. Texas A&M. The 52-yarder was tied for fifth-longest in the SEC in 2022.
» Mihalek was one of nine FBS kickers with three-or-more 50-yarders last year.

• P Jeremy Crawshaw averaged 47.94 yards per punt in 35 attempts last season featuring 13 kicks of 50-plus and a season-long of 67 yards vs. South Carolina.
» Against LSU, he totaled 112 yards with a long of 62 as both were placed inside the opposing-20 and 50-plus yards, including one that was muffed and recovered by LS Rocco Underwood to set up a TD.
» In the Las Vegas Bowl, he hit a career-high of four 50-plus-yard punts for an average of 56.5.
» Crawshaw has 89 career punts for an average of 45.7 per attempt with 34 going 50-plus yards.

• RB Trevor Etienne returned three kicks for an average of 33.0 yards vs. LSU including a long return of 47 yards on the game’s opening kick.
» The return was the Gators’ longest since Kadarius Toney’s 51 yards vs. Georgia on Oct. 27, 2018

 

All info from UF Sports info
Florida at Utah, Aug. 31, 2023 (PDF) - Florida Gators