OGT- Florida vs Miami 8/31/24 3:30

Aug 31 (Sat) 3:30 PM
Florida vs #19 Miami

Florida Gators (0-0, 0-0 SEC) vs #19 Miami Hurricanes (0-0, 0-0 ACC)
August 31 // 3:30 p.m. ET // Gainesville, Fla.
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Steve Spurrier-Florida Field (88,548)

Game 1 ABC
Play-by-Play: Joe Tessitore
Analyst: Jesse Palmer
Reporter: Katie George
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: 132 or 192
Westwood One Sports
National Radio
Play-by-Play: Nate Gatter
Analyst: Derek Rackley
Host: Josh Stashower
Channel: TBD

• Watch
• Live Stats
• Tickets

 

This week we will play our first game without one of our friends, Ray Dimbath aka RayGator

I had the honor and joy of having Ray as a friend and moderator on these forums, and it was an honor. Ray was a member of Gator Country for 20 years and was a friend to anyone who knew him. He was just that fine of a person. If you knew him, you just liked him. How could you not? He was kind and gentle to everyone, he loved others as the Lord loved him, completely and with favor and Grace.

1 John 4:16
We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

This Memorial tribute was put together by @ETGator and
g8orbill. This Memorial tribute was put together by @ETGator and I personally thank him so very much for helping us to remember a special Man Ray Dimbath aka RayGator.........
g8orbill

 

THE STORYLINE​

• Florida takes an NCAA-best, 33-game win streak in home openers into Saturday’s game (1989: Ole Miss 24, Florida 19).

• The Gators have lost just two
season openers since 1990, going 30-2 in that span (2017 vs. Michigan, 2023 at Utah).

• Florida is 87-30 all-time in season openers featuring a 71-6 mark in Gainesville.

• UF opens vs. a ranked opponent for the third-straight season for the first time ever, going 1-1 the last two openers.

• Week 1 marks the 57th all-time meeting between Florida and Miami, with the Hurricanes leading, 29-27.

• This is Miami’s 22nd visit to The Swamp but first since 2010 (UF 34, UM 12). Florida is 9-12 at home but 5-4 since 1972.

• Florida is an underdog in a season opener in The Swamp for just the second time since 1970.

• The last two occurences (2-0) were in 2022 vs. Utah (W, 24-19) and on Sept. 20, 1969 vs. No. 7 Houston (W, 59-34).

• This is the fourth time in program history that Florida is opening the season in The Swamp against a ranked opponent.
» Florida is 3-0 all-time in such contests.

• Florida owns the No. 1 strength of schedule in the country, featuring eight Preseason AP Top-20 opponents.

• The Gators were one of two teams to play six games against top-20 opponents in the 2023 regular season (Arizona).

• Last season, Florida ranked second nationally and first in the SEC in completion percentage (72.3%).

• The Gators were the best net punting team (43.3) in the SEC and ranked fourth nationally in that department.

• Florida finished tied for fifth nationally and t-first in the SEC (LSU, Tennessee) in fewest interceptions thrown (five).

• The Gators owned the sixth-highest time of possession (33:06) in the FBS and second-best in the SEC behind Georgia.

• Florida tied for 16th in the FBS with a 91.7% red zone conversion rate. The Gators converted on 42 of 44 trips to the
red zone across their final 11 games.

• Florida ranked sixth in the FBS in kick return defense, allowing an average of 15.1 yards per pick (18.8 per game).

• Although they have never faced off as head coaches, UF HC Billy Napier and UM HC Mario Cristobal spent four
seasons as assistants together on Nick Saban’s staff at Alabama from 2013-16. As assistants on opposite sidelines,
Napier holds a 2-0 record over Cristobal (see Page 11 for more on ‘Crossing Paths’).

• Dating back to the 2018 season, Napier is tied for 12th in the FBS with 51 total victories. He has more wins than Mike
Norvell (50), Lane Kiffin (49), Sonny Dykes (47), Mark Stoops (47) and Cristobal (47) in that time, among others.

• The Gators have won 13 of their last 17 games in The Swamp (including eight of 11), but are 2-16 in their last 18
contests outside The Swamp and 2-12 in their last 14 true road games.

• Florida boasts a 359-115-13 (.751) all-time record at The Swamp, holding the third-highest home winning percentage
in the nation since 1990 with a 178-36 (.832) record.
» The Gators have outscored opponents, 8,017 to 3,476 in 214 games inside The Swamp since 1990, putting the
average outcome at 37.5 to 16.2 (21.3 points).

• Florida has scored in 448-consecutive games dating back to 1988 - an NCAA record and 53 games longer than any
other college football team in the history of the sport.

 

- UNFINISHED BIZ FOR MERTZ AFTER RECORD YEAR -​

• Returning to UF for a second campaign and to CFB for a sixth collegiate season, QB Graham Mertz’s SEC-lead-
ing 72.9% completion percentage (261 of 358) in 2023 signified a new program record at Florida, surpassing
Kyle Trask’s previous mark of 68.9% set in 2020 (301 of 437). Mertz’s mark ranked third nationally.

• Mertz ranked sixth in the FBS and second in the SEC behind Jayden Daniels in TD-INT ratio (6.7), owning 20
touchdowns and three interceptions.

• Mertz’s 157.8 passer rating was the highest rating by a UF quarterback since Trask’s 180.0 in 2020 (sec-
ond-highest since Tim Tebow in 2009), ranking 10th all-time in single-season program history.

• Mertz ranked fourth in single-season program history with 261 completions.

• Mertz set a program record by going 239-consecutive pass attempts without an interception from Week 5 at
Kentucky to Week 12 at Missouri, breaking Tim Tebow’s previous mark of 203 from 2007-08.

• Mertz’s regular season rankings when compared against On3’s top-25 transfer portal QBs from the 2022-23
offseason: completion % (first), fewest interceptions (t-first), passing yards (second) passer rating (second),
completions (second), QBR (third), total touchdowns (t-fourth) and passing touchdowns (fifth).

• Mertz concluded the campaign with two interceptions in his final 353 passes.

• Across his last six games of the year, Mertz threw for 1,683 passing yards (280.5 YPG), 151 completions, a 68.9%
completion percentage, 14 touchdowns and one interception.

• Mertz has thrown a touchdown pass in all 11 of his starts as a Gator.
• Mertz has opened his UF career with 11-straight games completing 62.0% of his passes and one passing
touchdown (70.5%, 82.4%, 79.2%, 87.5%, 83.3%, 83.3%, 62.5%, 71.0%, 62.0%, 68.0%, 67.0%).

• Mertz opened the campaign with six-consecutive performances with a completion percentage above 70.0%
(first Gator to ever do so) and accomplished the feat in eight of 11 games last season.

• Mertz has started all 43 games he has played since 2020, ranking t-ninth among FBS QBs in games played.

• In Week 6 vs. Vanderbilt, Mertz (30-for-36, 83% comp.) joined Tim Tebow (2010 vs. Cincinnati*) as the only
Florida quarterbacks to complete 80.0% of his passes or better on 35 attempts or more since 1996.

• Mertz’s 87.5% comp. pct. in Week 4 was the ninth-best of any FBS quarterback in any game last year.

• In Week 4 vs. McNeese, Mertz’s 87.0% completion percentage (20-for-23) was the highest from a Gators QB
since Kyle Trask’s mark of 90.0% (18-20) against Towson on Sept. 28, 2019 (minimum 20 attempts

 

- MONTRELL JOHNSON JR.: AMERICA’S RB -​

• FMONTRELL JOHNSON JR.: AMERICA’S RBor the second-straight year, RB Montrell Johnson Jr. led the Gators backfield in carries (152) and net rushing yardage (817) while averaging 5.4 yards per carry and 68.1 rushing yards per game.

• Johnson Jr.’s 27 career rushing TDs rank first among active SEC players and sixth in the FBS. He owns 29
multi-purpose TDs (17 at UF: 15 rushing, two receiving).

• Johnson Jr. paced UF in rushing yards in eight of 12 games.

• Johnson Jr. finished with six total touchdowns (five rushing, one receiving) while adding 236 receiving
yards on 30 grabs.

• Johnson Jr. is tied for seventh in the SEC (t-sixth among RBs) with 15 rushing touchdowns since 2022.

• In Week 9, Johnson Jr. led the backfield with nine carries, 82 yards and 9.1 yards per carry as Florida finished
with 109 yards rushing vs. Georgia -- the third-most allowed by the Bulldogs in the 2023 season.

• In Week 6 vs. Vanderbilt, Johnson Jr. rushed 18 times for 135 yards and 7.5 YPC with one score.

• Florida posted its 11th 200-yard rushing game since 2022 (third of 2023) in Week 11 at No. 9 Missouri.

• Florida has rushed for 100-plus yards in 20 of their last 25 games dating back to last season (eight in 2023)

 

EUGENE ‘TRE’ WILSON III POISED FOR STARDOM -​

• WR Eugene Wilson III led all FBS true freshmen in receptions per game (6.1) in 2023 while ranking second in
catches (61), t-second in receiving TDs (six), fourth in receiving YPG (53.8) and seventh in receiving yards (538).

• Wilson III became the first Florida true freshman to eclipse 500 receiving yards since Antonio Callaway in
2015, who holds the UF freshman receiving record with 678 yards.

• Wilson III closed out the season with five touchdowns across the final five games with 287 yards on 35 grabs.

• In the last
six games, he went off for 370 yards on 41 catches including five TDs in the last four contests alone.

• Wilson III paced UF pass-catchers in receptions six times including four of the final five games.

• Wilson III paced UF in receiving yardage three times (Weeks 3, 10 & 13) including a career-high 90 yards on
eight catches and two touchdowns (career high) vs. Arkansas in Week 10.

• Wilson III became the first true freshman receiver at Florida to record multiple touchdowns in a contest
since Riley Cooper recorded three vs. Western Carolina on Nov. 18, 2006.

• The week prior, Wilson III set a UF freshman record with a career-high 11 receptions vs. Georgia, finishing with
75 yards and one touchdown.

• As a true freshman, Wilson ranked second on the roster behind WR Ricky Pearsall in yards and receptions.

 

- THE 2024 RECEIVING ROOM -​

• The Gators return four of its top-five receivers from 2024 in terms of receptions AND yardage: Wilson III (61 for
538), TE Arlis Boardingham (26 for 289), WR Kahleil Jackson (21 for 251) and RB Montrell Johnson Jr. (30 for 236).

• The only other Gator to eclipse 200 yards was top-target Ricky Pearsall (65 catches, 965 yards, four TDs), who
was selected by the San Francisco 49ers with the 31st pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

• Of those to catch multiple touchdown passes for Florida, three of four were freshmen: Wilson III (6), Board-
ingham (4) and TE Hayden Hansen (2).

• Pearsall finished 35 yards shy of becoming the 10th Gator with a 1,000 yard season, but his 965 receiving
yards in 2023 are the 12th-highest total in program history and the most since Kadarius Toney’s 984 in 2020.

• Pearsall recorded a catch in 40-consecutive games to end his career, which was the sixth-longest-active streak in
the FBS by season’s end. rdingham (4) and TE Hayden Hansen (2)

• Now Arizona State transfer WR Elijah Badger joins the fold, ranking t-10th in the FBS with 26-straight games
with a catch. Badger owns 141 career catches, 1,632 yards, 10 receiving TDs and three rushing TDs.

• In addition to Badger, Florida brings in Wisconsin transfer WR Chimere Dike, who was a 2022 All-Big Ten Honor-
able Mention. Dike played in 44 games over four seasons, tallying 97 receptions, 1,478 yards and nine TDs.

• After playing in eight games his first two seasons, Jackson appeared in 11 games while making the first nine
starts of his career. Jackson caught a pass in all 11 games and averaged 12.0 YPC.

• Along with Wilson III, the aforementioned group forms much of UF’s 2024 receiving corps in addition to
redshirt sophomore tight ends Boardingham and Hansen.

• Boardingham led UF with a career-high 99 yards in Week 6 vs. Vanderbilt. He caught a pass in nine-straight
games from Week 2 to Week 12 and finished with 24.1 YPG, ranking fifth on the roster (12 games, 2 starts).

• Hansen caught 12 passes in 12 games (9 starts) while totaling 150 yards and two touchdowns.

• Four-star RS freshman wideouts Aidan Mizell (2 games, 2 catches, 25 yards) and Andy Jean (4 games, 6
catches, 97 yards) look to take a major step forward in their second year with the program.

• True freshman receivers Tank Hawkins (No. 241 recruit per 247Sports) and TJ Abrams (No. 366 recruit per On3)
provide youthful depth at the position, as both represent consensus four-star recruits

 

BOLSTERING THE BACKFIELD​

• Primed to serve as Johnson Jr.’s primary backup, sophomore RB Treyaun Webb rushed 26 times for 163 yards
and one touchdown in 2023 while pacing UF with 6.3 yards per carry. He also added four catches for 18 yards.

• Webb is one of seven FBS sophomore running backs to post over 6.2 YPC on at least 25 carries last season.

• Webb ran four times for 70 yards (17.5 YPC) in Week 6. He scored his first TD vs. McNeese in Week 2 on a career-high 71 yards and became the first Gators true freshman running back to score since Trevor Etienne vs. UK in 2022.

• True freshman RBs Jadan Baugh (No. 342 recruit per On3) and KD Daniels (No. 168 recruit per On3), along with
Coahoma CC transfer RB Ja’Kobi Jackson, figure to slot in on the depth chart behind Webb.

• Jackson started nine games at CCC in 2022, leading the team in rushing yards (661), TDs (7) and YPG (73.4).

 

• Primed to serve as Johnson Jr.’s primary backup, sophomore RB Treyaun Webb rushed 26 times for 163 yards and one touchdown in 2023 while pacing UF with 6.3 yards per carry. He also added four catches for 18 yards.

• Webb is one of seven FBS sophomore running backs to post over 6.2 YPC on at least 25 carries last season.

• Webb ran four times for 70 yards (17.5 YPC) in Week 6. He scored his first TD vs. McNeese in Week 2 on a career-high 71 yards and became the first Gators true freshman running back to score since Trevor Etienne vs. UK in 2022.

• True freshman RBs Jadan Baugh (No. 342 recruit per On3) and KD Daniels (No. 168 recruit per On3), along with Coahoma CC transfer RB Ja’Kobi Jackson, figure to slot in on the depth chart behind Webb.

• Jackson started nine games at CCC in 2022, leading the team in rushing yards (661), TDs (7) and YPG (73.4

 

- STRONG UP FRONT -​

• Florida has allowed 56 sacks in 25 games under HC Billy Napier, which ranks seventh-lowest in the SEC.

• As a member of the Preseason Rimington Trophy Watch List, C Jake Slaughter returns after rating as the No.
9 center in the FBS last season with a 77.8 grade, per PFF. He played a grand total of 622 snaps.

• Slaughter allowed two sacks in the season opener, then did not allow a single sack the remainder of the
season. He allowed just two QB hits all year long, both of which came in the final two weeks of the year.

• The UF OL is completed by LT Austin Barber, LG Knijeah Harris, RG Damien George and RT Brandon Cren-
shaw-Dixon. The latter played in 37 games (36 starts) at SDSU across the past three seasons.

• Across the last three seasons (2021-23), Florida’s 70 sacks allowed is the 23rd-fewest in the FBS

 

OFFENSIVE GRAB BAG ​

• Over the last four seasons (2020-23), Florida ranks 12th in the P5 and fifth in the SEC with 451.1 YPG.

• Since 2018, UF ranks eighth in the P5 in passing efficiency (12.6) and 13th in TD-INT ratio (2.97).

• The Gators have totaled 500-plus yards in five of the last 22 games and in 17 of their last 49 contests.

• In Week 12, the Gators eclipsed 400 yards for the 12th time since the start of 2022 (fifth of 2023). Florida has
amassed 400-plus total yards 29 times in its last 47 games including 42 of the last 66 contests.

• With 261 yards at Missouri, UF rushed for 200 yards 17 times since 2021 including 11 occasions in the Napier era.

• Florida has scored 40 points eight times in 38 games from 2021-23 including four times in the Napier era.

• Florida has scored 30 points 19 times in 38 games from 2021-23 including 13 times in the Napier era

 

- ROBERTS EFFECT AIDS ASCENDING DEFENSE -​

• Over the last four seasons (2020-23), Florida ranks 12th in the P5 and fifth in the SEC with 451.1 YPG.

• Since 2018, UF ranks eighth in the P5 in passing efficiency (12.6) and 13th in TD-INT ratio (2.97).

• The Gators have totaled 500-plus yards in five of the last 22 games and in 17 of their last 49 contests.

• In Week 12, the Gators eclipsed 400 yards for the 12th time since the start of 2022 (fifth of 2023). Florida has
amassed 400-plus total yards 29 times in its last 47 games including 42 of the last 66 contests.

• With 261 yards at Missouri, UF rushed for 200 yards 17 times since 2021 including 11 occasions in the Napier era.

• Florida has scored 40 points eight times in 38 games from 2021-23 including four times in the Napier era.

• Florida has scored 30 points 19 times in 38 games from 2021-23 including 13 times in the Napier era

 

- NEW GATORS HIGHLIGHTED 2023 D​

• It was a group of true freshmen that earned multiple postseason honors after their first collegiate season.

• Four Gators highlighted by three defenders in S Jordan Castell, EDGE Kelby Collins, EDGE T.J. Searcy and
WR Eugene Wilson III were named to the SEC All-Freshman Team selected by the conference coaches.

• The Gators had the most players on the postseason freshman conference team.

• HC Billy Napier has totaled six SEC All-Freshman honors with four on defense (LB Shemar James in 2022).

• It marked the first time since 2012 that four Gators freshmen have been named to the Freshman All-SEC team.

• Castell was the third Florida selection by CFN to receive All-American honors and is the sixth in the last two
seasons. He also earned recognition as an ESPN Freshman All-American.

• The Athletic tabbed Collins a Second Team Freshman All-American.

• Collins played in all 12 games and secured 23 tackles, 1.5 sacks, four QBHs, one PBU and one forced fumble.

• Collins was the fourth-highest-graded UF DL in pass rush (62.4) and third-highest in run defense (70.7) per PFF.

 

- CASTELL IMPRESSIVE FROM DAY ONE -​

UF true freshman S Jordan Castell began his legacy among Gator Nation in his first season.
• Playing in all 12 games, he started the last 11 contests of the campaign. In his first start vs. McNeese in
Week 2, he tallied three tackles and played the most snaps among defensive players (27).
• The first-year player finished as the team-leader in tackles with 60 total; 30 assisted and 30 solo.
• He also added 1.5 tackles-for-loss (-11 yards), three pass breakups and one interception.
• Castell’s season performance in tackles ranked tied for 35th in the SEC and fourth among true freshmen,
trailing Alabama’s Caleb Downs (99), South Carolina’s Jalon Kilgore (76) and Texas A&M’s Taurean York (66).
• He collected a trio of postseason honors in being named Freshman All-SEC, ESPN All-America and CFN
Freshman All-America Honorable Mention.
• Castell was also named to the FWWA (Football Writers Association of America) Midseason Freshman
All-America Watch List.

• The Orlando native played the most defensive snaps on the team with 660 and was one of two UF players
(Jason Marshall Jr. / 651) to play 600-plus snaps.

• There were only 51 total defensive plays that Castell did not play.

• He accumulated a total of 751 snaps played in 2023 (51 on special teams), marking the only defensive
player to play in 700-plus snaps.

• According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Castell finished with a 75.7 grade, ranking fifth among FBS true
freshman and second in the SEC behind Alabama’s Caleb Downs.

• His Week 3 performance in the 29-16 victory over No. 11 Tennessee earned him a pair of weekly honors in
SEC Freshman of the Week and Shaun Alexander National Freshman of the Week.
» He had his first of two double-digit tackle games with a team-high 10 tackles and one pass breakup.

• Against Arkansas, Castell recorded his first-career interception to end Arkansas’ last drive of the first
quarter and also finished with a career-high 11 tackles

• He was the first UF true freshman to register an interception since Marshall Jr. vs. Florida State in 2021.

 

- THE YOUTH MOVEMENT -​

• In Week 1 at No. 14 Utah, the Gators held the Utes to just 38 total yards in the second half - Florida’s lowest
total in a half since giving up just 18 vs. Vanderbilt on Nov. 9, 2019.

• In the Week 2 home opener vs. McNeese, UF held the Cowboys to 46 rushing yards - fewest since 44 vs. South
Carolina in 2022. Florida also held McNeese to 66 passing yards - fewest since Charleston Southern in 2018.

• In Week 2, UF had its best defensive performance (112 yards) in 86 games (Sept. 17, 2016 vs. North Texas - 53).

• Florida held No. 11 Tennessee to its fifth-fewest points (16) in the Josh Heupel era. The Gators also hold the
mark for third-fewest in the head coach’s tenure with 14 points allowed in 2021.

• Against Vanderbilt, the Gators held the Commodores to 64 total rushing yards. It marked the third time of
the 2023 campaign that Florida held an opponent to under 100 rushing yards and fifth of the Napier era.

• Florida limited FSU to 85 total yards including 13 rushing yards and 9:18 possession time in the first half. The
Florida defense did not allow a first down in the first quarter while surrendering just seven total yards.

• Florida has produced 201 sacks since 2018, which ranks second in the SEC and 11th in the FBS

 

SMACK & CRAWSHAW = GAMECHANGERS -​

• K Trey Smack took over place-kicking duties in Florida’s 29-16 win vs. No. 11 Tennessee in Week 3 of last season,
making his first-career field goal from 27 yards in the fourth quarter.

• As a Lou Groza Award Semifinalist, he made 17-of-21 FG attempts (81.0%) highlighted by a pair of 54-yarders.

• Smack was named SEC Special Teams Player of the Week twice (vs. Charlotte, at South Carolina).

• The last time a UF kicker did so twice in a season was in 2012 by Caleb Sturgis and in 2003 by Matt Leach.

• Smack made all FG attempts vs. Charlotte [23, 23, 27, 36, 54] and drilled seven touchbacks on seven attempts.

• He became the first Gator to make five field goals in a single game since Eddy Pineiro in 2017.

• He was also perfect in kickoffs for three-straight weeks with 13-consecutive touchbacks vs. Tennessee and
Charlotte, then again vs. No. 1 Georgia, going 4-for-4.

• Smack recorded 56 touchbacks in 70 attempts for an average of 63.4 yards and was a perfect 29-for-29 on XPs.

• P Jeremy Crawshaw set the single-season program record with 48.9 yards per punt last season and was named an
AP All-SEC Second Team selection. He is the NCAA’s active leader in net punt average at 46.6.

• Of his 42 punts, he knocked seven 60-plus yards, 21 50-plus yards and 15 inside the 20-yard line.

• He has punted 131 times in his career for an average of 46.7 per attempt, 12 60-plus yards, 55 50-plus yards, 51
inside the opponent’s 20-yard line and 47 for fair catches.

• The 46.6 yards per attempt moved Crawshaw to the all-time program leader in career average punting yardage,
passing Johnny Townsend (46.2) and Tommy Townsend (44.8).

 

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