With ESPN’s “College Gameday” arriving on campus, Miami fans are set to flood Hard Rock Stadium in orange and green Saturday night when the Hurricanes host the Florida Gators.
Coming off a lopsided victory against then No.18 ranked South Florida, No. 4 Miami (3-0) welcomes its in-state rival in hopes of going into the bye week undefeated.
The Florida Gators (1-2, 0-1 SEC) on the other hand, is entering this game desperate for a win. After an upset loss at home against USF two weeks ago, UF came into this past weekend with hopes of reclaiming its season by knocking off No. 3 LSU.
That game ended in a disappointing 20-10 loss where sophomore quarterback DJ Lagway threw five interceptions.
“I know there’ll be a lot of dialogue and narrative about DJ,” said Florida head coach Billy Napier. “He’ll take complete ownership of the things that he can do better. We all understand that.”
With both teams aware of their own, as well as the opposition’s situation, this weekend is set up for a fiery matchup between two historic rivals.
With last year’s 41-17 victory for the ‘Canes in the Swamp, Florida looks to return the favor as they make the trip down to South Florida.
Florida is likely game planning for two things: Miami’s dual threat offense and dominant defensive line.
As Mark Fletcher Jr. has established an aggressive run game with Jordan Lyle and CharMar Brown getting their share of touches, Miami quarterback Carson Beck slowly climbs the Heisman ladder as he nears 1,000 passing yards on the season.
Defensively, Miami is reliant on its big men up front, Reuben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor. The duo are leading the team in total tackles and sacks and their relentless rush takes pressure off of an improved, but but not perfect secondary.
Florida, on the other hand, has displayed a lack of confidence in their last two games. Despite the UF defense holding LSU to just one offensive touchdown, its offense has been stifled by opponents, scoring only two touchdowns in its last two losses.
Yet, Miami head coach Mario Cristobal and the Hurricanes are not taking the Gators lightly.
“It’s very clear they’re an extremely talented team,” Cristobal said about the Gators, “They’re well coached. They play hard, and for us a great opportunity.”
Regardless of record and recent play, both teams have a bitter history between one another, guaranteeing an electric environment for College Gameday.
The Hurricanes and the Gators will play their 58th matchup against each other this week at Hard Rock Stadium. Saturday’s kickoff in Miami Gardens is set for 7:30 p.m. and will air on ABC.