Florida Out To Defend Swamp Against UCF

In a season in which the Florida Gators have the toughest-ranked schedule in college football, the team needs every win it can get.

Coming off a bye week and plenty of preparation, the Gators (2-2) look to make it happen against the University of Central Florida Golden Knights (3-1) tonight starting at 7:45 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

The Gators’ last game ended in a win when they defeated Mississippi State 45-28. While the team put up 45 points, the defense still has a lot of holes to patch.

Florida linebacker Grayson Howard said the team’s defense is “frustrating.” However, he gave credit to his coaches and teammates for continuing to work hard to improve as the season progresses:

On the other side of the ball, the Gators understand the importance of starting the game fast on offense, Gators quarterback Graham Mertz said:

Gators coach Billy Napier shares this sentiment. He emphasized a quick offensive start is “critical” not only for playing winning football, but for getting the sellout crowd into the game early.

“I think starting fast is critical to playing winning football,” Napier said. “Certainly when you play at home, if we’re able to get the crowd into the game, it’s a big piece of the puzzle.”

Strong Knights Offense

UCF is coming off its first loss of the season last week to the Colorado Buffaloes, 48-21. However, the Knights will not be an easy contest for the Gators, who are 1-4 in the last five home games.

The Knights offense is led by transfer quarterback KJ Jefferson, who has proven to be a star in his first season at UCF. Jefferson has 847 yards on the season, with seven touchdowns and three interceptions.

Jefferson’s last appearance against the Gators ended in stunning fashion last season when he led the Arkansas Razorbacks to an overtime victory in The Swamp.

Napier gave credit to Knights coach Gus Malzahn for the team’s “phenomenal” success this season:

The game should be a close one. ESPN betting odds give UCF the slight nod by 2 points. But ESPN’s matchup predictor gives the Gators a 50.9% chance to win the game at home.

The SEC Network and radio stations ESPN 98.1-FM/850-AM WRUF will provide coverage.