SEC Nation coming to Gainesville for Florida football opener vs Miami

Florida football will get some added exposure from the SEC Network before its season opener on Aug. 31 against Miami.

The SEC Network's pregame show SEC Nation will come to town to preview the showdown between the Florida Gators and rival Hurricanes.

Florida graduate Laura Rutledge will host the show for her eighth season, her ninth on the show overall, joined by Gator great Tim Tebow, Paul Finebaum, Jordan Rodgers and Roman Harper.

Florida has hosted SEC Nation 11 times previously, including six times in Gainesville, since the show first aired in 2014. The show most recently came to Gainesville on September 18, 2021, when the No. 11 Gators hosted No. 1 Alabama in the Swamp. Finebaum stared down a live baby alligator before the game, and the Tide squeaked by with a 31-29 win over UF.

SEC Nation was also in attendance when the Gators last faced Miami, as the show traveled to Camping World Stadium in Orlando for UF's August 24, 2019 matchup with the Hurricanes. Florida beat Miami that night 24-20.

The show also will feature a refreshed version of the SEC Nation theme song, “Take The Party" that adds new conference members Oklahoma and Texas. The song will be performed by country star Brooke Eden, a West Palm Beach native and UF graduate.