Florida football taking on underdog role in season debut against No. 19 Miami at The Swamp

Rarely does Florida football enter a season opener at The Swamp as an underdog.

But that's where the Florida Gators find themselves heading into their 2024 debut against No. 19 Miami at The Swamp (3:30 p.m., ABC).

Per BetMGM, Miami begins the week as a 2.5-point favorite. It's just the third time since 1969 that Florida has opened the season as an underdog. In the last two occurrences, UF won against Utah (29-26 on Sept. 3, 2022) and versus Houston (59-34 on Sept. 20, 1969).

Confidence in Florida is shaky after the Gators dropped their final five games of the 2023 season to finish 5-7 and miss a bowl for the first time since 2017. But Florida football coach Billy Napier, who is 11-14 in two seasons at UF, expects his squad with 14 returning starters on offense and defense to show improvement, beginning with Saturday's showdown with the Hurricanes.

"We have a formula that we kind of subscribe to," Napier said. "I think that we've improved taking care of the ball, creating takeaways. I think our fundamentals have improved. I think we have better awareness and knowledge relative to situational football."

"I do think that we've gotten to a point where I think we can play fast. Our height, length and speed can be a factor in the game. Be aggressive in how we play."

Florida and Miami are playing for the first time at The Swamp since 2008, when the Gators beat the Hurricanes 26-3 in a season that ended with UF celebrating its third national title in school history. Florida and Miami last played in 2019 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, a game the Gators won 24-20.

Like Florida, Miami is entering the season with optimism under third-year coach Mario Cristobal, who has bolstered both lines of scrimmage for the Hurricanes through recruiting and the transfer portal. The Hurricanes have gone 12-13 in Cristobal's first two seasons and added Washington State transfer quarterback Cam Ward to solidify the passing game. Florida is entering its second season with Wisconsin transfer Graham Mertz as its starting quarterback.

"In these types of games emotion will not be needed," Napier said. "Energy, we won't be lacking for that. I think the key here is that we execute. I think execution will be key. I think it's important that between now and the game that all of our decisions reflect kind of our vision for who we want to be, what type of outcome that we want Saturday."

Florida comes into the matchup with projected starting running back Montrell Johnson Jr. questionable after he had his knee scoped at the start of fall camp. Johnson rushed for 817 yards on 5.4 yards per carry and 5 TDs last season. If Johnson can't go, Florida will turn to sophomore running back Treyaun Webb, junior JUCO transfer running back Ja'Kobi Jackson and freshmen running backs KD Daniels and Jadan Baugh.

"We've got a good group," Napier said. "I think you'll see several of those guys throughout the season. Right now, there's a ton of competition."

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Florida football taking on underdog role in season debut against No. 19 Miami at The Swamp