Michigan Football Opponent Preview: Florida Gators

First up on Michigan football’s 2017 schedule is Florida, which could be a preseason top-15 team. Here’s what you need to know about the Gators.

The first Saturday of the 2017 college football season is bringing us a few high quality matchups, and Michigan football taking on Florida in the AdvoCare Classic is definitely one of them.

The Rundown

When: Saturday, Sept. 2

Where: AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Texas)

Time: 3:30 p.m. EST

Last Meeting: Michigan 41, Florida 7 (2016 Citrus Bowl)

Florida’s 2016 Record: 9-4 (6-2)

Bovada Over/Under Win Total: 8

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Last Season

For the second straight season, Florida won the SEC East, and it wasn’t even close. With a 6-2 conference record, the Gators finished two games ahead of Georgia, Tennessee and Kentucky. Florida finished the regular season and SEC championship on a tough skid, losing to Florida State and Alabama by a combined score of 85-29. However, the Gators finished their season on a high note with a 30-3 win over Iowa in the Outback Bowl.

Biggest Storyline

This is an easy one: Malik Zaire, who was never really able to find his place in the Notre Dame offense, has transferred to Florida and is immediately eligible as a fifth-year senior. The Gators haven’t had strong quarterback play since Tim Tebow in 2009, and the last time it was even adequate was under Jeff Driskel in 2012.

It isn’t clear if Zaire is the favorite to be the starter, but there is definitely a robust competition underway in Gainesville. While redshirt freshman Feleipe Franks emerged from spring as the No. 1 quarterback, that was before Zaire’s arrival. And redshirt junior Luke Del Rio, last year’s starter whose season was derailed by injuries, will also be jockeying for the starting job.

The Offense

The competition at quarterback is a crowded one. (You might as well throw redshirt freshman Kyle Trask into the mix too.) But is there a quality quarterback somewhere in there? If not, the Gators could be strapped by the same problem that’s been holding them back for years.

Florida’s top three running backs are back, and that includes junior Jordan Scarlett, who separated himself from the pack last season and finished with 889 yards on 179 carries. Scarlett could turn into even more of a feature piece for the Gators; when he got more than 20 carries last season (three times), he averaged 112 yards. Still, sophomore Lamical Perine and senior Mark Thompson got involved in last year’s run game and could make an impact in 2017.

Florida’s receiving corps is in pretty good shape. Leading receiver junior Antonio Callaway is back off of a 721-yard performance last season, as are three of the Gators’ other top four receivers. If Florida can find a good enough arm to deliver them the ball, these wideouts (along with tight end DeAndre Goolsby) could help the offense take a big step forward.

The position unit that might be in the best shape on this side of the ball is the offensive line, which is returning three of five starters. Last season, the line was returning 10 career starts after losing four starters to the NFL. Now there are 63 combined starts coming back.

The Defense

The offensive woes have been well documented. Florida has been to two straight SEC title games simply because its defenses have been incredible.

The defensive line, after losing two starters, managed the 2016 season really well… until the final four games, when opponents rushed for 218 yards per game. Granted, two of those games were against Florida State and Alabama. Florida will be without three starters from last season, including both tackles, but the rest of the top 10 will be back. That includes Jabari Zuniga, who last season became the first true freshman at Florida since 1987 to record five sacks.

Florida’s linebackers are looking at an uphill battle this season. The Gators are losing Jarrad Davis, whose 60 tackles ranked No. 2 last season, and Alex Anzalone, the No. 3 tackler. Both missed considerable time last season (11 combined starts) due to injury, which allowed true freshmen David Reese and Kylan Johnson to gain valuable experience. However, it would take something dramatic for this unit to not take at least a small step back this season.

It wouldn’t be fair to say the linebackers are going through the toughest transition for the Gators this season—because that title could belong to the defensive backfield. The big loss that will be talked about most is that of two-time All-American cornerback Jalen Tabor, who last season had four interceptions and six pass break-ups. Other losses include cornerback Quincy Wilson (three interceptions) and safety Marcus Maye (50 tackles). They will be replaced with veteran players, but the staples of the defensive backfield are gone.

Outlook

Florida is a team getting a decent amount of hype heading into the 2017 season. ESPN ranks the Gators at No. 21, Sporting News at No. 15, and Phil Steele at No. 9. That’s because, with a defense that can be relied upon, Florida seems to be a quarterback away from having its most complete team in a decade.

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The Gators are also looking at one of the more favorable schedules in college football. With two neutral site games against Michigan and Georgia, Florida only has three true road games (Kentucky, Missouri, South Carolina), leaving the Gators in prime position to win the SEC East for a third straight season.

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