College football is back after an exciting Week 0 soft opening. For Week 1, the Florida Gators will look to stave off a hungry, loaded Miami Hurricanes squad as both teams open the season as part of a terrific slate.
The Gators will look to rebound from a disappointing 5-7 finish in 2023 as they welcome the reloaded Hurricanes and new starter Cameron Ward to The Swamp for an in-state rivalry matchup that should headline the Week 1 contests. Here’s what you need to know about the game, including announcers for the mid-afternoon matchup on Saturday.
Florida Gators and Miami Hurricanes Announcers, Broadcast Details, and More
- Start time: 3:30 p.m. ET
- Channel: ABC/ESPN+
- Radio Stations: ESPN 98.1 FM – 850 AM WRUF, AM 560 Sports WQAM
- Announcers: Joe Tessitore, Jesse Palmer, Katie George
- Betting lines: Florida +2.5
- Over/Under: 54.5
- Moneyline: Florida (+115), Miami (-138)
- Location: Gainesville, Florida, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
Hurricanes vs. Gators Preview
The Hurricanes travel to Gainesville with a new quarterback at the helm and a fresh batch of hope following a 7-6 season that left Mario Cristobal looking for more answers to how the Hurricanes can get back to the top through the transfer portal.
The arrival of Cameron Ward from Washington State will be a big part of what Miami hopes to do in 2024. Ward was electric for the Cougars, and he’ll have some weapons to work with, as Xavier Restrepo returns for a Hurricanes unit that ranked second in the ACC in offensive production.
Maybe a better sign for the Hurricanes was the return of Rueben Bain Jr., the stellar EDGE player who had 7.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss last year. He’s joined by one of the best linebackers in the country in Francisco Mauigoa, who led the team with 82 tackles, with 7.5 sacks and 18 TFLs.
On the other side of the field, Florida is trying to climb back into the top of the SEC after missing out on a bowl for the 2023 season. Bringing back the efficient Graham Mertz should help the Gators build on the five wins from last season, and the retention of Montrell Johnson should help with the departure of Trevor Etienne, who left for Georgia. Meanwhile, Eugene Wilson III will be tasked with replacing the production of new San Francisco 49er Ricky Pearsall.
Defensively, the Gators will look to Jordan Castell and Jason Marshall Jr. in the secondary and behemoth Cam Jackson in the middle of the defensive line to improve on a group that was gashed in the run game, giving up almost five yards per carry on the ground.
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The secondary will also look to replace Princely Umanmielen — now with Ole Miss — and will have options as plenty of young players saw playing time in 2023. Asa Turner’s arrival from Washington should help Castell as the pair will anchor the safety positions, and there’s plenty of hope that Marshall will emerge as a shutdown corner for a defense that was 70th in the country against the pass.
Stylistically, it will be a battle of the trenches, with a revamped Florida defensive line taking on a strong Miami unit. Likewise, the Gators’ offensive line will be tasked with a tenacious and reloaded Hurricanes defensive front.
The highlight-reel Ward against the efficient Mertz is another fun matchup to watch in this game.
Finally, a home game at The Swamp in August is always a treat. But with in-state rival Miami coming to town, the atmosphere in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium should be as raucous as ever as the Gators look to prove that they won’t back down.
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