In front of 90,799 fans in Ben Hill Griffin, Florida head coach Billy Napier opened his Gators career in style. Florida hosted the No. 7 Utah Utes and delivered a signature moment in the coach’s young career.
With 22 seconds on the clock, Utah quarterback Cam Rising stood six yards from the Florida endzone and a comeback victory. UF linebacker Amari Burney erased those dreams with an interception to give the Gators their first landmark victory of the Napier era.
362 days later, Florida once again faces a ranked Utah squad searching for a massive victory. But the faces and stakes couldn’t be more different.
The Gators open the 2023 season with a daunting road trip to the No. 14 Utes. This is Florida’s first regular season game west of Texas since a 1983 trip to the University of Southern California. And like those Trojans 40 years ago, Utah will provide an early litmus test for UF.
After the Utes fell in the Swamp to open the season, Utah rebounded with authority. Head coach Kyle Whittingham led his team to another excellent season in the Pac-12.
Utah finished 9-3 in the regular season and dominated USC in the conference title game to claim a second-straight conference crown. The season ended with a whimper — a two-touchdown loss to Penn State in the Rose Bowl — but the program secured its third 10-win season in four years.
For some, a 2,200 mile trip to the reigning Pac-12 champions could be daunting, especially with a packed Rice-Eccles Stadium waiting on the other side. But Florida’s veteran leaders emit confidence leading into Thursday.
Redshirt junior quarterback Graham Mertz will make his first start for the Gators, but it’s hardly his first experience in college football. The Wisconsin transfer has more than 30 games of experience in his locker, including road trips to Ohio State and Michigan.
“I've had a lot of game prep weeks, a couple first games of the season,” Mertz said in an Aug. 28 press conference.
Junior wide receiver Ricky Pearsall has seen Utah’s environment firsthand from his time at Arizona State. Despite the raucous crowd, he doesn’t expect it to compare to the environments in the SEC, he said.
“Their fans do a really good job at making a hostile environment,” Pearsall said in an Aug. 25 press conference. “They're just nothing like the Swamp, like the SEC."
The already difficult travel across the country was made more complicated by Hurricane Idalia. The team originally planned to fly directly to Utah Wednesday but had to change their plans due to the storm.
The Gators left a day early to Dallas before eventually landing in Salt Lake City as previously planned.
“I do want to thank our administration,” Napier said in an Aug. 28 press conference. “A lot of moving parts when you start talking about moving 100 plus people across the country.”
When the logistics settle and Florida finally arrives in Salt Lake City Thursday night, a talented Utah team will be waiting. The roster has lost several key starters over the year, but Whittingham’s team is still deep and experienced, starting at quarterback.
Rising has dealt with injuries throughout training camp and his status for Thursday isn’t confirmed yet. But the 24-year-old senior signal caller is one of the best, and most experienced, players in the country when healthy.
“He’s a great decision maker,” said Florida redshirt senior linebacker Teradja Mithcell in an Aug. 25 press conference. “He's also good with his feet, so just try to contain him, keep him in the pocket.”
Redshirt senior tight end Brant Kuithe is also questionable with an injury, but he’s the Utes top pass catcher. He torched the Gators last season with nine catches for 105 yards and a touchdown.
Redshirt sophomore Ja’Quinden Jackson and junior Micah Bernard are the stars of the rushing attack. Rising and Kuithe are the biggest names on offense, but Utah’s approach is centered around the running game and physicality up front.
That physicality also translates to the Utes’ defense. Utah boasted the second-fewest yards allowed per game in the Pac-12 last season, and the program is known for always fielding a tough, competitive defense.
Mertz and the Gators offense will look to break through with a cast of talented young skill players and a physical offensive line of their own. Florida is led by its dynamic duo at running back: junior Montrell Johnson Jr. and sophomore Trevor Etienne.
The receiving core is more of a question mark — Pearsall is the only returning starter — but several young players have turned heads. One of those players is freshman Eugene Wilson III, who earned rave reviews from teammates and coaches throughout Fall.
“I haven't seen a young guy that fast, that twitchy that retains information that quickly,” Mertz said in an Aug. 28 press conference.
The new look Gators will make their long awaited debut between the white lines Thursday. The game is scheduled to kickoff at 8 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN.
Contact Topher Adams at tadams@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @Topher_Adams.
Topher Adams is a fourth-year communications major and in his fourth semester with the Alligator. He previously covered football, baseball and women's basketball. He also enjoys professional lacrosse and Major League Soccer.
