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SPORTS | FOOTBALL

Picks Column: Week 1

Aug. 29, 2019

Oh boy.

UF receiver Trevon Grimes (right) on quarterback Feleipe Franks' celebrations: "People don’t understand, he goes through so much stuff. He goes through so much criticism."

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

Florida football: 5 of the best quotes from Tuesday’s practice

By Sam Campisano | Aug. 27, 2019

The dust has settled after Florida’s uninspiring 24-20 season-opening win over Miami. With the team back in Gainesville, the media had the chance to speak with players and coaches after Tuesday’s practice. Here are five of the most interesting quotes:

UF forward Deanne Rose scored three goals in the Gators' first two games. She only played in 10 games in 2018 due to her obligations to the Canadian national team.

SPORTS | SOCCER

Gators head to Los Angeles to play two top 5 opponents

By Graham Marsh | Aug. 27, 2019

Florida’s soccer team is in the middle of a five-match road trip. This stretch features five top 25 opponents, three top 5 opponents and a contest against the No. 1 Florida State Seminoles.

Quarterback Feleipe Franks hit receiver Josh Hammond on a 65-yard streak in the fourth quarter. It set up Franks' game-winning touchdown run.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

By the way, the Gators won

By Kyle Wood | Aug. 27, 2019

You don’t have to look far to find critics of Florida football’s Week 0 performance.

Florida quarterback Feleipe Franks went 17 of 27 with 254 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions and a fumble in UF's 24-20 win over Miami Saturday.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

Mullen must learn to trust Franks more to be successful

By Dylan Rudolph | Aug. 25, 2019

Coach Dan Mullen went into Saturday’s matchup against the Miami Hurricanes hoping to win with a conservative mindset. He expected short passes and outside run plays to compensate for an inexperienced offensive line that was sure to have trouble with a Miami defensive line that started four upperclassmen.

Sophomore setter Marlie Monserez is a big threat on the defensive front when it comes to plays at the net. Monserez tied for first on the roster in blocks during the exhibition match against UCF tallying five on the afternoon.

SPORTS | VOLLEYBALL

Gators volleyball: 3 takeaways from UF’s exhibition game

By Mari Faiello | Aug. 25, 2019

Saturday afternoon may have just been an exhibition match, but it gave Gator Nation a real glimpse at what could be in store for its volleyball team this year.

Junior receiver Kadarius Toney scored a 66-yard touchdown off a screen pass in the first quarter of UF’s 24-20 win over the Miami Hurricanes.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

UF leaves Orlando with a win and a lot to work on

By Kyle Wood | Aug. 25, 2019

Florida’s football team may have had a slightly shorter offseason than the majority of Division I football teams, but it still had 238 days since its last snap of meaningful football to prepare for Miami.

Florida's offensive line struggled on Saturday. The Gators managed just 52 rushing yards.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

A tale of two lines

By Dylan Rudolph | Aug. 24, 2019

The contrast between Florida’s two lines on Saturday in Orlando was evident. No. 8 Florida came out on top against Miami, 24-20, with the help of its defensive line and its aggressiveness at the line of scrimmage, but the offensive line still remains a huge question mark.

Feleipe Franks scored the game-winning touchdown on a three-yard rush with 8:18 left in the game.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

Gators eke out comeback victory over Miami

By Tyler Nettuno | Aug. 24, 2019

It wasn’t the game Florida’s players hoped it would be.

Saturday's season opener was sloppy for both teams. Florida and Miami combined for five fumbles.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

It’s hard to find any positives from UF’s season opener

By Sam Campisano | Aug. 24, 2019

The Gators won. That’s about the only thing that went right.

Middle blocker Darrielle King registered five kills and five blocks in Florida's exhibition victory over UCF.

SPORTS | VOLLEYBALL

Gators volleyball takes exhibition match over UCF 4-1

By Mari Faiello | Aug. 24, 2019

Darrielle King stood at the net with her knees bent and arms down by her sides. The middle blocker stared fiercely through the net toward her opponents as the ball crossed the net’s plane from her own baseline.

Forward Deanne Rose (21) scored two goals in Florida's season-opening win over FAU, including the overtime winner.

SPORTS | SOCCER

UF defeats FAU in rainy overtime thriller

By Bryan Matamoros | Aug. 23, 2019

Junior forward Deanne Rose played in only 10 out of the 21 games for Florida’s soccer team in the 2018-19 campaign. She recorded two goals while playing 718 minutes last year due to national team commitments with Canada.

Redshirt junior opposite attacker Holly Carlton feels more comfortable with her role on the team with a year under her belt. She transferred to Florida from North Carolina last season.

SPORTS | VOLLEYBALL

Gators volleyball: 3 things to know coming off media day

By Mari Faiello | Aug. 22, 2019

Florida fans won’t have to wait long for the competition to heat up when it comes to Gators volleyball.

$Redshirt junior midfielder Parker Roberts missed most of last season with a foot fracture. She's expected to play a key role on the Gators' team this fall. Roberts earned First Team All-SEC honors in 2017.$

SPORTS | SOCCER

Florida travels to South Florida for season opener against FAU

By Bryan Matamoros | Aug. 22, 2019

Florida soccer coach Becky Burleigh still has a plethora of weapons at her disposal this season despite losing 11 seniors, including four that started in the 1-0 overtime loss against Arkansas in the SEC Tournament semifinals that ended Florida’s 2018-19 campaign.

Redshirt senior receiver Van Jefferson led the Gators in receiving yards (503) and receiving touchdowns (6) last season. He faces a Miami secondary that only returns one starter on Saturday.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

Previewing UF's Week 0 opener against the Hurricanes

By Kyle Wood | Aug. 22, 2019

Florida opens its season against Miami on Saturday night. Here are several key positional matchups to keep an eye on as the Gators and Hurricanes renew their rivalry.

The Gators and 'Canes played annually from 1944-1987. They've played six times since then, with UM taking every game except for a 26-3 Florida win in 2008.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

alligatorSports predicts Florida-Miami matchup

By Dylan Rudolph | Aug. 22, 2019

Florida takes on the Hurricanes in Orlando on Saturday in the first matchup between the two teams since 2013. Football writers Sam Campisano, Dylan Rudolph, Kyle Wood and Tyler Nettuno give their predictions for the game below.

Senior middle blocker Rachael Kramer notched 267 kills last season, tying for first on the roster.

SPORTS | VOLLEYBALL

Chompin’ at the bit: Players to watch this weekend

By Mari Faiello | Aug. 20, 2019

The offseason finish line is finally in sight for Gators volleyball fans with just two days remaining until the team hits the court against UCF. It’s the first time Florida will compete since an early NCAA Tournament exit at BYU last season.

Redshirt senior center Nick Buchanan is the only returning starter on Florida’s offensive line.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

Ground zero for Week 0: the line of scrimmage

By Kyle Wood | Aug. 20, 2019

The Florida football team is experiencing unfamiliar continuity under center in returning starting quarterback Feleipe Franks. The same cannot be said for the offensive line, the unit charged with protecting the focal point of the Gators offense.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart looks on during an NCAA college football practice at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga., Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

The blueprint UF can follow to the College Football Playoff

By Sam Campisano | Aug. 20, 2019

Making a good team a great team is rarely cut and dry. Florida won 19 games in former coach Jim McElwain’s first two years, but failed to reach the ultimate stage.

UF coach Becky Burleigh knows her team is in for a challenging season with one of the hardest schedules in the nation.

SPORTS | SOCCER

Gators gear up for a challenging 2019-20 season

By Bryan Matamoros | Aug. 19, 2019

Florida’s soccer team had a disappointing 2018-19 campaign. The Gators made it to the NCAA quarterfinals in 2017 but finished with a losing record for the first time in program history last year.