Miami Hurricanes vs. Florida Gators FAQ: What to know about season-opening matchup
The No. 19 Miami Hurricanes begin the 2024 season, their third under coach Mario Cristobal, on Saturday against the Florida Gators.
Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. from Gainesville’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
Here is what you need to know about the matchup.
How can I watch the Miami Hurricanes vs. Florida Gators game?
The game will be televised on ABC. It can also be live streamed on the ESPN app.
Who is favored in the Miami Hurricanes vs. Florida Gators game?
The Hurricanes are a two-and-a-half point favorite as the road team. The over/under is 54.5 points.
What is the history between the Miami Hurricanes and Florida Gators?
Saturday will be the 57th meeting between the Hurricanes and the Gators. Miami has the all-time series lead 29-27, including five of the seven games played this century.
This will be the first game of the series played in Gainesville since 2008.
The teams will meet again next season on Sept. 20, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium.
What are the expectations for the Miami Hurricanes and Florida Gators entering the season?
The Hurricanes were voted to finish third in the 17-team Atlantic Coast Conference.
The Gators were voted to finish 12th in the 16-team Southeastern Conference.
Florida has arguably the toughest schedule in college football this season, with eight of its 12 games coming against teams that began the season ranked in the Associated Press top 25 poll. Miami, meanwhile, has just one opponent ranked in the top 25 to begin the season.
What are three keys for the Miami Hurricanes against the Florida Gators?
▪ Handling crowd noise on the road: The Swamp will be sold out, with about 90,000 expected to pack the stadium. The Hurricanes have been preparing by blasting crowd noise during practice to make sure their communication is on point.
▪ Offense under Cam Ward: Quarterback Cam Ward’s long-awaited Miami debut has arrived. After four solid seasons of college football to this points (two apiece at FCS Incarnate Word and Washington State) and being the subject of a ton of preseason hype, will Ward live up to the expectations?
▪ Winning the line of scrimmage: A focal point for the Hurricanes this week has been the trenches, with Cristobal saying he’s envisioning a “muddy, bloody battle” at the line of scrimmage on Saturday.
Who are the Miami Hurricanes players to watch?
▪ Running back Damien Martinez: Ward wasn’t the only high-profile transfer the Hurricanes got from now-deteriorated Pac-12. Martinez, who played his first two seasons at Oregon State, is expected to lead the way in the backfield.
▪ Edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr.: The defensive lineman is the reigning ACC Rookie Defensive Player of the Year after logging 12.5 tackles for loss and seven-and-a-half sacks as a freshman. He’s poised to take another step forward this season.
▪ Safety Mishael Powell: The Washington transfer brings needed experience to a secondary that only returns one starter from last season’s team.
Who are the Florida Gators players to watch?
▪ Quarterback Graham Mertz: Mertz enters his second year as Florida’s starting quarterback. In 2023, he completed 72.9 percent of his passes for 2,903 yards and 20 touchdowns while throwing just three interceptions.
▪ Wide receiver Eugene Wilson III: The sophomore is Florida’s leading returning receiver after catching 61 passes for 538 yards and six touchdowns as a freshman.
▪ Defensive back Jason Marshall: The junior, a Miami native who graduated from Palmetto High, had a team-high 10 pass breakups last season while also recording 26 tackles and three tackles for loss.
.JPG)