Florida Gators ready for action

A weather-canceled opener coupled with last year’s season-ending, seven-game losing streak has left unranked Florida with plenty of pent-up energy.

The Gators are ready to unleash against Eastern Michigan on Saturday (4 p.m., SEC Network), with senior linebacker Michael Taylor saying, “Pray for them.”

“Out at practice, I got mad, because I’m like, ‘Dang, I can’t take anyone to the ground [yet],’ ” Taylor said.

“You don’t want to unleash on your teammates, so it’s just like when I finally get out there, pray for them. That’s how we all feel, because we’ve got some stuff to let out. It’s been a while, so we’re just ready to take the field."

The Eagles have tallied just four victories over the past two years and haven’t been to a bowl game since 1987, but backed by a prolific rushing attack (292 yards on 56 carries), EMU did eke out a 31-28 win against Morgan State last weekend.

One advantage

Offensive coordinator Kurt Roper acknowledged that Florida’s suspended opener against Idaho accelerates the urgency in the unit’s progress, but he also spun a positive out of failing to play a game: no tape. The Gators have film on the Eagles’ defensive personnel and packages, but UF’s revamped offense remains a mystery.

“One of the advantages we have over them is they haven’t had a chance to see us this year,” Roper said.

“…It helps to see who’s playing in those positions and how you’re structuring it.”

This story was originally published September 4, 2014 at 8:55 PM with the headline "Florida Gators ready for action."