When: Saturday, 7:45 p.m.
Where: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville
Latest line: UF is favored by 26.5 points
TV: SEC Network
Weather: 84 degrees, 20% chance of rain
Coaches: Zach Kittley 4-8 at FAU; Jon Sumrall in first year at UF, 43-12 overall.
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Quick slant: The last Gators coach to lose his debut at the school was Charley Pell in 1979. … Sumrall is the ninth head coach since then. … Florida is 4-0 in the series, last defeating the Owls 35-14 to open 2021 in Dan Mullen’s final season. … The 35-year-old Kittley is the youngest head coach at the FBS level.
About FAU (0-0): The 2025 Owls led the nation with 340.2 passing yards per game and return quarterback Caden Veltkamp and leading receiver Easton Messer. Veltkamp threw for a school-record 3,641 yards and 24 touchdownss but also a national-leading 17 interceptions. Messer finished with 1,052 yards and six touchdowns on 104 receptions. FAU also allowed a program-record 36.3 points per game and yielded 5.97 per play, ranking 107th among 136 FBS teams.
About UF (0-0): Aaron Philo becomes the Gators’ seventh starting quarterback in eight seasons at quarterback after following offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner from Georgia Tech. Philo passed for 938 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions during six appearances with the Yellow Jackets, adding an 18-yard, game-winning run in relief against N.C. State in 2024. He is among six transfers starting on offense, while two will start on defense. The unit that ranked 70th and 75th nationally the past two seasons.
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Three things to watch
1. The trenches. Sumrall wants his team to establish its identity with phyiscality and toughness up front. Florida faces a learning curve on the offensive line, with three transfers in a starting role and senior Bryce Lovett starting for the first time at left tackle. Florida tallied 19 sacks in four games, but only seven in the other eight last season. Coordinator Brad White seeks consistent pressure.
2. Gators secondary. Kittley’s up-tempo attack will test the communication on the defense’s back end a season after Florida allowed 15 completions of at least 40 yards, ranking 100th nationally. Sophomore cornerback Ben Hanks Jr., who received high praise from Sumrall since spring, makes his first career start.
3. Receiver Dallas Wilson. Florida’s 6-foot-3, 218-pound sophomore is a rare talent. Foot injuries limited him to four games last season, but he addressed them during the offeason. If healthy, he can create opportunities throughout the offense.
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Edgar Thompson can be reached at [email protected]