Billy Napier previews Utah game, shares thoughts on scheduling openers
PENSACOLA, Fla. — For the fourth time in six years, the Gators will play a Power 5 opponent in the season opener.
Florida football kicks off its 2022 campaign by hosting Utah on Sept. 3. The Utes won the Pac-12 last year and played in the Rose Bowl, while UF went 6-7 and had a coaching change.
Florida traditionally faced a cupcake team(s) to open the season, but that trend has changed recently. UF had neutral-site games against Michigan (2017) and Miami (2019) along with a road game at Ole Miss (2020).
The Gators agreed to a home-and-home series with Utah two years ago, with a trip to Salt Lake City scheduled for 2023.
“Any time you can open the season with a formidable opponent that you know your entire organization, staff and players respect, I think that’s a huge positive,” Florida coach Billy Napier said prior to his speech in Pensacola.
“We got tremendous respect for Utah. Very familiar with their blueprint. They’ve had tremendous success. They’ve been one of the most consistent contenders in the Pac-12. Probably had one of their best teams in a long time last year.”
Following a 1-2 start, the Utes upset No. 3 Oregon 38-7 during the regular season and then defeated the Ducks 38-10 in the Pac-12 Championship Game to win their first conference title in program history.
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Utah lost a 48-45 shootout to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl and finished 10-4. The Utes return experience on both sides of the ball, including quarterback Cameron Rising and running back Tavion Thomas, and added former Florida linebacker Mohamoud Diabate via the transfer portal.
Billy Napier has a difficult matchup in his Swamp debut against Kyle Whittingham, who is entering his 18th season as the Utah coach after replacing Urban Meyer.
“It’s evident when you put the tape on, this team’s got height, length, speed,” Napier said of the Utes. “They’re tough. They play with effort. They’ve got a reputation and a brand that they play to. So, we’ve got a ton of respect for Utah.
“In the meantime, we’re trying to get better today. We’ve got a lot of work to do in preparation for the opener. But I do think that it’s a positive that it’s a formidable opponent, one that we all can agree deserves respect. They play really good football out there.”
The Gators are currently favored by 1.5 points over Utah, according to the latest line from FanDuel.
