NCAAF Game Preview - Michigan at Florida
Sat Sep 2, 2017 3:30 PM EDT

FlaSt
7
Bama
24
F
OSU
49
Ind
21
F
WestMI
31
USC
49
F
Kent
3
Clem
56
F
Akr
0
PSU
52
F
UTEP
7
Okla
56
F
Wash
30
Rut
14
F
UtSt
10
Wisc
59
F
Tuls
24
OkSt
59
F
Mich
33
Fla
17
F
GaSo
7
Aub
41
F
BYU
0
LSU
27
F
App
10
UGA
31
F
Lou
35
Purd
28
F
B-C
13
MiaFL
41
F
Stony
17
SoFL
31
F
C Ark
19
K St
55
F
WVU
24
VaTec
31
F
MD
51
Tex
41
F
MonSt
0
WaSt
31
F
Tenn
42
GATec
41
F(1OT)
FLInt
17
UCF
61
F
Presb
7
Wake
51
F
URI
27
C Mi
30
F(2OT)
TnSt
17
GASt
10
F
Elon
13
Toled
47
F
Buff
7
MIN
17
F
APSU
14
Cin
26
F
UND
16
Utah
37
F
HolyC
20
UConn
27
F
FlaAM
7
Ark
49
F
ULMon
29
Mem
37
F
NMS
31
AzSt
37
F
Ford
6
Army
64
F
UNCC
7
E Mi
24
F
Rich
34
SamHu
48
F
CenCt
7
Syr
50
F
Navy
42
FlAtl
19
F
ColSt
3
Colo
17
F
BC
23
NIU
20
F
MoStU
43
MIZ
72
F
Wyo
3
Iowa
24
F
Ball
21
Ill
24
F
BGSU
10
MSU
35
F
Cal
35
UNC
30
F
YSU
21
Pitt
28
F OT
PorSt
32
OreSt
35
F
VMI
0
AF
62
F
NCSt
28
SCar
35
F
AlaAM
7
UAB
38
F
NEV
20
NW
31
F
W&M
10
UVA
28
F
Temp
16
ND
49
F
Troy
13
Boise
24
F
EWa
10
TxTch
56
F
KY
24
SMiss
17
F
ChaSo
0
MissSt
49
F
Alb
17
OD
31
F
JMU
34
ECU
14
F
NCC
7
Duke
60
F
MiaOH
26
Marsh
31
F
HBU
11
TxSt
20
F
Hamp
0
Ohio
59
F
SFA
14
SMU
58
F
E Ky
17
W Ky
31
F
Lamar
14
NorTx
59
F
NWSt
24
LT
52
F
SouLA
48
ULLaf
51
F
SEMO
16
Kans
38
F
Lib
48
Bayl
45
F
UMass
28
CoCar
38
F
CAPly
13
SJSU
34
F
SoAl
27
Miss
47
F
Gram
14
Tul
43
F
Abil
14
NM
38
F
JacSt
0
TCU
63
F
ArkSt
36
Neb
43
F
Vand
28
MidTN
6
F
NoIa
24
IASt
42
F
SoUt
21
Oreg
77
F
UCDav
17
SDSU
38
F
How
43
UNLV
40
F
(N/A)
0
Fres
66
F
NoAZ
24
Ariz
62
F
WCU
18
Hawaii
41
F
TxAM
44
UCLA
45
F
Hou
UTSA
Canc
No. 11 Michigan, No. 17 Florida keep secrets ahead of tilt
Thu Aug 31, 2017 1:13 PM

Jim Harbaugh doesn't get to play in Saturday's contest, but the Michigan coach certainly has gotten in a lot of game-playing leading up to the No. 11 Wolverines' season opener against No. 17 Florida at Arlington, Texas.

Harbaugh refused to release his team's playing roster until Wednesday, declined to formally announce his quarterback and then went overboard by insinuating Florida coach Jim McElwain was the one playing games by initially not revealing his team's signal-caller.

Michigan senior center Mason Cole hears all the chatter and just shrugs.

"We don't think anything of it," Cole said at a press conference. "We just go out and play. We don't really worry about the rosters."

All the secrets will be unearthed during Saturday's game, but this much is known: The Wolverines lost a lot of stars off last season's 10-3 squad while 10 Florida players will be serving suspensions.

Michigan had a school-record 11 players selected in the 2017 NFL Draft, meaning there are new faces in new roles all over the field.

The Gators, who went 9-4 last season, have won 27 consecutive season openers -- the best streak in the nation.

McElwain initially didn't divulge his starting quarterback before naming redshirt freshman Feleipe Franks on Wednesday. Franks beat out incumbent starter Luke Del Rio and Notre Dame transfer Malik Zaire.

"He deserves it," coach Jim McElwain told reporters. "In that big stage (AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas), the guy's got a big arm, too. He'll be ready to go."

Franks threw for 2,766 yards and 35 touchdowns during his senior season at Wakulla High School in Crawfordville, Fla.

Meanwhile, junior Wilton Speight appears to once again be Michigan's quarterback after waging a tight battle with senior John O'Korn in fall camp. But Harbaugh isn't interested in revealing anything related to personnel.

"I have not heard Florida announce who their starting quarterback is going to be," Harbaugh said at the time. "We'd love to have that information, and so, no, we're not announcing our starting quarterback."

The one undisputed fact about the matchup is that standout junior receiver Antonio Callaway (54 receptions for 721 yards last season) and junior running back Jordan Scarlett (889 yards) are among the Gators who will be serving suspensions on Saturday. The suspensions for Scarlett and redshirt freshman receiver Rick Wells were announced Wednesday.

Sophomore Lamical Perine, who rushed for 421 yards last season, will move into the featured running back role.

Florida figures to once again be stingy on defense. The Gators allowed an average of 16.8 points last season and junior Jared Zuniga (team-best five sacks) is back to deliver more damage.

Michigan's defense was ravaged by departures, creating more opportunity for ballyhooed defensive end Rashan Gary to live up to the hype. The sophomore is a second-team preseason All-American despite being a reserve last season, when he had 27 tackles, including five for loss.

Senior defensive tackle Maurice Hurst (4.5 sacks last season) goes from stellar backup to the leader of the line, while senior weak-side linebacker Mike McCray looks to follow up a campaign in which he registered 12.5 tackles for losses.

There are lots of new starters on the offensive side as well -- sophomore Chris Evans (614 yards) figures to be the starting running back -- but Harbaugh maintains he isn't concerned.

The coach, beginning his third season with the Wolverines, feels the transition has been smooth and he sees the chemistry developing.

"I like the way our team has worked," Harbaugh said.

"I've liked the way they've competed without complaint. That's been especially good. I like the way the team's hung together. I like the communication where we are with our football team on the field, communicating calls, and I like their understanding of what we're doing schematically. I like the way they worked."

Florida dealt with some offensive struggles last season after Del Rio (1,358 yards, eight touchdowns, eight interceptions) suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. Del Rio underwent surgeries on both shoulders in the offseason and missed spring drills.

Though the Gators kept the identity of their starter quiet until mid-week, there has been a level of optimism due to how well the three candidates have practiced in August.

"Once we get rolling, I think our offense will be great. Once we get it rolling, I think nobody will be able to stop us," sophomore wide receiver Josh Hammond told reporters. "If we get it going early against a great team, it'll definitely boost a lot of confidence for us moving forward."

Callaway, Scarlett and Wells are among nine Florida players who are serving indefinite suspensions for misusing university funds. The others are defensive linemen Keivonnis Davis (a junior), Richerd Desir-Jones (sophomore) and Jordan Smith (redshirt freshman), freshman linebackers James Houston and Ventrell Miller and freshman offensive lineman Kadeem Telfort.

In addition, freshman receiver James Robinson was suspended after being cited with misdemeanor marijuana possession.

Team Record Comparison

Michigan Florida
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