Game Day: Florida vs UT Martin, 7:30 pm (ESPNU)

Saturday, September 7

Gainesville, FL

7:30 PM

Florida Gators

UT Martin

Receiver Tyrie Cleveland and the Gators are at home for the first time this season when UT Martin visits Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Saturday night. (Photo: Adler Garfield/UAA Communications)

Game Day: Florida vs UT Martin, 7:30 pm (ESPNU)

Saturday, September 7, 2019 | Football, Chris Harry

By: Chris Harry, Senior Writer

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — In 1997, Florida opened its football season with a home game against Southern Mississippi, a solid mid-major opponent with a reputation for playing defense. The Gators, defending national champions and the second-ranked team in the country at the time, were breaking in a new quarterback, Doug Johnson, and had a slew of other first-year starters in the lineup.

UF won, 21-6, but flailed about on offense, as the Golden Eagles held the Gators to just 357 yards and intercepted Johnson three times. When the weekend's statistics were tallied up, Florida was at the bottom of the league in total offense, an anomaly then-Coach Steve Spurrier was asked about at his weekly press opportunity.

"That's a fact," Spurrier confirmed, shaking his head. "The Gators' offense is dead-ass last in the SEC."

A week later, Florida plastered Central Michigan, 82-6, and trampled the Chippewas for 708 yards.

Just like that, the Gators went from dead-ass to full-throttle first in the SEC in offense.

Why does this matter today? It doesn't. Not in the big picture. But the opportunity at hand may just be similar, and therefore topical, given that the 2019 Gators (1-0) are coming off an underwhelming offensive performance in their season-opening defeat of Miami and, for now, sit 11th in the SEC in total offense at just 304.0 yards per game. It's not "dead-ass" last, but they're not Dan Mullen-esque numbers, either. With all due respect to UF's home-opening opponent Saturday night, FCS-classified and 41-point underdog Tennessee Martin (1-0), the Gators have a chance to put up some fat digits against an opponent that figures to be significantly overmatched.

Context: The Skyhawks, out of the Ohio Valley Conference, will be facing their 12th Power Five conference opponent since the 2010 season and are 0-12 in those games, losing by a combined score of 444-112, including counts of of 51-14, 73-3, 63-28, 55-17 and 50-0. Roll in four games against so-called Group of Five foes and the Skyhawks' record goes to 1-15, with the lone victory coming at Memphis in 2012.

UTM won its opener last weekend, 42-20, against Northwestern (La.) State, but the Skyhawks defense was on the field for 91 plays and surrendered 483 yards.

Florida players celebrate with fans in Orlando after their Aug. 24 defeat of Miami. The Gators will look to go 2-0 for the first time since 2016 when they take on FCS opponent Tennessee Martin in the 2019 home opener Saturday night at Spurrier/Florida Field.

Florida, which ran just 54 plays against a UM defense expected to be among the best in the nation after finishing fourth overall last season, will have a chance to get into a rhythm running the ball after rushing for just 50 yards on 28 attempts against the Hurricanes. It should also be a better night to wing it around the yard for fourth-year junior quarterback Feleipe Franks (254 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs), who did not have great pass protection last time out. NW State attempted — get this — 62 passes against UT Martin and completed 43 for 387 yards, three touchdowns and two picks.

Mullen and his players said all the right things this week in the run-up to facing the Skyhawks. They saw, for example, what Georgia State did in going to Tennessee and smashing the Volunteers last weekend. On any given day, right?

Fine. But on this particular day, with the right attitude and focus, the Gators have a chance to stuff the stat sheet and be dead-ass dominant.

Kickoff is 7:30 p.m., with a slew of game-day events and initiatives available to the fans. Make sure, also, to be in the house when the grandsons and great-grandchildren of George Edmondson, a.k.a. "Mr. Two Bits," lead the crowd in the traditional pre-game "Two Bits" cheer in honor of one of the greatest Gators to ever live. Edmondson died in July at the age of 96.

The game will be televised on ESPNU, with Mike Corey doing play-by-play and Rene Ingoglia providing analysis. Replays will air Monday on the SEC Network at 8:30 p.m., Tuesday on ESPNU at 5:30 a.m., and Friday again on SEC Network at 2 a.m.

Also, check out the "First & 10 Pre-Game Show," hosted by GatorVision's Shelby Granath, coming from the field via Facebook Live on the Florida Gators page at 6:30 p.m. This week's lineup includes chats with Mullen, Franks and senior linebacker David Reese, a visit from a member of the Edmondson family, and a game breakdown with former UF tight end and Gators Radio Network sideline reporter Tate Casey.

Finally, follow senior staff writers Scott Carter and Chris Harry on Twitter (@GatorsScott and @GatorsChris), also on the Facebook Live agenda, for commentary and analysis throughout the game. FloridaGators.com will have complete coverage content from the game Saturday night and fresh content Sunday, as well.