Game Thread ***OFFICIAL GAME THREAD: UF vs Utah***

[YLGator]

Bud, I’m not missing any point. Your saying we show up toe to toe and we should put play them due to talent. We don’t have the talent. They have a well coached team with many returning starters. Well schemed team can beat out talent. I’m saying anyone taking this game lightly is foolish.

Think Arlington when we faced Michigan. Absolutely no Gator Fan message board fan thought we’d lose. I bet I could even find your post in that same boat.

This ain’t no pushover. I’ll be rooting for us but it’s not a gimme.

Not suggesting it’s a gimme at all. Just saying that winners find a way to win. I think it’s a great first game for Billy. Will tell us a lot. If he’s the right guy, we should win this. First game with new coach at home against a good team, but not a great team. We should expect to win this one and I’m hopeful we will. I don’t remember being hopeful for that Michigan game. That was more of a classic put up or shut up game and we all know how that played out.

 

[NVGator]

Not suggesting it’s a gimme at all. Just saying that winners find a way to win. I think it’s a great first game for Billy. Will tell us a lot. If he’s the right guy, we should win this. First game with new coach at home against a good team, but not a great team. We should expect to win this one and I’m hopeful we will. I don’t remember being hopeful for that Michigan game. That was more of a classic put up or shut up game and we all know how that played out.

I’m your boy YL. I also think it’s a great 1st testament. I’m just giving Utah a lot more credit than you are. That’s all. They are legit. We win, huge P1 win. It’s a legit game.

 

[Gatorraid81]

Who’s the last successful coach we had that lost his first game?

 

[Theologator]

Who’s the last successful coach we had that lost his first game?

Who’s the last successful coach who played a good opponent in his first game?

The Ok. State team SOS opened with and crushed wound up 4-7.

Meyer opened with Wyoming, which also wound up 4-7.

Galen Hall’s first full season 1984 team lost its opener to scUM.

Happy to note that I was at all 3 of those.

A win over Utah will be a great start. I’ll be disappointed if we lose, but it won’t define Napier.

 

[oxrageous]

If it was at Utah, it wouldn't be a gimme. In the Swamp (which is going to be deafening), it's a gimme.

 

[rogdochar]

Can anyone bring us the nitty-gritty? = What "standouts" does Utah bring.? RB? QB? Speedster?

What's Napier's philosophy on special teams = will we have a punt return or two ... or just fair-catch 'em all.?

 

[Sec14Gator]

UF will be favored. Zero question about that.

There is little fun on this board when agreeing with Ox, but since 2003, UF has been a home dog only 17 times. That includes 13 years under the fantastic four of zoom, mush, macelwain and danno.

Not surprised. We are also the major name brand compared to Utah and the public bets a lot based on historical prestige.

Think Arlington when we faced Michigan. Absolutely no Gator Fan message board fan thought we’d lose. I bet I could even find your post in that same boat.

I don’t remember being hopeful for that Michigan game.

The idea that we thought we’d wax Michigan is crazy. I was in Arlington and the Gator mood was hope with little belief. That was year 3 for the great poodle whisperer and he claimed he was going to break down the door of the SEC, except no one believed him because we had not even been competitive.

Plus, Michigan had Harbaugh in year three recruiting very well already 4th in the nation two years in a row.

That’s not Utah.

 

[oxrageous]

We've already been over this. Utah has a long travel, it's going to be MUCH hotter than they are used to, and they won't be able to hear a damn thing on offense. Believe it or not, UF has a huge home field advantage when the fans show up. And in the first game of a new regime, they show up.

Also, how is their bumbling defense going to stop AR? He is going to go ballistic. He'll be on the Heisman watch list 5 minutes after the game ends.

People like NV still think Chimp, Butters, or Cousin Eddie is roaming the sideline. Things have changed. His total lack of faith in the Swamp is also disturbing. Remember almost beating Bama last year because of that crowd?

 

[MJMGator]

Almost

 

[oxrageous]

Almost

I was making a point about the crowd, asshat.

How about giving us your take on this game?

 

[NVGator]

We've already been over this. Utah has a long travel, it's going to be MUCH hotter than they are used to, and they won't be able to hear a damn thing on offense. Believe it or not, UF has a huge home field advantage when the fans show up. And in the first game of a new regime, they show up.

Also, how is their bumbling defense going to stop AR? He is going to go ballistic. He'll be on the Heisman watch list 5 minutes after the game ends.

People like NV still think Chimp, Butters, or Cousin Eddie is roaming the sideline. Things have changed. His total lack of faith in the Swamp is also disturbing. Remember almost beating Bama last year because of that crowd?

It can easily scorch 100+ in Utah. I’ll give you the humidity argument.

All I’m saying is it ain’t no gimme. I’m glad you think it is. You’ve been wrong with your predictions… a lot.

 

[gatorev12]

It can easily scorch 100+ in Utah. I’ll give you the humidity argument.

All I’m saying is it ain’t no gimme. I’m glad you think it is. You’ve been wrong with your predictions… a lot.

It's a completely different type of heat--100+ in bone-dry Utah is vastly different than 95° in Florida with stifling humidity and a heat index of 120.

I go to SLC pretty regularly and exercising out there in the summer heat is a breeze compared to doing it here.

Add in the crowd noise and the conditions won't be helpful to Utah. Look no further than last year's Notre Dame-f$u opener, where a good ND team was pushed by a very bad f$u team--largely due to the crowd and the humidity. ND's players were gassed late in that game...Utah's will suffer a very similar fate.

 

[NVGator]

It's a completely different type of heat--100+ in bone-dry Utah is vastly different than 95° in Florida with stifling humidity and a heat index of 120.

I go to SLC pretty regularly and exercising out there in the summer heat is a breeze compared to doing it here.

Add in the crowd noise and the conditions won't be helpful to Utah. Look no further than last year's Notre Dame-f$u opener, where a good ND team was pushed by a very bad f$u team--largely due to the crowd and the humidity. ND's players were gassed late in that game...Utah's will suffer a very similar fate.

You really think I don’t know the difference in the heats?

Good Christ.

 

[oxrageous]

It can easily scorch 100+ in Utah. I’ll give you the humidity argument.

All I’m saying is it ain’t no gimme. I’m glad you think it is. You’ve been wrong with your predictions… a lot.

You live out west, so you have this thing for the schools out there. I get it. If UF was playing Nevada, you would also say it isn't a gimme.

 

[NVGator]

You live out west, so you have this thing for the schools out there. I get it. If UF was playing Nevada, you would also say it isn't a gimme.

No, I wouldn’t say that and you know it.

 

[MJMGator]

I was making a point about the crowd, asshat.

How about giving us your take on this game?

My take? I think it’ll be a tough one to win. Legit Top 10 team in our first game with an entirely new staff. If we can pull it off, it’ll be great for the team’s confidence moving forward.

 

[oxrageous]

My take? I think it’ll be a tough one to win. Legit Top 10 team in our first game with an entirely new staff. If we can pull it off, it’ll be great for the team’s confidence moving forward.

"Legit top 10 team" - that is laughable. Anyone else in the top 10 would kick their asses and you know it, especially with them on the road.

 

[saltyg8r]

My take? I think it’ll be a tough one to win. Legit Top 10 team in our first game with an entirely new staff. If we can pull it off, it’ll be great for the team’s confidence moving forward.

Big upside for a win in this one. Intersectional game, ranked team, new era. I don’t think it could set up much better for us. A win, even though tough games follow, helps legitimize the new regime and builds serious cred.

 

[soflagator]

No, I wouldn’t say that and you know it.

I think you would.

 

[URGatorBait]

We're gonna win