Gameday Central: How to watch Florida vs Samford
The Florida Gators return home to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium for the first time in five weeks to host the Samford Bulldogs. Both teams enter the game with 4-5 records.
The game is not on traditional television, only streaming on SEC Network+.
Florida has lost three in a row and is coming off a blowout loss to South Carolina. The loss prompted Dan Mullen to shake up his coaching staff, parting ways with defensive coordinator Todd Grantham and offensive line coach John Hevesy.
With just three games left the Gators are looking to rally around each other and finish the 2021 campaign strong.
Where: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, Florida
When: Noon Saturday, November 13
Live stream: SEC Network+ (available through ESPN+ subscription, WatchESPN and the ESPN app), YouTube TV (2-week free trial), Hulu + Live TV (7-day free trial), fuboTV (7-day free trial)
Radio: Gator Sports Network, ESPN 98.1 FM
Online radio: wruf.com,
On the Call
Play-by-Play: Mike Couzens
Analyst: Dustin Fox
Gator Walk
Gator Walk will be at 10:00 am on the north side of the stadium.
News and Notes
Florida and Samford meet for the first time since 1922 (99 years) and for the third time overall.
The Gators enter with a 2-0 record in the series, having defeated the Bulldogs in consecutive seasons from 1921-22.
In those two games, Florida topped Samford (then Howard College) by a combined margin of 91-0 (34-0, 57-0).
This is UF’s first game against an FCS opponent in over two years, since defeating Towson, 38-0, on Sept. 28, 2019.
Florida has played four games against FCS teams in the Dan Mullen era, going 4-0 by a combined score of 199-16, putting the average spread at 45.8 points.
Florida 38, Towson 0 (9/28/19) | Florida 45, UT Martin 0 (9/7/19) | Florida 63, Idaho 10 (11/17/18) | Florida 53, Charleston Southern 6 (9/1/18)
The Gators have outscored FCS opponents by an average margin of 39.8 points in 21 games dating back to 1981. • Florida has totaled 400-plus yards while passing for 200-plus yards in five-straight games vs. FCS opponents since 2014.
UF has racked up 400-plus yards in 13 of its 15 games against FCS schools dating back to 1996.
Mullen is 1-0 against Samford head coach Chris Hatcher. The two first squared off in 2016 when Mullen was the head coach at Mississippi State and defeated Samford, 56-41.
The Gators rank third in the FBS with 5.8 rushing yards per carry.
Florida is one of four teams in the FBS averaging over 460 YPG and 220 rushing YPG this season.
UF ranks 12th in the FBS with 224.8 rush YPG and 17th with 467.4 scrimmage YPG.
The Gators rank third in the SEC in rushing YPG and total scrimmage YPG.
UF ranks seventh in the Power 5 in rushing YPG and ninth in the Power 5 in scrimmage YPG.
UF is one of 18 Power 5 teams with over 4,000 total yards of offense this season. • Florida’s 2,023 rush yards is its most through nine games since 2009 (2,166) and second-most since 1990.
UF’s 5.8 rush YPC is on pace to rank third in school history, while its 224.8 rush YPG is on track to rank eighth all-time. • Florida’s 4,207 total yards is the team’s second-highest total through nine games in the last 20 seasons, trailing only the 2020 campaign -- while the team’s mark of 467.4 YPG is on pace to rank sixth in program history.
UF’s 224.8 rush YPG represents an increase of 93.5 rush YPG from last year’s mark of 131.3 YPG.
The Florida offensive line has surrendered just 9.0 sacks all year, which is tied for the seventhfewest in the FBS and second in the SEC -- earning the UF OL a spot on the Joe Moore Award Mid-Season Honor Roll for the first time ever.
Florida boasts a 348-111-13 (.751) all-time record at The Swamp, holding the second-highest home winning per- centage in the nation since 1990 with a 167-32 (.839) record.