UCF at Florida: The Storyline
Florida Gators (2-2, 1-1 SEC) vs. UCF Knights (3-1, 1-1 Big 12)
October 5 // 7:45 p.m. ET // Gainesville, Fla. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Steve Spurrier-Florida Field (88,548)
Game 5
SEC Network
Play-by-Play: Taylor Zarzour
Analyst: Matt Stinchcomb
Reporter: Tori Petry Channel (Cox): 68 / 1068 [HD]
Channel (DirecTV): 611 [HD]
Gator Sports Network from LEARFIELD
Play-by-Play: Sean Kelley
Analyst: Shane Matthews
Reporter: Tate Casey
Channel: Local Affiliates SiriusXM Channel: 37
THE STORYLINE
• Week 6 marks the fourth all-time meeting between Florida and UCF, including the third in Gainesville.
• Florida is 2-0 vs. the Knights in Gainesville with its lone loss in the series (2-1) coming in the 2021 Gasparilla Bowl.
• UCF defeated Florida, 29-17, in the 2021 Gasparilla Bowl at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla.
• The all-time series dates back to 1999 in Gainesville, with the Gators posting wins in 1999 (58-27) and 2006 (42-0).
• In two previous games vs. UCF in Gainesville, the Gators have outscored the Knights by a combined score of 100-27.
• The Gators totaled 500-plus yards and 350-plus passing yards in each of the previous-two home meetings with UCF.
• Across the previous-two home meetings, UF outgained UCF, 1,138 yards to 600 yards (+538, +269 YPG).
• Florida and UCF are also scheduled to play on Sept. 14, 2030 in Orlando and Sept. 3, 2033 in Gainesville.
• This is the first meeting between UF HC Billy Napier and UCF HC Gus Malzahn as head coaches.
• Napier and Malzahn have coached on opposing sidelines six times with Napier 4-2 (more on Page 9’s ‘Crossing Paths’).
• In Week 4 at Mississippi State (W, 45-28), Florida’s two-QB tandem of Graham Mertz and DJ Lagway finished a combined 26-of-28 (92.8%, UF single-game record) for 277 yards, connecting with 10-different receivers.
• Florida’s 17-point win tied for the team’s largest road victory vs. a Power 5 opponent under Napier (2022 at TAMU).
• The win tied for the third-largest margin of victory by the Gators over a P5 opponent in the Napier era.
• Mertz and Lagway are one of four FBS QB duos with 450-plus passing yards apiece (Texas, W. Kentucky, NC State).
• Led by first-year senior analyst Joe Houston, Florida ranks third in the FBS in net punting (45.54), t-10th in punt return defense (0.50), t-17th in kick return average (24.67) and 20th in punt return average (16.67).
• Florida enters Week 6 ranking 18th in the FBS in passer rating (168.4) and 30th in passing offense (278.5).
• C Jake Slaughter grades No. 1 in the FBS in pass blocking (90.3) and No. 7 overall (78.3) out of 281 FBS centers.
• He pairs with Week 4’s SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week in T Austin Barber, who became UF’s first OL to score a TD in 300 games in the win at Mississippi State, as well as one of two FBS OL to score this season (more on Page 4).
• Florida owns the No. 1 strength of schedule in the country, featuring eight Preseason AP Top-20 opponents.
• Dating back to the 2018 season, Napier ranks 15th in the FBS with 53 total victories. He has more wins than Mario Cristobal (52), Mike Norvell (51), Sonny Dykes (50) and Mark Stoops (50) in that time, among others.
• The Gators have won 14 of their last 20 games in The Swamp (including nine of 14), but are 3-16 in their last 19 contests outside The Swamp and 3-12 in their last 15 true road games.
• Florida boasts a 360-117-13 (.748) all-time record at The Swamp, holding the third-highest home winning percent age in the nation since 1990 with a 179-38 (.825) record. The Gators have outscored opponents, 8,099 to 3,557 in 217 games inside The Swamp since 1990, putting the average outcome at 37.3 to 16.4 (20.9 points).
• Week 6 vs. UCF marks the ninth-straight sellout at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium and the 13th of the Napier era.
• Florida has scored in 452-consecutive games dating back to 1988 - an NCAA record and 53 games longer than any other college football team in the history of the sport (TCU, 399-straight games, active streak).
