No. 17 Florida took until game week to name a quarterback (redshirt freshman Feleipe Franks), No. 11 Michigan won't release a depth chart, and the two coaches have been at odds through the media for the better part of a month. Saturday, Jim McElwain and Jim Harbaugh, respectively, get to settle it once and for all.
Florida is hoping Franks is the answer under center, but it also lost star defensive backs Quincy Wilson and Teez Tabor, and it must replenish its linebacking corps. Michigan has roster holes galore, including the absence of its top three receivers from last year, versatile defender Jabrill Peppers and defensive back Jourdan Lewis.
What will happen at Jerry World between the Gators and Wolverines?
Viewing information
Date: Saturday, Sept. 2 | Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: AT&T Stadium -- Arlington, Texas
TV: ABC | Live stream: WatchESPN
Storylines
Florida: Despite winning back-to-back SEC East titles, McElwain's first two Florida teams have been very "Muschamp-ian" -- all defense and very little offense. With redshirt freshman Feleipe Franks handpicked by the staff during the recruiting process, last season's original starter Luke Del Rio back and Notre Dame graduate transfer Malik Zaire on campus, you'd think that this is the year the offense finally looks somewhat functional. The suspensions to wide receiver Antonio Callaway and running back Jordan Scarlett are concerning, and those losses will put pressure on Lamical Perine and Mark Thompson to carry the load. Can this offense click with so much uncertainty?
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Michigan: Wilton Speight is back at quarterback after a full year on the job, and Chris Evans looked like a star last year when he averaged 6.98 yards per carry. But who will step up at wide receiver? Defensively, Harbaugh's prized recruit from the class of 2016, defensive lineman Rashaan Gary, should be the centerpiece of a defense that will have plenty of new faces in the starting lineup. In a perfect world for Michigan, this game would stay close, low-scoring and in Harbaugh's comfort zone.
Prediction
The absent Callaway might seem crippling on the surface, but there's plenty of talent on that roster including Tyrie Cleveland, Brandon Powell, Josh Hammond and Freddie Swain. Franks will get the majority of the snaps, Perine and Thompson will pick up the slack, and the Gators will look potent on offense for the first time in nearly a decade. Speight and Co. won't be able to do much offensively, and the Gators will spring the upset. Pick: Florida (+5)
