Gators and Knights Battle for In-State Bragging Rights, Recruiting Momentum

Saturday's matchup between the Florida Gators and UCF Knights present an opportunity for a much-needed win for both programs. Not to mention some off-field, in-state bragging rights.

Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) gives teammate Florida Gators defensive back Jordan Castell (14) a hug during warm ups before the start of the game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, September 7, 2024 against the Samford Bulldogs. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun] / Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- The Florida Gators have long-been considered one of the state's "Big Three" alongside rivals Florida State and Miami, but after recent success and a move from the Group of Five to the Power-Four from UCF has raised the question of if the Knights have turned state of Florida's "Big Three" into a "Big Four."

 "I think they're in a transition. Ultimately, you can't help but respect what they've done," said UF head coach Billy Napier on Monday. "The coaching staff they have, they've done a good job recruiting. I think the portal helped benefit in a lot of ways."

Dating back to 2017, UCF has had consistent success under head coaches Scott Frost, Josh Heupel and now Gus Malzahn. After controversy surrounding the Knights' absence from the College Football Playoff during that 2017 season, UCF eventually elevated to the now-Power-Four level with the recent move to the Big 12.

Winning the conference seals an automatic bid to the new 12-team playoff, and a strong season could earn them an at-large bid. Saturday's meeting in the Swamp is a big opportunity for UCF to earn respect in the state while fighting to stay in playoff contention.

"I think ultimately, they're in position to continue advancing. Ultimately the winner of that league is going to get a place at the table," Napier said. "They're in position to do that."

Meanwhile, Florida will look to continue to regain momentum following a rough start to the 2024 season, in which losses to Miami and Texas A&M has heated up Napier's seat and caused outside noise against the program to become deafening.

Not to mention, the Gators will try keep the state's "Big Three" from turning into a "Big Four," especially considering UCF's momentum in the matchup after a 29-17 win in the Gasparilla Bowl to end the 2021 season.

That being said, Florida will try to not let emotions get too high in need of a win and an opportunity to do so against an unfamiliar "rival" looking to gain in-state prominence. Safe to say, Saturday's game means a lot to the in-state players on the Gators' roster.

"I'm not from Florida, but the guys either from Orlando, from Tampa, from Miami, it means a lot to them," said quarterback Graham Mertz. "I think that I've gained an appreciation for playing teams in Florida just because what it means to the people, what it means to the fans, what it means to our team."

There's also a recruiting aspect in Saturday's matchup. Since UCF's recent rise to national relevancy, the Gators and the Knights are consistently in battles for blue-chip Orlando-area recruits.

"We got Gators down there. They're everywhere," Napier said. "Ultimately, all these games are important. When you play an in-state team, there is a ton of eyes on you and I think that caliber of football that you put on display is very important. This is a big one, no doubt about that."

Florida recently saw recruiting momentum stifle after a blowout loss to Miami to open the season, after which Hurricane players were seen talking to visiting UF recruits while celebrating on the field. A win against UCF could not only slightly quiet outside noise surrounding the program, but it could also cause the Gators to take a short step forward in recruiting momentum.

Florida is considered a slight underdog at home against UCF, according to FanDuel. Saturday's game begins at 7:45 p.m.