Gators HC Billy Napier: Opening Bout With Utah Is “Healthy” for Program

The Florida Gators will face off against the Utah Utes in its opening game this season in The Swamp.

With SEC Media Days now in the rear-view mirror, the Florida Gators will get set to open fall camp and prepare for their opening competition with the Utah Utes, the reigning Pac-12 champion from a year ago.

After ending the year 6-7 last year and hiring a brand-new coaching staff led up by head coach Billy Napier, the Gators are entering Week 1, Sept. 3, against a quite formidable opponent, something Napier believes is "healthy" for the program.

“I really believe that having a formidable opponent in the opener is healthy for your team," Napier told the local media at SEC Media Days earlier this week.

"As much as you want to think our team is not going to be affected by who they play or where they play, I do think we got a little bit of that human nature in it and I think our staff and team has so much respect for coach Wittingham and that Utah program and the consistency with which they perform.

Utah would go 10-4 overall last year, including an 8-1 conference record, becoming the Pac-12 Champion for the first time in school history. They're at the top of their mountain right now, and certainly will be a challenge for Florida heading into the contest with plenty of question marks on its roster.

Napier feels as though it will be up for the bout, meaning that because Utah is such a formidable opponent, the players will know they need to start off strong, giving it their all to start their season. Typically, a Power 5 program might play a lesser opponent in Week 1, like when Florida opened against FAU last season.

That's not the case this year, and the program ought to be up for the challenge.

"They certainly had a heck of a team last year. They got a good group coming back and we’re excited about the thing that comes with it and I think it’s healthy for our team to have that out there that we have a top-10 team and the Pac-12 Champion coming into the Swamp so I think it’s healthy for our team.”

Week 1 will be a barometer game for Florida, the first time the new staff can get a true feel for its roster and staff. Though the Pac-12 isn't nearly as competitive of a conference as the Southeastern Conference, playing any conference champion won't be an easy challenge.

Florida will open up Week 1 against Utah on Sept. 3 at 7:00 p.m. ET. in The Swamp, the program's first of three-straight home night games to open the season.

They'll face off against their SEC East rival in Kentucky the following week, so it's safe to say they open the season with a couple of formidable opponents, giving you an idea early on how the season will likely unfold.

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