Week 1 of the 2021-22 college football season will feature two Sunshine State teams going head-to-head. N’Kosi Perry and FAU (Florida Atlantic) will face off against Emory Jones and the Florida Gators on Saturday, September 4.
Preview
Florida
The No. 13 ranked Gators will face off against the Owls under the lights at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL.
Emory Jones is set to start for Florida, looking to follow the footsteps of Kyle Trask’s 2020 season.
Jacob Copeland is also set to be Jones’ top target, after the departures of Kyle Pitts and Kadarius Toney.
In injury news, defensive back Kamar Wilcoxson suffered a “slight knee issue” and is doubtful for Saturday’s game. Other than that, Florida is all healthy.
Florida Atlantic
FAU Head Coach Willie Taggart will enter his second season at the helm. Taggart and Florida Atlantic started the 2020 season 5-1, before dropping their last three games. However, the Owls still managed to make it to the Montgomery Bowl, where they lost to Memphis.
Taggart’s biggest concern is FAU’s offense, as the Owls averaged only 18.9 points a game last season. However, the Owls have arguably the best defense in Conference USA. Last year, FAU’s defense allowed only a meager 17.4 points a game.
University of Miami transfer N’Kosi Perry will start in his FAU debut. Perry was D’Eriq King’s backup last season.
In injury news, Florida Atlantic is all healthy.
Other Notes
- The Gators are 3-0 all-time against the Owls.
- Dan Mullen and Willie Taggart will meet for the third time as head coaches.
- Florida owns the longest-active home-opener winning streak in the FBS with 31-straight wins. Their last loss was in 1989.
Thoughts From The Author
If FAU’s defense manages to stop dual-threat quarterback Emory Jones, brace for a potential upset. Florida Atlantic’s defense was amazing last season, and they project to be even better this year.
In addition, Florida Atlantic has the chemistry to pull off an upset; Taggart’s roster looks almost identical to last year. However, the swamp is going to be packed and that always makes it tough on opponents, especially at night.