East Carolina @ Florida preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 3, 2015 ) East Carolina 20, Florida 28

Treon Harris and Will Grier were very sharp in the season opener for Florida and both quarterbacks expect to get time when the Gators host East Carolina on Saturday. Harris and Grier completed 29-of-36 passes for 379 yards and four touchdowns combined as Florida recorded a 61-13 triumph against New Mexico State in coach Jim McElwain’s debut at the helm.

“Both of those guys add their own little juice to the game, add their own little flavor,” Gators receiver Alvin Bailey told Gator Zone. “Playing with both of those guys, plays are going to be made.” Florida churned out 606 yards of offense in the opener for McElwain, whose Colorado State team averaged almost 500 last year. East Carolina is also starting over on offense after losing several productive performers from a team that lost to Florida 28-20 in the Birmingham Bowl. The Gators must contain Chris Hairston, who had 154 yards rushing in Saturday’s 28-20 victory over Towson with four touchdowns – two more than all of 2014.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2. LINE: Florida -20.5

ABOUT EAST CAROLINA (1-0): Quarterback Blake Kemp was solid in his debut as the starter, completing 29-of-37 passes for 230 yards without an interception. The Pirates lost a pair of 1,000-yard receivers from last year’s 8-5 squad and Isaiah Jones (81 catches, 830 yards in 2014) stepped up with a team-high six catches in the season opener as nine different receivers caught passes from Kemp. “The offense is designed to take what (the defenses) give you,” East Carolina coach Ruffin McNeill told reporters. “. … Blake handled it just like I thought he would.”

ABOUT FLORIDA (1-0): McElwain got a chance to see everyone on a deep offensive unit as 14 different players caught a pass and 10 ran the ball -- led by Kelvin Taylor’s 54 rushing yards and a TD. Tight ends are likely to be a big part of Florida’s offense as three (C’yontai Lewis, Jake McGee and DeAndre Goolsby) combined for seven catches and 100 yards. The Gators return a lot of key personnel on a defensive unit that is expected to be one of the best in the SEC, led by junior cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III (seven career interceptions, one last week).

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Pirates are 6-26 all time against SEC opponents (0-2 versus Florida) and the Gators are 36-4 in the month of September since 2005

2. The Gators threw for more yards in the first half (244) last Saturday than they did in nine full games a season ago.

3. East Carolina LB Jordan Williams had 10 tackles – doubling his output from last season -- and one sack in the opener.

PREDICTION: Florida 41, East Carolina 14