Toledo @ Florida preview

Toledo at Florida

After a disappointing debut season, head coach Will Muschamp had the Florida Gators back in the top 10 in his second season, and that's where they begin Muschamp's third year in Gainesville. The 10th-ranked Gators begin a challenging non-conference slate by hosting Toledo on Saturday in the Swamp, where they are 129-18 since 1990 - the best home winning percentage in the nation over that span. The Gators look to erase the bitter taste of a loss to Louisville in last season's Sugar Bowl, while the Rockets are after a signature win to start the year.

The Gators are rebuilding a defense that carried them to a top-10 ranking in 2012, as they were fifth in the nation in both scoring defense (14.5 points per game) and total defense (287.5 yards per game). Toledo is coming off its third straight winning season after capturing nine games and going to a bowl game under first-year head coach Matt Campbell. The Rockets are 7-12 all-time against top-25 opponents, including a 1-1 mark last year with a win over then-No. 18 Cincinnati and a loss to then-No. 16 Utah State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

TV: 12:21 p.m. ET, SEC Network, ESPN3.com. LINE: Florida -23.5.

ABOUT TOLEDO (2012: 9-4, 6-2 MAC): The Rockets return four all-conference players on offense, including prolific dual-threat quarterback Terrance Owens, who passed for 2,707 yards and ran for 395 a year ago. They also have standouts back at other skill positions, with running back David Fluellen (1,498 yards in 2012) and receiver Bernard Reedy (88 catches) returning. Toledo has only four starters back on defense after ranking 109th in the nation with 473.2 yards allowed per game in 2012.

ABOUT FLORIDA (2012: 11-2, 7-1 SEC): The Gators have seven starters back on offense, including quarterback Jeff Driskel and three linemen, but they could experience some growing pains on the other side of the ball with only three defensive starters returning. Driskel completed 63.7 percent of his passes for 1,646 yards with 12 touchdowns and five interceptions a year ago, and he also was the team's No. 2 rusher with 413 yards and four scores. The Gators have to replace several offensive weapons lost to graduation, as well as dangerous return man Andre Debose, who tore his ACL in preseason camp and is lost for the season.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Florida is 79-27 all-time in season openers, including a 64-6 mark at home. It has won 23 straight openers, outscoring opponents 303-52 over the last seven years.

2. Toledo never has faced a team from the SEC but opens the season with consecutive games against the conference, as it faces Missouri next week.

3. The Gators are 12-0 under Muschamp when rushing for more than 150 yards.

PREDICTION: Florida 27, Toledo 13