Florida @ Miami (FL) preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 6, 2008 ) Miami 3, Florida 26

The state of Florida has produced some of the most bitter rivalries of the last generation in college football, and No. 9 Florida and No. 24 Miami are gearing up for another chapter on Saturday. The Hurricanes will host the Gators in what could be the last meeting for the foreseeable future, as Florida will lose a non-conference game in a proposed expansion to a nine-game SEC schedule. Miami and the Gators will both be putting strong defenses on display.

The Hurricanes are having a harder time finding their way into the top half of the Top-25 than in-state rivals Florida and Florida State, but showed plenty of promise in a Week 1 drubbing of Florida Atlantic. Miami sophomore running back Duke Johnson shouldered most of the offensive load and will be attacking a Florida defense that surrendered only 50 yards on the ground in its opening win over Toledo. Johnson racked up 186 yards despite sitting out most of the second half.

TV: 12 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Florida -3.

ABOUT FLORIDA (1-0): The Gators have their own strong running back in Mack Brown and totaled 262 yards on the ground while beating Toledo 24-6 last weekend. Florida used that rushing attack to hold onto the ball for nearly 40 minutes in that game and will wear the Hurricanes down with a similar plan that includes plenty of short passes from dual-threat quarterback Jeff Driskel. The Gators will have even more to add to their pounding offense on Saturday, when running back Matt Jones (viral infection) is expected to make his season debut.

ABOUT MIAMI (1-0): Johnson was shaken up on a play early in the second half against Florida Atlantic but is not expected to miss Saturday’s contest. The Miami native has piled up 1,227 all-purpose yards and eight touchdowns in his last five games, dating back to last season, and helped make up for the lackluster play of quarterback Stephen Morris, who completed 15-of-27 passes for 160 yards last week. The Hurricanes’ defense surrendered the most points in school history last season but looked like a different unit in Week 1’s 34-6 triumph.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The schools are meeting for the first time since 2008 and the first time at Miami since 2003.

2. The Gators will welcome starting LB Antonio Morrison and CB Loucheiz Purifoy. Both missed the season opener while serving one-game suspensions.

3. The Hurricanes have not allowed a TD at home since Nov. 1, 2012.

PREDICTION: Florida 17, Miami 13