UCF opponent previews: Billy Napier under pressure at Florida as Knights invade the Swamp

• Nickname: Gators
• Enrollment: 60,489
• Location: Gainesville, Fla.
• Home field: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (Capacity: 88,548)
• Conference: Southeastern Conference
• 2023 record: 5-7, 3-5 SEC
• All-time series record vs. UCF: 2-1
• Last meeting: Dec. 23, 2021 (UCF won 29-17)

Editor's note: This is the fifth installment in a 12-part series highlighting UCF's 2024 football opponents.

There's no telling what the temperature might feel like inside the Swamp by the time UCF makes its long awaited journey on Oct. 5, the opener of a three-game series within the next decade. Expect it to rise several degrees around third-year head coach Billy Napier's seat if Florida starts slow this fall, and to potentially reach a breaking point if the Knights pull off a major victory up Interstate 75.

Napier enters the fall, according to BetOnline , as the odds-on favorite to be the first coach fired in major college football. He has an 11-14 record in charge, failed to lead the Gators to a bowl game last year and faces arguably the most daunting schedule in the country.

Florida's eight-game SEC gauntlet includes the traditional neutral-site outdoor cocktail party with national champion favorite Georgia, road trips to Tennessee and Texas and consecutive November home dates against LSU and Ole Miss. If that were not formidable enough, the Gators also square off with all three in-state, Power Four rivals out of conference: Miami out the gate, UCF in the middle and Florida State to wrap things up.

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UCF got the better of the Gators the last time these teams meet, a 29-17 triumph in the 2021 Gasparilla Bowl to conclude Gus Malzahn's first year as Knights coach. Napier was hired less than a month earlier , replacing Dan Mullen.

Winning solves everything, and a hot start could relieve the pressure in Gainesville. Florida was predicted to finish 12th in the 16-team SEC's preseason media poll despite returning 14 offensive and defensive starters .

Graham Mertz, healed from collarbone fracture, returns as Gators' QB

Top Offensive Returners: OL Austin Barber, TE Arlis Boardingham, OL Damieon George Jr., TE Hayden Hansen, WR Kahleil Jackson, RB Montrell Johnson Jr., QB Graham Mertz, OL Jake Slaughter, WR Eugene Wilson III

Top Defensive Returners: DL Caleb Banks, DB Jordan Castell, EDGE Kelby Collins, LB Shemar James, DB Jason Marshall Jr., DB Devin Moore, EDGE Tyreak Sapp, EDGE T.J. Searcy, DB Bryce Thornton

Graham Mertz returns for his second season as the Gators' starting quarterback, healed from a collarbone fracture suffered versus Missouri last November. The redshirt senior had the third-highest completion percentage (72.1%) in the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2023, throwing for 2,903 yards with 20 touchdowns and just three interceptions.

Montrell Johnson Jr. , who followed Napier to Florida from Louisiana, anchors the backfield stable after gaining 817 yards and scoring five times. He'll run behind an offensive line that returns three projected starters, though Dameion George Jr. could kick inside and play guard.

Florida was not afraid to throw its talented young players into the fire last fall. It ranked fifth in the country for snaps played by freshmen (2,661), per Pro Football Focus. Eugene Wilson III had a team-high six touchdown catches in his debut campaign and finished second in receptions (61) and receiving yards (538), while safety Jordan Castell played a team-high 660 defensive snaps, graded positively across the board and registered a team-leading 60 tackles with three pass breakups and one interception.

Cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. rebounded from a rough opener at Utah to post 10 pass breakups, and linebacker Shemar James (55 tackles, 5½ TFLs) is back after undergoing surgery to repair a dislocated kneecap .

Elijhah Badger, Joey Slackman offset significant portal departures

Transfer Portal Additions: WR Elijhah Badger (Arizona State), DB Trikweze Bridges (Oregon), OL Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson (San Diego State), WR Chimere Dike (Wisconsin), DB DJ Douglas (Tulane), DB Jameer Grimsley (Alabama), EDGE George Gumbs (Northern Illinois), LB Grayson Howard (South Carolina), OL Devon Manuel (Arkansas), DB Cormani McClain (Florida), QB Clay Millen (Colorado State), TE Caleb Rillos (Air Force), DL Joey Slackman (Penn), DB Asa Turner (Washington), QB Aidan Warner (Yale), OL Jason Zandamela (USC)

Transfer Portal Losses: QB Max Brown (Charlotte), WR Thai Chiaokhiao-Bowman (Rice), WR Caleb Douglas (Texas Tech), RB Trevor Etienne (Georgia), OL Jalen Farmer (Kentucky), OL Jordan Herman (Charlotte), DB Jaydon Hill (Texas A&M), DB Jalen Kimber (Penn State), QB Jalen Kitna (UAB), DL Keenan Landry (Louisiana Tech), OL Richie Leonard (Florida State), OL Micah Mazzccua (Nebraska), DL Chris McClellan (Missouri), K Adam Mihalek, DB Miguel Mitchell (Arkansas), DL Will Norman, LB Mannie Nunnery (Texas State), TE Jonathan Odom (Eastern Michigan), DB Jadarrius Perkins (Toledo), DB Ethan Pouncey (Georgia Southern), TE Andrew Savaiinaea (Nevada), EDGE Princely Umanmielen (Ole Miss), LB Scooby Williams (Texas A&M), DB Kamari Wilson (Arizona State)

Florida lost its highest-graded offensive and defensive players to SEC rivals via the transfer portal, per PFF's metrics. Running back Trevor Etienne departed for Georgia, where he was subsequently arrested on mutliple charges including DUI, and edge rusher Princely Umanmielen enrolled at Ole Miss after recording team-highs in TFLs (11½) and sacks (seven).

Both of the Gators' starting guards — Richie Leonard and Micah Mazzccua — are gone, as are another six players who logged at least 280 defensive snaps (Jaydon Hill, Jalen Kimber, Scooby Williams, Miguel Mitchell, Chris McClellan and Mannie Nunnery).

That's the bad news. However, Florida brought in a handful of players that should make impacts in the immediate and long-term future.

Elijhah Badger, a former teammate of first-round draft pick Ricky Pearsall at Arizona State, hauled in 135 receptions for 1,579 yards and 10 touchdowns the previous two seasons. Joey Slackman was one of the top defensive players available from the Football Championship Subdivision ranks, recording 12 TFLs and four sacks (90.5 PFF grade) to be named Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year.

Jacksonville native Grayson Howard is likely to partner James at linebacker after appearing in 11 games as a true freshman for South Carolina. Asa Turner and Chimere Dike were all-conference honorable mentions at their former homes.

Napier also took advantage on second chances to land coveted high-school targets that sought a Sunshine State return. True freshman cornerback Jameer Grimsley (Tampa Catholic) entered the portal following Nick Saban's retirement at Alabama, highly coveted center Jason Zandamela (Clearwater Academy International) crossed the country again after spending the spring at USC and defensive tackle D'Antre Robinson (Jones) was released from his letter of intent by Texas to instead sign with the Gators.

Cormani McClain, a former five-star recruit from Lakeland , joined the Gators as a preferred walk-on after one season at Colorado. Florida secondary coach Will Harris recently refuted rumors that McClain planned to leave the program.

Freshman QB DJ Lagway, D-lineman LJ McCray vital to Gators' future

Top Incoming Freshmen: LB Aaron Chiles (Olney, Md.), LB Myles Graham (Gainesville, Fla.), TE Amir Jackson (Portal, Ga.), QB DJ Lagway (Willis, Texas), DL LJ McCray (Daytona Beach, Fla.)

Florida's 2024 recruiting cycle was truly a roller coaster, one that mercifully came to a halt before Christmas following a few unexpected late twists and turns. All told, the Gators ranked 13th according to 247Sports' composite scores — reaching as high as third following an explosion of summer commitments — and signed two of the nation's standout prospects.

DJ Lagway captured Gatorade Player of the Year honors following a remarkable season for Willis High in Texas, throwing for 4,604 yards and a Class 6A state-record 58 touchdowns. The 6-foot-2, 225-pound dual-threat completed 72.1% of his passes and also led his team with 957 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns.

Lagway finished the year as 247Sports' No. 3 overall recruit and stayed true to Florida despite late advances from USC and Texas A&M among others. Right behind him at No. 4 was 6-foot-6, 274-pound defensive lineman LJ McCray.

McCray's stock skyrocketed after a sensational senior year at Mainland , playing a key part in the Buccaneers' first state championship in two decades . He piled up 85 tackles, 38 TFLs and 13 sacks, anchoring a defense that pitched six shutouts.

On the first day of the early window, McCray delayed his plans to sign with the Gators until 5:45 p.m. Despite rumors of a late flip to Auburn, he too remained solid. The Gators lost eight verbal commits, including five-star safety Xavier Filsaime (Texas) and top-100 edge rusher Amaris Williams (Auburn), between the start of November and Dec. 20.

Still, holding on to Lagway and McCray gives the Gators two foundational prospects at premium positions. Napier's staff also kept talented linebackers Aaron Chiles and Myles Graham despite the surprise departure of assistant coach Jay Bateman to Texas A&M, and mined a potential gem in running back Jadan Baugh , who rushed for 77 yards in Florida's spring game.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: UCF opponent previews: Billy Napier under pressure at Florida as Knights invade the Swamp