College football returns Saturday as Florida vs. Miami kicks off 150th season of sport

It's a matchup of two teams predicted to finish second in their respective conference divisions on Saturday night from Camping World Stadium in Orlando as the No. 8 Florida Gators and unranked Miami Hurricanes tangle for the first time since 2013. The Gators are 7.5-point favorites on the NCAA odds and that half-point obviously could prove hugely important.

Florida was picked by the SEC media to finish second in the East Division behind Georgia. The Gators improved from 4-7 in 2017 under Jim McElwain/Randy Shannon to 10-3 last year under Dan Mullen, finishing seventh in the final AP Top 25. Quarterback Feleipe Franks looked like a different player under Mullen, throwing for 24 touchdowns and rushing for seven. He is tied for ninth nationally among returning FBS quarterbacks in touchdowns responsible for in 2018. Franks is one of 13 starters back overall, five on offense.

The Gators better not lose this game if they have any hopes of reaching the College Football Playoff for the first time because no two-loss team has ever done so. Hard to picture UF not losing at least once more considering it has to play No. 16 Auburn, No. 6 LSU (on road), No. 3 Georgia (in Jacksonville) and the annual regular-season finale with Florida State, which figures to be much better this year.

Miami was a massive disappointment last year at 7-6, which led to Coach Mark Richt retiring. He was replaced by his defensive coordinator, Manny Diaz (a former DC under Mullen at Mississippi State). UM's defense was great last year, ranking No. 4 in FBS in total defense, allowing just 278.9 yards per game. The offense, and particularly the quarterbacks, was terrible. The new starting quarterback, at least for now, is redshirt freshman Jarren Williams, a surprise winner of a battle with N'Kosi Perry and Ohio State transfer Tate Martell.

UM, picked to finish second in the ACC's Coastal Division, returns 12 starters, six on each side of the ball – although technically Perry counted as one. Diaz landed a handful of several high-profile transfers in addition to Martell.

Miami is 29-26 all-time vs. Florida and has won seven of the past eight matchups. They last played in 2013 in Miami and the Hurricanes were 21-16 upset winners. It's the second straight year that the Canes open at a neutral site against an SEC team as last year they were dominated by LSU in Houston. Miami and Florida haven't opened the season against one another since 1987, a year the Canes went 12-0 and won their second national title.