NCAA Preview: North Texas At Florida
North Texas (1-1) at No. 23 Florida (2-0), 7:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
Line: Florida by 37.
Series Record: Florida leads 1-0.
WHAT'S AT STAKE
A bit of a trap game for the Gators, who are coming off an impressive, 45-7 victory against Kentucky and play at rival and 15th-ranked Tennessee next Saturday. Coach Jim McElwain challenged his players by saying "we're not good enough to just show up against anybody."
KEY MATCHUP
North Texas offense vs. Florida defense. The Gators didn't allow 200 yards in either game, so the Mean Green -- which has lost 13 of their last 15 games -- could be in for a long night against one of the better units in the Southeastern Conference.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
North Texas: Freshman QB Mason Fine won his first start last week against Bethune-Cookman, but this will be a much toughest test. The 5-foot-11 Fine threw for 108 yards and ran for 46 more.
Florida: With WR Antonio Callaway (quad) unlikely to play and fellow receiver Dre Massey out for the season, junior Brandon Powell could be the team's top target. Powell has 11 catches for 116 yards and two TDs this season.
FACTS & FIGURES
First meeting between these teams since 1947. ... North Texas will get $1 million for making the trip. ... The Mean Green are 1-46 all-time against ranked teams. Coach Hayden Fry led North Texas to a 14-9 victory against 20th-ranked San Diego State in 1974. The Mean Green have dropped 37 in a row against Top 25 teams since. ... Florida will be without RG Tyler Jordan, who will have eye surgery to repair damage stemming from a broken orbital bone. Freshman Richerd Desir-Jones will make his first career start. ... Freshman LB Jeremiah Moon (thumb) also is out. ... Last week against the Wildcats, Luke Del Rio became the first Florida QB to have 300 yards passing and four TDs in SEC play since Rex Grossman accomplished the feat in 2001 against LSU.
(©2016 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
