The last time Jim McElwain led Florida to square off against Jim Harbaugh and Michigan, the Gators did not have to travel far. It was January 1, 2016, and the Wolverines and the Gators met in Orlando to play in the Citrus Bowl following the 2015 season.
According to most experts, the game was supposed to be a closely contested matchup between two top 20 teams but that was nowhere close to being the case. On that day, Michigan absolutely dominated Florida up and down the field on way to a 41-7 victory.
Now, the same two schools are preparing for a rematch, but this time it will be the first game of the season rather than the last.
On Sunday, McElwain took the podium at a student rally and he some interesting thoughts about the Gators opening matchup against Harbaugh’s Wolverines.
“We’re heading to Dallas here in a couple weeks to go beat the heck out of Michigan and then come back to you guys,” he said.
We're LIVE AT #RallyInTheSwamp!#GoGators https://t.co/qNT4UQJkD3
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) August 20, 2017
Now, it’s important to note that this was not McElwain speaking to the media but rather to a group of rowdy students. That being said, he sure does seem confident his team is going to show up in a big way when they take the field in Dallas against Michigan.
If the Gators want to spoil the day for the Wolverines, they will have to do so a bit shorthanded as it was recently announced that seven players had been suspended for the game, including their leading receiver, Antonio Callaway.
The game is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET on Sept. 2 at Cowboys Stadium and the Wolverines are currently listed as a four-point favorite.
