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Florida football: Gators add Charlotte to 2023 schedule

By Matthew Clark

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 17: A general view of first half action as the Idaho Vandals and Florida Gators play at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on November 17, 2018 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 17: A general view of first half action as the Idaho Vandals and Florida Gators play at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on November 17, 2018 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images) /
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The Florida football team has added UNC-Charlotte to its non-conference schedule for the 2023 season.

While the program has only been in existence since 2013, the UNC-Charlotte 49ers continue to add heavyweights to its non-conference football schedule.

The latest addition will be the Florida football team when the 49ers travel to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to take on the Gators on Sept. 23, 2023, according to the UNC-Charlotte football website.

It will mark the first time the Gators have played Charlotte in Division I football.

"“We’re thrilled to play the Gators in one of college football’s most iconic stadiums, The Swamp,” said Charlotte Director of Athletics Mike Hill, who served as Executive Associate Athletics Director for External Affairs at Florida prior to joining the 49ers. “Games like these are tremendous experiences for our football team and our fans. I’m grateful to (Florida AD) Scott Stricklin and (Florida Executive Associate AD) Laird Veatch for working with us to make this game happen.”"

The 49ers started its program in 1946 and continued through the 1948 season. After that season, football was discontinued.

Following an initiative to bring football back to Charlotte, the university’s board of trustees voted to add football back in 2013.

Since then, the 49ers have competed in Conference USA and held a 22-48 overall record under then-head coach Brad Lambert. This season, the 49ers will be led by former Austin Peay head coach Will Healy.

Florida will not be the first Southeastern Conference opponent for the 49ers. According to the Charlotte Observer, the 49ers played at Kentucky in 2015, visited Tennessee in 2018 and will take on the Volunteers again in 2020. UNC-Charlotte will play South Carolina in 2022.

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According to the Observer report, Hill said UNC-Charlotte would receive $1.55 million from Florida for the game in 2023.

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