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Three insights Florida Football fans learned from Thursday's slate of game

Florida fans were keeping an eye on the rest of the country on Thursday night

By Benjamin Henderson

Aug 29, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; UCF Knights quarterback KJ Jefferson (1) looks to pass during the first quarter against the New Hampshire Wildcats at FBC Mortgage Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 29, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; UCF Knights quarterback KJ Jefferson (1) looks to pass during the first quarter against the New Hampshire Wildcats at FBC Mortgage Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports / Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports
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Last year, Florida Football opened their season on Thursday night. As such, the eyes of the country were on the Gators as they fell flat against Utah.

For better or for worse, the Gators were not in the spotlight on Thursday which allowed fans to sit back and take notes on other teams around the country.

The following are three takeaways from Thursday's games and how they relate to the Gators.

Don't Expect Clean Tackling Against Miami

Thursday was a reminder that tackling on opening night is almost always an adventure, even for dominant teams. Minnesota missed 30% of their tackles. North Carolina won the game and still had a missed tackle rate of 26%. Arkansas had a missed tackle rate of 25% despite a 70-0 victory. Utah missed 17% of their tackles.

As a reminder, Florida has a missed tackle rate of 18% last year, worst in the SEC.

So, even if Florida has improved their tackling in the offseason, we expect some sloppiness to still exist.

KJ Jefferson Is Only Good In The Swamp

Florida had two "bad" losses last season, Kentucky and Arkansas. The latter of those two was awful because the Razorbacks finished 4-8, with the Gators being their lone SEC win in 2023.

KJ Jefferson finished 20/31, 255 yards, 2 TD, INT, and ran 17 times for 92 yards as Arkansas came into The Swamp and looked like a team they hadn't looked like all season long.

Some of that had to do with how bad Florida's defense was last year, but some of that was Jefferson regaining his magic. Now, with UCF, Jefferson is going to need to search for that magic once again.

Despite winning 57-3, Jefferson struggled mightily against New Hampshire as he went 7-14 for 164 yards, 2 TDs and an INT. He ran 11 times for 39 yards, but the deeper issue was his inability to hit anyone open. On UCF's first drive, he had three separate throws that should have been a TD that wound up incomplete. On the second drive, he was forced to recover his own fumble. On the third drive, he sailed another throw high for an incompletion. The interception he threw wasn't even close, and he was right into the waiting arms of a New Hampshire DB.

Florida plays UCF in their fifth game this year. Which version of Jefferson will show up in The Swamp?

Special Teams Matter

News flash, special teams never seem to matter until they do. Florida fans know all too well the feeling of losing because of the unit and Minnesota fans felt that pain too last night.

North Carolina kicker Noah Burnette was four of four on the night, including the game-winner from 45 yards away.

Meanwhile the Gophers had kicker Dragan Kesich miss one from 27 yards and one as time expired from 47 yards.

Minnesota lost the game 19-17.

Kickers win games and Trey Smack may be forced to do that on Saturday.

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