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Florida football looks to clean up mistakes against UT Martin in Week 2

By Dakota Cox

ORLANDO, FL - AUGUST 24: Feleipe Franks #13 of the Florida Gators runs for a first down in the first half against the Miami Hurricanes in the Camping World Kickoff at Camping World Stadium on August 24, 2019 in Orlando, Florida.(Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL - AUGUST 24: Feleipe Franks #13 of the Florida Gators runs for a first down in the first half against the Miami Hurricanes in the Camping World Kickoff at Camping World Stadium on August 24, 2019 in Orlando, Florida.(Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) /
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Florida football managed to beat Miami  in their first game of the 2019 season, but it still struggled. The Gators hope to improve against UT Martin.

After playing their first game a week early, Florida football got to sit this Saturday out while everyone else played. This might help with health, but I’m sure the Gators were hoping to get back on the field to fix their errors from the Miami game.

Against the Hurricanes, Florida struggled to tackle in open space. The offense had a few key mistakes that nearly cost them a win in the first week.

After the bye week, Florida has had plenty of time to right these wrongs. Even if they don’t improve, they will not have their hands full by any means against UT Martin. However, this game is more about how to predict the rest of the year. It’s not if the Gators win, it’s how they win.

If you want to watch and see if the Gators have fixed their issues from their season opener, here is how you can watch the game:

Date: Saturday, Sept. 7
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Gainesville, Fla.
Venue: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
TV: ESPNU
Live Stream: WatchESPN

Keys to Victory

Let’s be honest. I know Tennessee lost to Georgia State in Week 1, but there should not be any concern about Florida being upset in this one. This will be more about showing growth and progression than anything else.

One thing Gator fans would love to see in this one is growth from Feleipe Franks. Franks played pretty well against Miami when you consider how good their defense is, but he has to cut down on the turnovers. If he has any turnovers against UT Martin, the coaching staff will be concerned, and rightfully so.

Defensively, Florida has to work on their tackling. It is easy to just sleep on easy games like these, but it’s vital that the Gators show some improvements and use this game as a step in the right direction. Their defensive line seems set, but the secondary and linebackers need to tighten up.

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Predictions

Florida should show some growth in this game. They might overlook it, but I expect the Gators to come out prepared in their home opener. Franks will play more like how he did at the end of last year, and the Gators will win convincingly.

Final Score: Florida 52, UT Martin 10

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