Game 1 Preview: Florida Gators (0-0, 0-0) vs. Long Island Sharks (0-0, 0-0)

Florida has one job this week.  Play clean injury free football. Long Island will have a hard time scoring against a hungry Florida defense with a lot to prove.

By Loren Meadows, GatorBaitMedia.com, Football Analyst, Host-The Lowdown with Loren Meadows

Defenders Tyreak Sapp (94) and Jordan Castell (14)

When Long Island first showed up on the updated Florida Football schedule in place of Florida A&M, the first thing most people did was wonder if they had heard of Long Island University. The second was to ask themselves if they knew the school played football. Finally, many HBCU fans including myself grimaced with disappointment because while FAMU was not a marquee matchup, their band certainly fits the bill.

So enter Long Island who will play both Florida and Eastern Michigan in consecutive weeks for a combined pay day of over $900,000 that will definitely help the football team and other sports. LIU finished 4-8 last season and 3-3 in the NEC. While the record is less than impressive, to the LIU’s credit 4 games were decided by a touchdown or less. Just like the Gators, LIU finished strong winning 3 of their last four games. Now for the bad news. The business trip to Gainesville. I say business trip because anyone would think a chance for a school of 15,000 that normally plays in front of about 4,500 would be thrilled at the opportunity to play in front of a sellout crowd of 88,000 plus. Going a step further the business of athletics has placed LIU football in the money-making business but also in the the cross -hairs of one the nation’s potential sleeper playoff teams. Let’s get this out the way now. Many are picking a big score with a 3 or 7 for LIU, but not me, I would be shocked and even disappointed if they score at all. 

LIU Offense

Key Players: #14 QB Ethan Greenwood (5-11, 188, R-Jr.), #6 WR Corey Nicholls (5-11, 197, So.)

Matchups To Watch: LIU Offensive Line v. Florida Defensive Line, Devin Moore v. Corey Nicholls

Both Greenwood and Nicholls were named to the NEC Preseason All-Conference Team while Greenwood added a nomination to the Walter Payton Award Watchlist. Nicholls had a solid freshman campaign snatching 21 catches and one touchdown averaging 13.6 yards per catch. Underwood was effective both as a runner and a passer in 2024. He was the top rusher for quarterbacks in the NEC with 913 yards and five touchdowns. Through the air Greenwood was third among quarterbacks in the NEC with six touchdowns and two interceptions.

Long Island will lean heavily on Greenwood with read option and short throws to keep the Florida defense off balance and try to get in second and third and manageable to sneak a back out of the backfield against the Florida linebackers that have struggled in pass coverage. The inexperienced LIU offensive line will be in for a tough day against a deep group of edge rushers for Florida.

LIU Defense:

Key Players #5 DL DQ Watkins (6-3, 271), #0 DB Todd Bowles Jr. (6-1, 195)

If there is a player for LIU that could really get paid the old way to play football it could be DQ Watkins. At 6-3 271, the Oxford, MS native has had long road to this level after spending two years at Northeast Mississippi Community College. Watkins was named to the Phil Steele Preseason NEC Team and will look to improve on a 2024 campaign where he amassed 41 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks which ranked 5th in the NEC. Watkins will look to make his mark against one of the nations top offensive lines. A good showing on Saturday for a player with next level potential. 

In the secondary LIU will lean on the play of safety Todd Bowles Jr. The son of Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles Sr., Bowles played his high school ball at Tampa Jesuit one of Florida’s top prep programs. Bowles originally enrolled at Rutgers before transferring to LIU. While Bowles has been limited with injuries the redshirt senior has the experience and pedigree that LIU is hoping will help against the deepest group of pass catchers the Gators have had under Billy Napier. Bowles was named to the Preseason All-NEC Team in what will be his final collegiate season. 

 LIU will most certainly have a tough time holding up against the weight of the Florida running game and will have to work to get a turnover or two to make it halfway interesting. The depth at running back alone will be unlike anything LIU has seen even in a game against TCU in 2024. 

The Skinny: I always do my best to highlight some of the better players on any team. To disregard what these young men go through at any level would be disrespectful. So as we look at Long Island, their most impressive trait is that they are led by a great football coach in Ron Cooper. A former head coach who had success at Louisville and Eastern Michigan, he will have his team prepared organized and they will know what they want to do. The problem will be getting it done and at every level of the organizations Florida just has more. LIU has garnered the respect of those in the know as they were picked to finish third in the NEC, which speaks volumes for what Cooper is building at LIU. The Sharks were even featured on a segment of ESPN’s Gear Up because of their unis with the Long Island flavor. Once again this is a different beast, a mammoth at quarterback with five 300 pound secret servicemen sworn to protect him, an infantry behind him, and a defense poised to get back to the glory days as soon as possible. Thump, thump, shot early and often as Lagway chills after the seven minute mark in the third. I don’t see it going well in any way for LIU and the only reason I’m not putting down 50 is because Billy don’t play that. 

Predication: Florida 45 LIU 0