Week 2 Preview: Florida Gators (1-0, 0-0) v. Campbell Camels (2-0, 0-0)

Florida looks to fine tune all three phases as they look with a tune up against a clearly overmatched foe.

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

Florida should roll early and often Saturday evening (Chris Spears photo)

Saturday evening will be the second installment of the Sumrall era at Florida and the days leading up to the game have been a breath of fresh air for those that believe football is and always be the most important thing. Jon Sumrall has taken this week to express concern about the lack of situational awareness and discipline of his defense while expressing that 66 points by the offense can at times be deceiving. While Sumrall was pleased by the play of his team as a whole, he is fully aware of what is ahead, and to belittle Campbell would be careless as it pertains to this team’s mandate to “be where your feet are”. On paper this is a beat down waiting to happen, but to play down to the level of the competition would not be close to acceptable for the demanding Sumrall. Campbell is 2-0 for the first time since 2018, and a tight game at the half would do wonders for a team that got its second Top 25 FCS win in school history against Florida alum Kerwin Bell and Western Carolina last week. 

Campbell Offense: Key Players #6 QB Kamden Sixkiller (6-3, 210, Sr.), #1 WR Spencer Jones (6-5, 210, Sr./Duke), #2 WR Evan Austin (6-1, 180, Jr./Charlotte), #5 RB JJ Cowan (5-11, 215, Jr.) #7 RB Ethan Lawrence (5-8, 195, Jr./Northeastern Oklahoma A&M)

Matchups To Watch: Jones and Austin v. Florida Corners, Campbell O-Line v. Florida Defensive Line

Campbell is playing well on offense behind the play of All-Name Team quarterback Kamden Sixkiller. The senior QB from Norman, Oklahoma has played well in two games leading Campbell in both passing and rushing yards and his top two targets have been receivers Spencer Jones and Evan Austin who have 19 catches between them. Jones has ACC experience after spending three seasons at Duke and has been a threat for Sixkiller in the redzone. Outside of Sixkiller in the run game backs JJ Cowan and Ethan Lawrence have played well with Cowan averaging close two six yards per carry in the first two games.

As well as Campbell has played the first two weeks this is not even the same offense the Gators saw a week ago. There are probably no future pros, and they don’t necessarily dominate the line of scrimmage. However if Florida continues the up and down play particularly on the edges then the game which should be easily won by Florida could look a less glamorous and raise questions for a defense that is headed to hostile lands in eight days. Look for the Florida defense to be far more aggressive against Sixkiller who has already thrown three picks this season to put this offense under duress early and improve on last weeks performance. 

Campbell Defense: Key Players: #33 LB Charles Battaglia (6-0, 235, Sr./Stonehill), #7 LB AJ Benton (5-10, 220, So.), #8 CB Vance Sheppert (5-11, 185, 5th), #6 Safety Kareem Williams (6-4, 185, So./Coastal Carolina)

Matchups to Watch: Battaglia and Benton v. Florida RB Room, Williams and Sheppert v. Wilson, Brown, Stockton, and Company

Cambell has been good on defense but is still giving up over 28 points per game including 21 first downs. They have been stout against the run but of course Florida is a different animal and while they have held teams to less than four yards per rush it Battaglia and Benton will have trouble handling the speed and force of Jaden Baugh followed by the likes of Duke Clark, Landon Montgomery and the explosive Evan Pryor should he be able to go. Loof for Buster Faulkner to get the Florida receivers involved early again and for Dallas Wilson to play an expanded role particularly with the deep ball as Eric Singleton Jr. is questionable for this week. Honestly Florida can afford to sit him with the trip out west ahead. Florda gained 600 yards against an FAU defense that has struggled but is better than Campbell. Florida should dominate Campbell and the only think that could slow Florida down ironically would be water from the expected rain that Camels can live without. 

The Skinny: This is one of those “Paycheck Tech” games that my colleague and friend Franz Beard talks about and as a former small school athlete myself know is a necessity for schools to sustain intercollegiate athletics. Kudos to Campbell for gathering the troops and making the trip from Buies Creek, North Carolina (nearest big city Raleigh by the way) to arguably the most hostile environment in college football and take a beatdown so that volleyball, track, and softball can survive. For Florida it’s about improvement, you need to play well every week to be a championship level program, see what works in all three phases and get out of the game healthy. Sumrall will challenge his team to keep their edge, play with poise, and most of all discipline. Penalties were few and far between last week, maybe the most overlooked of the statistical barrage that was on display. Florida continues to play well because the system, the roster, and most of all the staff realizes where they are and unfortunately by the end of quarter one so will Campbell. Florida rolls.

Prediction: Florida 63 Cambell 0