Nearly three years ago, Utah athletic director Mark Harlan made a weighty football scheduling decision.
For starters, that decision knocked rival BYU off the slate in 2022 and 2023.
In September 2019, Harlan announced that the Utes would be playing a home-and-home series with the Florida Gators of the SEC, a game that has been highly anticipated ever since.
It will be one of the marquee matchups of Week 1 of the college football season. And next season, the Utes open at home against Florida.
No. 7 Utah invades 88,548-seat Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, also known as “The Swamp,” Saturday (5 p.m. MDT, ESPN).
The Swamp is considered one of the most intimidating environments in the country for visiting teams.
“There is no better place than ‘The Swamp.’ That opening on the big screen with the alligators, it’s the best ever,” ESPN college football analyst Lee Corso has said. “When the Gators run out of the tunnel, it is absolutely the moment of moments in college football.”
Coach Kyle Whittingham said the atmosphere “may be the most hostile” the program has ever faced.
“It’s the first game of the year, a night game, a new coaching staff (at Florida), a lot of excitement,” he said. “We’re sure that place is going to be very loud and difficult to play in.”
For Harlan, this showdown in The Swamp against a formidable SEC opponent is another opportunity to showcase the program.
Last year, the Utes captured its first Pac-12 championship and first appearance in the Rose Bowl.
“Our brand was elevated during last year’s incredible campaign. It had been slowly building in that way through these years. When you perform on a stage that had 21 million eyeballs at one point at the Rose Bowl, that’s something that’s invaluable in so many different ways,” Harlan said. “We have seen investment by our fans for years. We’ve been sold out for years and we’ll be sold out again this year, so that continues.
“From a national perspective, I certainly think Utah football is more known than it ever has been. … Moving forward, when you have that kind of opener in Gainesville in prime time on ESPN, in that kind of environment, it will be another stage for us to perform and show everybody who Utah is.”
For quarterback Cam Rising, playing in The Swamp is something he’s been looking forward to for quite a while.
“That’s a spot where I’ve always wanted to go play, I’ve always wanted to see,” he said. “To be on the other side of it and have that atmosphere be there is something I’m looking forward to. I just can’t wait to get the guys down there and go play some ball.”
Cornerback Clark Phillips III has been eagerly awaiting this chance to play in the biggest stadium in Florida.
“It’s special. It’s our first game of the season so I guess it’s something we look forward to and we’re grateful for it,” he said. “I know a lot of people are going to be excited to watch that matchup. It’s the SEC. A lot of people respect them. We’ll be able to show them what we can do, too.”
Left tackle Braeden Daniels said he relishes these kinds of big games.
“We ended last season with Ohio State and we’re starting this season with Florida,” he said. “Physicality will be really big for us. Physicality works everywhere and that’s something that we’re going to have to do.”
With so many returning starters, including Rising, Phillips and Daniels, and a top-10 ranking, Utah seems aptly prepared for this kind of challenge.
There are easier ways to start a football season, such as hosting an FCS opponent or a lower-level FBS foe. But this isn’t an opportunity that presents itself very often.
“There’s pros and cons. You play a lesser opponent, you have a chance to maybe get some of your younger guys some experience and ease into the season, I guess you could say, even though as a coach you’re never easing into anything,” Whittingham said.
“One thing it does is it gets your players’ attention as far as their preparation. We’ve seen it starting in January that these guys have been working their tails off getting ready for this game. Carried into spring ball, summer conditioning,” he continued. “When you have an opener like that, we have to be able to hit the ground running. Our guys are aware of that. It certainly makes the focus and the work ethic in the off-season a very easy thing to achieve because of the opening opponent.”
Harlan is happy that the program will be able to experience a historic venue and play on national television.
“It’s a great opportunity for our students to play in a game like that, to go to the South, and play the Gators. It’s a historic stadium. And for Florida to come West, which is rare for them, the following year, will be very exciting for the programs as well,” Harlan said.
“I know in talking to our players, there’s certainly an extra jump in their step as they prepare for a game like that. … It’s a win-win for everybody. As the Florida athletic director and I have joked, I wasn’t transparent with him four years ago that we’d be coming off a Rose Bowl with 18 returning starters. Nonetheless, it should be a great game.”
