The Florida Gators open up their season at home against Miami (OH) on Saturday, September 4th.  For the Gators, its the first game of the post-Tebow era.  Gator fans are excited to get the first glimpse at the 2010 team – most notably, the first glimpse at John Brantley leading the team from the quarterback position.  Here are five things you need to know about the game:

1. Miami (OH) was 1-11 in 2009.  Their single win came from Toledo (31-24).  They played two teams that finished ranked at the end of the season – Cincinnati (lost 37-13) and Boise St. (lost 48-0).  They played one SEC team – Kentucky (lost 42-0).  This all adds up to a very poor 2009 season.
2. Miami (OH) was ranked outside the top 100 teams in college football in 2009 in rushing yards, points scored and points given up. They were ranked 22nd in passing, averaging 273.7 yards.  Florida ranked 41st in passing with 236.1 yards on average.  Is Miami (OH) a better passing team?  Of course not, but I have to say something mildly positive about Miami (OH).  For the record, Florida ranked 10th in rushing yards, 10th in points scored and 4th in points given up last year.

3. The Miami (OH) game will be John Brantley’s first start as a Florida Gator.  Brantley has been at Florida now for three years (one red-shirted).  In the action he saw in 2009, he completed 36 for 48 of his passes for 410 yards, 7 touchdowns and no interceptions. Look for Brantley to put up big numbers to start the season.
4. Urban Meyer is likely happy to get back to work.  Since the loss against Alabama in the 2009 SEC Championship, Meyer has had ups and downs: retiring from Florida, coming back, taking a leave, slaughtering Cincinnati in the Sugar Bowl, watching Tebow (and others) get drafted, shouting at an Orlando Sentinel reporter on camera during practice, dealing with player DUIs, etc.  I’m sure Meyer is happy to get back into the routine of a regular season and without the pressure of the preseason #1 ranking.  Preseason #4 ranking, with Alabama at #1 and with all the focus, is right where he wants to be (not that #4 isn’t high).
5. Florida’s revamped defense will come out on fire.  The Miami (OH) offense will struggle against a Florida defense that has a bunch of new names, but still a great deal of talent and speed.  This year’s defensive unit will be looking to prove themselves, plus a recent magazine ranked the Florida defensive line 7th in the SEC going into the year and the word is that the Florida defensive linemen are not happy about it and are fired up.  Florida’s defense will dominate the game.