Florida has not opened the football season in a true road game against a non-conference opponent in decades. One ESPN analyst isn’t sure the Gators know what they’re getting into Thursday night against No. 14 Utah.

Though Rice-Eccles Stadium has a listed capacity of just 51,444, Ian Fitzsimmons warns that it will likely feel SEC-like as a hostile environment.

“Rice-Eccles is cannibalistic, it gets medieval,” Fitzsimmons told SEC Radio. “It is one of the college environments that the fillings in your teeth get rattled loose. I mean The MUSS as a student section, it gets as rowdy as any spot I’ve been to outside of Death Valley at night in Baton Rouge.”

Kyle Whittingham’s Utes have been dominant at home in Salt Lake City. Utah’s last home loss came in 2020, when fans were not allowed to attend due to COVID-19. The Utes last lost in front of a home crowd in 2018.

Fitzsimmons also expects Rice-Eccles’ elevation of 4,637 feet above sea level to have an effect on Florida. He recalled his own experience of getting winded in Park City, Utah after having trained for a half-marathon in Ohio.

“Altitude is no joke,” Fitzsimmons said. “As much as humidity played a factor in last year’s game with Utah having to go to Gainesville, the altitude will have a factor on the Gators coming into this game at Rice-Eccles.”

Florida head coach Billy Napier said the program did “extensive research” into how to handle the altitude, consulting with multiple NFL teams. Napier’s staff came to the conclusion that “get in and get out” was the best approach, as the Gators would not have 10 full days to get adjusted. UF altered its travel plans due to Hurricane Idalia, leaving Gainesville for Dallas on Tuesday and departing for Salt Lake City on Wednesday.

Thursday’s game is set for 8 p.m. ET, airing on ESPN.