Early 2021 Crimson Tide Opponent Preview: Florida
After meeting the Miami Hurricanes in Atlanta on Sept. 4, then playing host to Mercer a week later, Alabama football will open Southeastern Conference play with a trip to Gainesville for a rematch of the 2020 SEC Championship Game with the Florida Gators.
The Crimson Tide hasn't played inside Ben-Hill Griffin Stadium since 2011, when it won 38-10, behind 181 rushing yards and two scores from running back Trent Richardson.
However, "The Swamp" hasn't been a place of horrors like it has for most teams as Alabama owns a 9-2 record in Gainesville all-time.
Coming into the 2021 campaign, the Gators will look to find a new identity, primarily on the offensive side of the ball, after having to replace the fourth overall selection in the NFL draft in tight end Kyle Pitts, 2020 Heisman finalist quarterback Kyle Trask and first-round pick wide receiver Kadarius Toney.
Redshirt-junior signal caller Emory Jones is slated to fill Trask's shoes. The Lagrange, Georgia product provides a threat with his arm and mobility, after rushing for 217 yards and two touchdowns on 32 carries last season.
For his career, Jones has completed 55 of his 86 pass attempts for 613 yards, seven scores and only one interception.
Jones will have a slew of weapons to utilize in returning running backs Dameon Pierce and Malik Davis, former Clemson and five-star tailback Demarkus Bowman, Miami transfer Lorenzo Lingard, and wide receivers Jacob Copeland, Justin Shorter and Xzavier Henderson.
Redshirt-senior Kenmore Gamble is expected to fill a bigger role at tight end as Pitts is now with the Atlanta Falcons.
Even with all the new changes on offense, the creative play-calling mind of coach Dan Mullen, who is entering his fourth season at the helm, can't be underrated or overlooked.
Defensively, the Gators are returning six starters from a unit that gave up over 420 yards and 31 points a game last season, so a vast improvement is expected from assistant Todd Grantham's bunch.
A trio of returning linebackers in Brenton Cox, Mohamoud Diabate and Ventrell Miller will anchor the Gators defensive along with redshirt senior defensive end Zachary Carter.
In the trenches, Florida has taken advantage of the transfer portal with defensive linemen like Auburn's Daquan Newkirk and Penn State's Antonio Shelton. Sophomore Gervon Dexter is another name to watch. Freshman tackle Desmond Watson, who stands at 6-foot-5 and 425 pounds, could factor into a key role as well.
On the back end, the Gators must replace three defensive backs who were all chosen in this past spring's NFL draft in Marco Wilson, Donovan Stiner and Shawn Davis.
Junior cornerback Kaiir Elam is projected to be a first-round selection in the 2022 draft next spring, but first, he will be the star of the Gators' secondary this fall alongside five-star freshman Jason Marshall Jr. and senior Trey Dean III.
Alabama at Florida
Date/TV: Sept. 18, 2021, 2:30 p.m. CT, CBS
Location: Ben-Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville
2020 Record: 8-4 overall, 8-2 in SEC
Final 2020 AP ranking: No. 13
Head Coach: Dan Mullen, fourth year, 29-9
Number of returning starters: 11
Key returning players: Offense: WR Jacob Copeland, OL Jean Delance, OL Ethan White, OL Richard Gouraige, RB Dameon Pierce, OL Stewart Reese
Defense: DE Zachary Carter, CB Kaiir Elam, LB Brenton Cox, LB Mohamoud Diabate, LB Ventrell Miller, S Trey Dean III
Key departures: QB Kyle Trask, TE Kyle Pitts, WR Kadarius Toney, WR Trevon Grimes, DB Shawn Davis, DB Donovan Stiner, DB Marco Wilson, K Evan McPherson, DT Tedarrell Slaton, OL Stone Forsythe
Last time out: After a strong 2020 season, Florida fell flat in its final game of 2020 against Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl inside AT&T Stadium back on New Year's Eve. With many starters opting out of the contest, the Gators fell to the Sooners, 55-20.
Series: Alabama leads all time against the Gators, 26-14, and has won seven straight. The Crimson Tide is 9-2 all-time in Gainesville.
Last meeting: Alabama survived a second-half scare from the three-headed monster of Trask, Pitts and Toney to win the 2020 SEC Championship in Atlanta, 52-46, behind five touchdowns from running back Najee Harris.
