Ninth-ranked Michigan opens the season Saturday against No. 16 Florida in the AdvoCare Classic at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Jim Harbaugh has guided the Wolverines to two straight 10-win seasons, while Jim McElwain has led the Gators to back-to-back SEC East Division titles, so this showdown at the home of the Dallas Cowboys should serve as a good litmus test for two programs that harbor hopes of reaching the College Football Playoff.
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Michigan looks to reload rather than rebuild after having a school-record 11 players selected in the 2017 NFL Draft and will count on a number of highly-touted underclassmen, including defensive end Rashan Gary, who was named to the AP Preseason All-America team, to play prominent roles.
No clear starter has emerged at quarterback for Florida and McElwain admitted that he may use three different options against the Wolverines, as he looks for someone to step up and jumpstart an offense that ranked 107th in FBS in points per game (23.9) last season. Michigan has won all three meetings with Florida, including a resounding 41-7 victory in the 2016 Citrus Bowl, but the Gators hope to fly the flag for the SEC and extend their impressive winning streak in season openers to 28 in a row.
"Let's go embrace the opportunity and have a good time while we doing it," McElwain told reporters. "Our players come to the University of Florida to play in games like this."
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC. LINE: Michigan -4.5.
ABOUT MICHIGAN (2016: 10-3):
Senior quarterback Wilton Speight fended off a spirited challenge from sophomore Brandon Peters to keep his starting role and should provide a steady hand after throwing for 2,538 yards and 18 touchdowns last season. It will be running back by committee for the Wolverines as Chris Evans seeks to build off a promising freshman campaign which saw him rush for 614 yards and four touchdowns, while Karan Higdon and former five-star recruit Ty Isaac will also receive their fair share of carries.
Defensive coordinator Don Brown will have to replace 10 starters from a unit which ranked in the top five nationally of almost every major category but will still boast one of the nation's most feared defensive lines, headlined by Gary and potential NFL first-round pick Maurice Hurst.
ABOUT FLORIDA (2016: 9-4):
Malik Zaire was expected to step in and win the starting job after transferring from Notre Dame but has failed to master the playbook, thus opening the door for last season's starter Luke Del Rio and talented freshman Feleipe Franks to get some snaps. Junior running back Jordan Scarlett was expected to be focal point of the offense after a stellar sophomore season that saw him rush for 889 yards and six touchdowns, but the school announced Wednesday he will join a list of nine other players who are suspended for at least one game.
One of the other nine suspended players is dynamic wide receiver Antonio Callaway, who led the Gators in receptions (54) and receiving yards (721), while freshman wideout Kemore Gamble is "highly questionable" with a leg injury.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Michigan is 16-3-1 in 20 regular-season games against SEC opponents.
2. Florida hasn't lost a season opener since 1989.
3. The winner of the AdvoCare Classic has advanced to the College Football Playoff in each of the last three years.
PREDICTION: Michigan 27, Florida 17