La’Mical Perine is back in the Florida-Auburn conversation, and this time his voice is setting the tone.
The former Gators back, who once ripped off an 88-yard touchdown run against Auburn in the 2019 meeting in Gainesville, narrated a dramatic Florida hype video released Friday night ahead of the trip to the Plains. The post carried the headline, “Now it’s time to go,” along with a popcorn emoji, and Perine’s voice carried fans through a highlight-heavy look at the SEC rivalry between two familiar names.
Perine’s 2019 performance still stands out in Gainesville lore. He finished that game with 130 rushing yards on 14 carries, punctuated by the fourth-quarter scoring burst that helped Florida hold off Auburn 24-13. He also added 4 catches for 15 yards.
This year’s matchup comes with a different feel, even if the stakes still carry plenty of weight. Florida and Auburn will kick off at about 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, with the Gators listed as a slight favorite despite having to deal with Auburn on its home field.
The 2019 showdown featured two top-10 teams. Saturday night’s version is a meeting of unranked squads, though both enter at 2-0 and both are working under new head coaches. It also lands in Week 3, which gives the SEC opener an extra jolt of energy.
As Florida and Auburn get ready for Jordan-Hare Stadium, Gators fans have Perine’s old run to lean on - and now a fresh hype video to go with it.
In Other News...
Auburns SEC Opener Exposed A Problem Tigers Cant Ignore
Auburns SEC opener against Florida offered an early look at where the Tigers stand, and it was not a flattering one. The 44-39 loss left Auburn 2-1 overall and 0-1 in league play, with the defense repeatedly struggling to get off the field and Florida finding answers in the kind of situations that usually decide close conference games.
The late rally kept the Tigers in it, but the offense was too uneven to fully cover for the problems on the other side of the ball. For head coach Alex Golesh, this was the first major SEC test, and Auburn came away with a clear reminder that competing in this league demands more consistency, especially when the margin for error is already so thin. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn's Comeback Chances Hinge On Fixing Two Costly Problems
Auburn heads into halftime trailing Florida 20-17 at home, and the margin reflects a first half that left the Tigers with too much to clean up on both sides of the ball. The game has already pointed to two areas that need attention quickly: keeping quarterback Byrum Brown in rhythm and tightening a run defense that has already had to deal with Florida backs Jaden Baugh and Duke Clark.
The secondary also has to do a better job of limiting explosive plays, because Florida has shown enough to keep Auburn under pressure even with the crowd behind it. If the Tigers are going to turn this into a comeback, they will need a more consistent defensive stretch in the second half, not just a few stops here and there. [Read more 🡒]
Auburns Florida Captains Reveal Who Alex Golesh Trusts Most
Auburns SEC opener against Florida comes with a familiar leadership group at the front of the huddle. The Tigers have announced five captains for the game, and Byrum Brown and Elijah Melendez will serve in that role for the third straight week, joined by Jake Johnson, Cody Sigler and Alex McPherson. It is another clear sign of which players Alex Golesh is leaning on as the pressure rises.
The captaincy list also says plenty about how this team is being organized going into one of the seasons most important early tests. Repeating Brown and Melendez suggests continuity, while the addition of Johnson, Sigler and McPherson broadens the leadership base in a matchup where details tend to matter. For Auburn, the bigger question is whether that trust shows up on the field once the opener gets rolling. [Read more 🡒]