The No. 25 Florida Gators, and their stingy defense, hosts Charlotte on Saturday, Sept. 23. The game will be live streamed on ESPN+ and Sling Orange.

The Gators (2-1) have been downright stout on that side of the ball, giving up less than 16 points a game through an early season schedule that included two ranked teams. Florida leads the SEC and ranks 10th nationally in total defense.

New coordinator Austin Armstrong, a 30-year-old whiz kid who’s sure to show up on head-coaching radars, has plenty to do with the turnaround. So does improved depth, better front-line talent and being in the same scheme for a second year.

The combination has Florida feeling confident that this season could be considerably more successful than preseason pundits predicted. The Gators, picked to finish fifth in the SEC’s Eastern Division, hope to keep it rolling when they host Charlotte (1-2) in the Swamp on Saturday night.

After ranking among the best defenses in the country for a dozen years (2008-19), Florida dipped dramatically the last three years. They were 83rd in total defense in 2020, 51st in 2021 and 97th last year.

Coach Billy Napier responded by overhauling much of his roster, and he hasn’t hesitated to move younger guys into starting roles. The result: a unit with no seniors has no preconceived notions about what it can or can’t do in 2023.

When is Florida-Charlotte?

Florida and Charlotte meet at 6 p.m. (7 p.m.) on Saturday, Sept. 23.

Will it be live streamed?

ESPN+

You can subscribe to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) through the ESPN App, (on mobile and connected devices), ESPN.com or ESPN+. It is also available as part of a bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, Hulu (ad-supported), and ESPN+ — all for just $12.99/month.

ESPN+ will be the exclusive home to loads of games involving the Big 12, AAC, Conference USA, MAC and Sun Belt. That includes Oklahoma vs. SMU in Week 2. There are also some SEC nonconference games exclusive to streaming (called SEC Network+), but people who have SEC Network on a TV package can watch those games in the ESPN app without having to pay for ESPN+.

Sling

Sling Orange is $40 a month and offers ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN3. Here’s what you need for the SEC Network Plus.

SlingTV is offering some special season-long football packages. Starting at $274 (a savings of $76), you can get five months of Orange & Blue + Sports Extra. The packages includes NFL Redzone, ESPN, NFL, SEC, ACC, PAC 12, Big10, and Longhorn Networks.

You can also get a college football specific offer. Get 5 months of Sling Orange + Sports Extra, starting at $199, a savings of $56, which Includes ESPN, SEC, ACC, PAC 12, and Longhorn Networks. Catch every game on ABC with ESPN3 simulcast.

Will it be televised?

The Florida-Charlotte game will be broadcast on SEC Network Plus and won’t be available on traditional television.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.