Hana's Huddle: Welcome back football
FOX Sports Florida girl Hana is a University of North Florida journalism graduate. You can follow the FOX Sports Florida Girls on Facebook (FOX Sports Florida Girls), Twitter (@FSFloridaGirls) and Instagram (@foxsportsfloridagirls).
Summer may be over, but football is back and we've got a big week ahead. Thursday night, the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks kickoff the first game of the 2014 NFL season against the Green Bay Packers.
On Sunday, it's a fresh start for the Miami Dolphins at the Sun Life Stadium as they host the New England Patriots. The teams split the season series last year, with the Dolphins losing at New England 27-17, but winning in Miami 24-20.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers take on the Carolina Panthers at home too, but with new head coach Lovie Smith and starting QB Josh McCown, Tampa Bay is hoping to make a statement in their season-opener as Carolina's starting QB Cam Newton returns from an ankle and rib injury.
Football fans sit in a downpour before Saturday's scheduled game between Florida and Idaho was canceled.
As for college ball, let's hope that the Florida Gators' first game of the season isn't any sort of foreshadowing.
To wait 11 tedious weeks, only to see Gainesville in not-so-typical-Gators fashion, is a huge let down for everyone. The Florida vs. Idaho game was declared no contest and will not be rescheduled, according to both athletic directors.
The storm in Gainesville was bigger than what the Miami Hurricanes brought to the field last weekend. Louisville took the lead with Corvin Lamb's 97-yard kickoff return right before the half, later shutting down Miami in a 31-13 victory. Let's hope Miami and its freshman QB Brad Kaaya have a better showing against Florida A&M.
As for the Florida State Seminoles, Famous Jameis Winston didn't disappoint. The 2013 Heisman Trophy winner led his team to a school-record-tying 17th consecutive victory, but I know I'm not the only one to think that Saturday's victory over Oklahoma State was a little too close for comfort. The 37-31 win put coach Jimbo Fisher to the test, yet they should be prepared for the home-opener against The Citadel this Saturday. No question that this game should be a victory, but if it's anything but a blowout, it may be time for a Winston pep talk. (Glasses, anyone?)
Be sure to join me this Saturday as I tomahawk chop my way through the game starting at 7:30 p.m. on FOX's Sun Sports.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
-- The Florida Panthers sign No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NHL Draft, Aaron Ekblad. He won the Ontario Hockey League's most outstanding defenseman during the 2013-2014 season at just 18-years-old. On Wednesday, Ekblad signed a three-year contract with the Panthers.
-- Things are heating up in Miami for the Heat camp roster as they signed a pair of undrafted players on Tuesday. Former Duke shooting guard Andre Dawkins and UNLV center Khem Birch have been added to the Heat training camp, which opens Sept. 27th at the American Airlines Arena.
-- FOXSportsFlorida.com's Jameson Olive ranked his top 10 Tampa Bay Lightnings prospects, with goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy and left-winger Jonathan Drouin leading the charge.
VIDEO OF THE WEEK
As if you haven't seen enough ice bucket challenges on social media, this one takes on a new trend. The Rays wives were nominated by former Rays pitcher Wade Davis' wife Katelyn.
The ice bucket challenge continues to flourish for the girls as the Cardinals wives accepted the challenge from the Cubs wives, thus nominating the wives of the Rams, Blues and Blue Jays.