The Florida Gators season opener against Michigan is a hot ticket. It’s a big game for players and fans on both teams, a game nobody wants to miss. Especially so for the lone Gator from the state of Michigan, this game means a little extra.

David Reese grew up in a Michigan State household. His father played there in college but the younger Reese fell in love with Michigan. He might have been lucky to not get kicked out of his house for that kind of treason, and he committed to play football for the Wolverines and Jim Harbaugh.

“My Dad went to Michigan State. I thought I was going to go there originally growing up,” Reese said on Monday. “Then I found a love for Michigan. I had guys that were like family on that staff. Chris Singletary, he went to Arizona. The whole staff, all of those guys left.”

Reese was on track to graduate early from high school and had his heart set on enrolling in college early. Unfortunately, Michigan didn’t have room for him to enroll early. If he wanted to be a wolverine he would have to wait until the summer to enroll. That’s when Reese re-opened his recruitment, ultimately finding a home in Gainesville.

Soon after he committed, and just before he would enroll for the spring semester, Michigan trounced Florida 41-7 in the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl. That didn’t go well for Reese when it came to his family and friends.

“I saw Michigan beat Florida on TV like that. Everybody from my home town said ‘Why are you going there? Dah dah dah, stupid decision in your life,’” Reese recalled of the reaction shortly after he bowl game. “I’m just ready to prove everyone wrong in my home town. I know it’s going to be house divided, but I’m eager for this game.”

Reese enrolled at Florida shortly after that game and Randy Shannon, Alex Anzalone and Jarrad Davis quickly took Reese under their wing. Florida knew that while they had two All-SEC caliber linebackers in Anzalone and Davis, that Reese would be pressed into action as a freshmen. When both Davis and Anzalone went down Reese became a starter.

“Jarrad is one of those guys that does everything right. He stresses the little things. He watches film study. You can always find him just working to better himself, as a person on and off the field,” Reese said. “He just took me under his wing as a little brother. I really appreciated that. He and Alex Anzalone. They both molded me and helped me to try and become the player that I want to become.”

As a freshman Reese finished the season with 49 tackles, despite having fractures in both of his wrists. He missed the spring while recovering from surgery to repair those injuries.

He’s back in the fold as a starter now. He’s had this game circled on his calendar ever since he arrived on campus. Reese estimated he has more than 10 family members that will be in attendance. “I know it’s going to be house divided,” he said.

Reese doesn’t hold any ill will for how everything happened. He appreciated Harbaugh offering him a scholarship and he’ll never forget where he’s from.

“I feel like it was just God’s way of telling me that this is home and that this is the place to be,” he said. “I always will have a special place in my heart for Detroit, the city itself, but as far as school, I’m a Florida Gator. And I’m proud to be one.”