Schedule Breakdown: Florida

Predicted wins and losses, with wins in bold and losses italicized.

vs. North Dakota State
vs. Tennessee Tech
vs. UNC-Central
vs. Rutgers
vs. North Florida
vs. Florida State
vs. Stetson
vs. Vermont - Tampa, FL
vs. Jacksonville
vs. Florida A&M
vs. Georgia Southern - Jacksonville, FL
@ Ohio State
vs. Temple - Sunrise, FL
vs. High Point
—————————-
@ Alabama
vs. Auburn
@ Ole Miss
vs. Kentucky
@ South Carolina
vs. Vanderbilt
@ Arkansas
@ Tennessee
vs. Georgia
vs. LSU
@ Vanderbilt
vs. South Carolina
@ Georgia
vs. Mississippi State
vs. Tennessee
@ Kentucky

This would put the Gators at (21-9) and (8- on the season. A very weak RPI would still grant Florida with a NCAA bid, around a 10 or 11 seed.

Florida’s schedule released…

Here’s how it looks.

vs. North Dakota State
vs. Tennessee Tech
vs. UNC-Central
vs. Rutgers
vs. North Florida
vs. Florida State
vs. Stetson
vs. Vermont - in Tampa, FL
vs. Jacksonville
vs. Florida A&M
vs. Georgia Southern - in Jacksonville, FL
@ Ohio State
vs. Temple - in Sunrise, FL
vs. High Point
————————————–
vs. Auburn
vs. LSU
vs. Mississippi State
@ Alabama
@ Arkansas
@ Ole Miss

Now, I’ll be the first to tell you the value of playing an easier schedule when you’re rebuilding. But this is absolutely shameful. The Gators will play only one true road-game during the non-conference slate, and that game will be the team’s only trip outside their home state. Florida State and Vermont should be decently challenging games, and Ohio State will pose a heavy challenge despite losing a great deal themselves. If Billy Donovan’s squad has any NCAA hopes whatsoever, the Gators can’t afford to lose more than one game before SEC play, and likely will need a 9-7 record in the conference.

As for the schedule versus the West, this year’s draw isn’t particularly favorable. Florida must travel to both Alabama and Arkansas, but is afforded the opportunity to avoid the Hump in Starkville.

More schedule updates as they are released.