Miami Sanford Texas A&M UCF Kentucky LSU Ole Miss Miami - I’m counting on the home field advantage big time in this one. I believe Miami has a new starter so it should help us. Sanford - We should win this one handily, with Lagway getting playing time. Texas A&M - New coach, so that should give us the advantage. UCF - Let’s not get upset by these guys. Kentucky - Time to be the whipper and not the whippee. LSU - Time to stop shooting ourselves in the foot and beat these guys. Ole Miss - They may very well win the West this year. I don’t see us beating them. Other than Sanford, it’s almost like each successive game is going to get tougher to win. Maybe we can get on a hot home winning streak and get 5-6 wins at home this year.
Agree with your take, it's possible that we go 5-1. Also possible we go 2-3 but I hope not. Ole Piss, LSU and Tucky(or Meeami)
Oops, wasn't counting Samford. 6-1 or 2-5. Depending on the Miami game. We win that, and the 6-1 is very likely.
The other wild card is not sure who LSU has waiting in the wings to replace Daniels. He was a one man wrecking crew.
LSU and Ole Miss, who knows. But if we can get past miami, really think we have an edge in our other pre-georgia home games. Add a road win over Miss St- we should enjoy a massive talent edge- and we are going to have an interesting season.
It pleases me that we play Kentucky later in the year when we will know what their offense is doing, and I like aTm earlier before their new coach's system is fully operational. I also like Ole Miss later when their depth on defense will be tested by a full season. That is about all I can say to make any of our schedule look rosy. It's worse in challenges than our covid year of all SEC games.
I love the fact that so many home games will be sold out with rabid Gator fans because of the good/great competitive teams we will be facing. This year's schedule is what it should always look like. I think we sell out the Samford game too... becasue of the likelihood of seeing Lagway play so many meaningful minutes. All the rest of this year's home games will be a hard ticket to get.
Here is what I have been thinking about - Just go undefeated in the State of Florida. That means "W's over Ole Miss, UGA, LSU, FSU, Miami and UCF, among others. Think UF plays 9 games in the state. I will take an upset loss on the road to MSU, and losses to UT and Texas for a 9 -3 record. 9 - 3 would put UF in the running for a playoff spot.
Love the thread!!! Miami is going to be a beast of a game! Other than Georgia, Miami may be the most talented team we face. I realize you are talking about home games. I only used Georgia as a point of reference. We will have to bring our A game to win against UM and every elite team! Miami just added skill players on offense and defense. They didn't need another receiver, and they got who we needed--Sam Brown. They also got the best LB in the portal, and I thought they were already loaded. They also picked up a very good cornerback, and 247 says they're not done! I am expecting our defense to have a respectable performance. I am putting the outcome of the Miami game mostly on the offense. With that said, the defense WILL HAVE TO contain Cam Ward and put continual pressure on him. ST disasters cannot show up as well as bone-headed plays. The Gators could win all of their home games, but they cannot come out slow and lethargic against anyone; especially Miami! TAMU is still a very talented team, and the Gators cannot make mistakes and hope to win. Robbing us of points and giving them points cannot continue! UCF is a troubling opponent, because we have to play inspired ball. The offense must, must play four quarters, with no time off! Can we go undefeated at home? Yes! Will we is the question. If our defense is stout, we will be in every game, including Ole Miss. Anything less than a B game in every contest won't cut it. Again, some games, it will be imperative to play an A game against some teams. The Gators must not be their own worst enemy, and we WILL have a respectable record at home! Go Gators!!! (BTW, some will say I sound pessimistic in this post. Don't mistake realism for pessimism! If the Gators are mentally prepared, Florida will be a dangerous team!!!)
The upcoming Miami game, IMO, is the most important game in the Napier era. Gator Nation is hoping UF reached it's (nadir) last year with the season ending 5 game losing streak. 3 consecutive losing seasons and a 5 game losing streak to close out 2023 left UF feeling "rock-bottom". Time to swing the ole winning curve "upward" starting with Miami. Reading this board and other sources, I am not alone in my thoughts that game 1 is of paramount importance to Gator Nation. Doc: "Other than Georgia, Miami may be the most talented team we face" Miami has made some serious talent aquisition moves and appears somewhat "loaded" even with the 6 recent transfers, if Doc's reading of the tea leaves is correct. As much as we, the UF fan base hates to admit it, FSU is the "standard bearer" of success in the State of Florida among college teams right now. UF and Miami are battling to emerge from mediocrity, it would be nice to get an early leg up on Miami in 24, especially in recruiting. FSU is the "Hot" school in the state now (yeah yeah I know all about 3 - 63) but 13-1 is 13 - 1. That FSU battle closes out the season. I think it would be disingenuous not to credit Mike Norvell for the last 2 years. 23 - 4. Yes it's in the ACC but it's still a very good record. Now having given Norvell props - Travis is GONE (thankfully). Norvell has been a transfer portal guru. I'm not so sure that the FSU foundation is so solid going into 2024. Building a program on transfers does have risks, we will see if Norvell will continue that success. Personally I will be shocked if they (FSU) do not fall back a good bit in 24. If Billy can survive the schedule gauntlet and recruit well this cycle, we just might see progress in taking over the #1 position in the state.
Good stuff Gatorhead, I just disagree with Miami being THAT game and being THAT important… that it defines our season. It’s our first game, it’s out of conference and there are just too many unknowns. Did Utah really show us anything 2 years ago? I’m putting more on game #3, 4 & 5. How do we respond after Miami? Whether a win or loss, can we handle TAM at home? …and can we handle a bottom tier Miss St on the road? Our first. Then we have UCF at home. They’re feeling good about themselves. Can we put them in their place? It’s that stretch that tells me what we have this season.
Hi scooterp - Of course, in the world of playoff college football, literally every game is a playoff game. They ALL matter. My post, to be honest, represents a few things: One - A dislike for Miami. Two - A reflexive instinct - Gator Nation will be unbearable with an opening game loss to the hated Canes. I don't want to deal with that. Third, I don't want to start 24, should UF lose, with "Fire Billy Napier" being the Gator theme to start the year. I do agree that an opening day loss should not be considered "world ending" under normal cicumstances, however circumstances are not normal. CBN is teetering on a razors edge. Gator Nation is frayed and justifiably so. The losing coach, is going to be a step closer to losing a job. Neither staff has much room for failure the way I see it. I just want it to be a Miami problem and not a UF one. One thing for sure, it will be an exciting contest to open the season.
Was thinking the same thing, more or less. If we lose to miami, it will feel among other things like it's going to be a very loooong season. But OTOH, there's nothing preventing us from winning our next six games. As you said, beating miami would not mean we are going to then win or lose any remaining games. Would love the win but it won't define the season win or lose. One game is not the season.
