Preseason AP Poll ... Gators play 8 teams ranked in top 20

He gets an "F" for the SEC scheduling for sure, particularly this year and next when everything went into the hat and they pulled out what they wanted.

As far as OOC scheduling goes it is our fault as much as any. The fans were hollering for better opponents on the home schedule after years of playing too many Joe's Night School, which would have been fine in the old paradigm....which has shifted.

 

Very hard to accurately predict that because there are so many new transfers on both of those teams....We'll find out very soon.

 

Whoever sets our schedules should be fired.

 

Our OOC schedule is fine, however, I do think SS should have been there in the SEC front offices for that schedule making process. Are ADs even present when these schedules are hammered-out?

 

If the AD isn't the key decision-maker on scheduling, then who would be?

 

What a bunch of slackers....it should be all 12. JKing. Our rivals probably would say that and I've read a few articles about who has the toughest schedule and Michigan fans say they should be #1. How can any Michigan fan say that with a straight face?

Fresno St
#4 Texas
Arkansas St
#23 USC
Minnesota
@Washington
@Illinois
Michigan St
#3 Oregon
@Indiana
Northwestern
@#2 Ohio St

That's 4 ranked teams they face with only one of them on the road and the first 5 at home. 4 of those Big 10 games are against teams with a losing record. 10 of the 12 teams we face had winning records last season and are predicted to have winning records this season with a possibility that UCF may make it 11. 11.

 

Our SEC schedule is NOT created by our school AD. But, SS should be there when it is being made. No doubt about that. I just think the bye-weeks that some of these schools get before they play us is planned. And... why did they move our Tennessee game to a later date?

 

I note that some of the posts are focusing on Scott Strikland and I do not even know what a Scott Strickland is but I will say that I doubt the blame lies with solely with him. I think expansion and this 1+7 or 3+6 schedule concept is part of it. The other part of it though is really lots of humans and business interests that are tearing at the edges of the process. Annual rotation, rival games that we want to maintain (Bama and AU for example), TV network input, ADs driven by money considerations, the addition of playoffs and expanded playoffs, etc. all play a part in it. I believe that while algorithms are probably leveraged, all of that is probably a secondary consideration to revenue. I also doubt that the guy who owns Strickland Propane (and accessories) is the sole decider.


I have been watching College Football for a very long time (sadly I am old) and as the game consolidates in terms of conferences, multiple distribution channels (streaming, new networks, etc), and player compensation, all of this is rapidly changing the game. I think the root cause of the frustration all of us feel is that the game has lost a lot of the original fun - it is so complex, so money laden, and lacks such character it has just become less enjoyable. I also feel this is generational - new students coming in do not have the history and the nostalgia of it. All this just seems normal because it is the new normal.


I would argue that navigating this new business environment will make the real difference between the new dynasties and the old guard. At every level from the staff, to the players, to the facilities, to the TV money is replete with financial concern. Winning is only important in that it drives revenue. I expect to see plenty of schools that will be content with simply funding and driving revenue as opposed to investing and driving national championships (whatever that means). There are plenty of very profitable professional teams that everyone knows will never put it together because the front office is making enough revenue and margin to make it a great business and not a great team.

I anticipate that the pushback will be that you cannot drive revenue without the chance to win it all but that has never been the case. Most of the teams competing have no shot at winning their conference much less making the playoffs.

So... I am not arguing with anyone I am just suggesting that this schedule issue is much more complex than a single guy failing. This is the new world and unfortunately the result of bilions of dollars of revenue being swarmed by many many people who want some of it.

 

I like it just fine. If we can’t make the top 12 even with our schedule, we probably couldn’t beat the top teams anyway. We likely get in if we can somehow win 9 games. If we win 9, we can compete no doubt.

 

The only "gripe" I have is that we should have been the team that had the bye-weeks before we play that gauntlet of a schedule... not the teams we play. But It's okay, the football players don't care because to be the best you have to beat the best, and I know that too. One thing for sure is that our wins will count.

 

And besides Samford, I’m interested in all the games.

 

Like I said, it's a Gator football fan's dream to see all those teams playing the Gators in one season. I really think the players love it too... so some have said in various interviews.

 

I would be extremely happy with a nine win season. I am skpetical of course but that would be a huge step for this team and for Napier.

 

Most teams will likely seize the NFL model, more or less, like we are. Until there is real transparency and enforcement of rules, cheating will be rampant, and those teams will continue to thrive.

 

For starters, I’d like to see us alternate between FSU and Miami, home and home.

 

As tough as the 2024 sec schedule is, next year's could be even tougher. Thank you SEC.
Hopefully Napier and the team are up for the challenge.

 

I would hope you'd be extremely happy with nine wins.

Napier would get an extension with nine wins. Maybe a statue outside of the stadium with nine wins. First borns would be named "Billy" or "Nape" if we win nine games.

When you look at each game individually, a path to 6, 7, maybe 8 wins seems doable. But when you factor in attrition and that we do not have the quality proven depth at certain positions, you realize that 6 or 7 wins might be the ceiling. And ten of the teams we play are as big/fast/strong as we are. There will be injuries.

Losing Lyons doesn't hurt at this moment, but it damn sure hurts in October and November...when players are dinged up. Look what happened when we lost Shemar last year.

If we lose a starter on the DL or at LB we will need to score a lot of points to win any game. Imagine if Cam Jackson is out for a game or two.

Nine wins would be a miracle.

 

Agreed. Maybe we see some of our rivals attrit more than us. They will have some of the same issues. Where we are "deep" we are young behind the starters so who knows. Re games won- I'm hoping for 7 then a bowl win. Big chance for Napier to show what he can do.

 

I agree. I suspect that we are going to maybe win four to six games.