The Schedule According to Smooty

Agreed. And UT, UM, FSU, ATM, UCF(ofc) and Lane. Add in the one cupcake and MState, I’m a happy Gator! All very winnable games IMO. could slip at one and still takedown LSU as well.

 

Urinary tract?

 

With this schedule, the difference between going 5-7 and 8-4 is razor thin. A lot of those middle games are toss ups. If the ball bounces our way a few times we are 8-4, but 5-7 is just as likely.

 

8-4 requires both an overall good year and that Napier shows us he can win one that he is not supposed to win. Which is something that any top coach needs to be able to do, especially if we are ever going to get back in title hunts.

Not sure this is they year for that though sure would be nice.

 

8 of the teams we play are ranked top 25 in the Coaches poll that came out last week. Considering we are unranked, if we go 4-4 against these teams, and take care of business with the others, that would be a very positive outcome for out team.

 

To get to eight we will have to win as dogs in several games.

 

9-3 or 10-2 . We have the QB much better defense. I really like this team. Strongest we have been since Napier got here. OL will be a strong point.
Really like the new Coaches..
Can't wait

 

This makes perfect sense... in a static world. It's a good thing we live in a moving, growing, dynamic sports world. I think the Gators' football team has improved more than people think they have. The Gators will have a much better overall team... especially on defense. I see seven wins as the rock bottom for the season. However, If we suffer massive injuries, then I see maybe six wins. But I'm far more optimistic than that. Eight wins is what I expect, and I would not be surprised if we take a game or two that many think we will not win and end up winning even more than eight...

Look at some of our highlights from last year's team... Look for an improvement this year. Caleb Banks bring the pressure.

 

This is absolutely realistic, IMHO.

 

I like pigpen the Grateful Dead musician , peanuts dude and GC poster.

 

Starting with Game 1

 

I think that positive outcome is underselling the task. That would have to be a great team overperforming. Most of those games are probably less than 50/50 chance, because the cumulative of those games forces us to use our backups more than our opponents. Now we lost some of that depth at DT with the Lyons injury at a critical position. Kentucky gets votes also and an anonymous SEC coach quoted in the Athletic says they will be a top 3 D in the SEC. The SEC is going to be a meat grinder.

 

The SEC is the best conference in CFB, not much new there. Players do get hurt; sadly, Lyons won't be the last. Obviously, it was unfortunate for the team and for the young man too. However, the Gators won't be the only team facing an SEC schedule with unanswered questions and injuries. Frankly, 8/31 is right around the corner and I can't wait to see what we do have in the here and now. To me, prudence is always appropriate, mental capitulation three weeks out is not. TBH, if we don't win at least 7 games with this roster, I will be disappointed and more deeply concerned than I am now. But I refuse to concede that over half of our opponents will be favored because they truly have better rosters, particularly those coming to the Swamp - before a single game has even been played. If we handle scUM in even a semi-impressive manner, look for those long odds to shorten a bit. If we whip their asses and open a strong 3-0, some of those odds will likely flip dramatically. FTR, our BC ratio is better than several of those presumably favored teams, including Kentucky. IMHO, the overall talent level will not be an excuse for not being competitive in the vast majority of our games.

 

I hear you. Good points. We have a good blue chip ratio. Much of it is very young still. The offseason is a long time for young players to improve. We will see if our coaches are earning their money and developing those players. I fully expect we are much improved. Problem being though in this era I fully believe most of the SEC is better also.

 

The heck with it, let's just go 15 - 0 and put another crystal in the Trophy Room!

 

I’ll come to a couple more games if that’s so. I couldn’t bring myself to drop the cash late in the year last year.

 

Someone had to be the first to say this...

 

It's childish until opponents do the mock Gator chomp or we do the mock tomahak chop. As one who lives in Texas (less than 50 miles from Austin City Limits), I would be the FIRST to flip them the double Horns Down salute. Older fans here still call them the teasips or teasippers, due to their self-styled "elite" reputation in the Lone Star State. In many respects, the Shorthorns are the Texas version of the Gators.

1. Flagship university
2. Top academic university among the major schools (Florida has no Rice equivalent)
3. Lowest acceptance rate among the majors
4. Massive statewide entitled fan base
5. Heart of recruiting heavens
6. Believes winning is their Divine Right, even though...
7. ...their similar success paths:

1980-2009

Texas..........257-103-4 (.712)
Florida.........278-90-4 (.753)

2010-2023

Texas...........107-74 (.591)
Florida..........105-71 (.597)

They were the better program before 1980 when they played in the weaker Southwest Conference...

 

Looking at The Gospel According To Phil Steele (lol) he has the top units (or "rooms", I guess) of each team. Here's how us and our opponents rank (not counting Samford):

NOTE: NR = Not Ranked

Quarterbacks

Texas.............1st
Georgia..........2d
Ole Miss..........5th
Miami............10th
Texas A&M......26th
UCF................27th
Florida..........28th
FSU................33d
Tennessee.......39th
LSU................41st
USCe..............57th
Kentucky.........NR

Running Backs

Miami................7th
Georgia..............9th
Texas................10th
Texas A&M.........11th
UCF...................12th
Ole Miss.............13th
FSU...................19th
USCe.................22d
Florida..............23d
Tennessee..........37th
LSU...................66th
Kentucky............NR

Receivers

Ole Miss.............4th
Miami...............11th
LSU..................12th
Tennessee.........15th
Georgia.............16th
UCF...................18th
Texas................19th
Florida.............21st
Kentucky...........22d
FSU..................23d
Texas A&M.........24th
USCe.................28th

Offensive Line

Georgia..........1st
Texas.............2d
FSU................5th
LSU................6th
Miami.............7th
Tennessee.......8th
Ole Miss.........13th
Kentucky........17th
Texas A&M......20th
Florida..........28th
UCF................30th
LSU................41st
USCe..............NR

Defensive Line

Texas A&M......6th
Georgia..........7th
Tennessee.......8th
Kentucky.........9th
Ole Miss.........10th
Miami.............12th
FSU................15th
Texas..............18th
USCe..............20th
UCF.................27th
Florida...........41st
LSU.................54th

Linebackers

Georgia.............3d
Texas................4th
Kentucky..........13th
Miami...............15th
Texas A&M........16th
USCe................21st
LSU..................22d
Florida.............26th
Ole Miss............27th
FSU...................40th
UCF....................43d
Tennessee...........NR

Defensive Backs

Georgia.............3d
FSU...................7th
Texas...............16th
UCF..................18th
Florida............21st
Ole Miss...........23d
USCe...............29th
Texas A&M........31st
Kentucky...........32d
LSU..................36th
Miami...............37th
Tennessee..........NR

Special Teams

Texas................2d
Georgia.............3d
FSU..................13th
Miami...............17th
Florida............25th
USCe...............26th
Tennessee........40th
Texas A&M........56th
Kentucky...........61st
Ole Miss............65th
UCF..................NR
LSU..................NR

Now before anyone goes there, Steele is just one analytical team. That said, no one puts more work into ALL the teams than Phil. All one needs to do is compare units and determine the relative advantage. And needless to say, it does not include injuries that occurred after publication.

 

I don't know if I can see anything sadder than being behind UCF in 5 of 8 categories