The Florida Gators come into this season with hopes of winning the SEC East division yet again. Last year, the Gators finished 8-4, and they ended the season with three losses and disappointing defensive production. However, the biggest letdown for the Gators was their loss against LSU at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium; Florida got upset 37-34 by the Tigers. These slip-up games need to be avoided by the Gators, for the schedule is pretty demanding this season. Check out potential games where the Florida Gators could get upset.
Game 4: vs. Tennessee Volunteers
Let’s just start off by saying that this upset is highly unlikely. The Gators have won 15 out of their last 16 matchups against the Volunteers. This year, Tennessee features a new head coach with Josh Heupel, and Joe Milton is likely the starting quarterback. Most of the country is unsure of what to expect from the Volunteers this season, but Florida will have to be ready for any surprises. Heupel’s UCF offense is similar to that of Sarkisian and Malzahn, so the Gators’ defense must come prepared. Honestly, this should still result in a blowout win for Florida.
Game 7: @ LSU Tigers
The Gators are currently a slight favorite over the Tigers for their October matchup. The Gators were defeated 42-28 by LSU the last time that Florida traveled to Death Valley. Granted, Joe Burrow had an outstanding year, but new quarterback Max Johnson seems to have the Tigers back in the right direction. Johnson was recently announced as LSU’s starting quarterback due to the recent injury of Myles Brennan. Johnson’s familiarized himself with Jake Peetz’s offense, and Johnson now has good chemistry with star wideout Kayshon Boutte. The Tigers could be in for a breakout year, and they have a high-powered offense. The Florida Gators have this game circled as always, but it’s always a tough outing in Baton Rouge.
Game 11: @ Missouri Tigers
Florida’s last road game will be against Missouri as the Gators travel to Faurot Field during late November. Honestly, the only dangerous part of Missouri’s squad is their offense. Connor Bazelak has proven that he can sling the ball, and the Tigers seem to have a solid receiving core. The only question for Florida in this game is if Emory Jones and the offense can keep up by scoring points. This will be a big year for Eliah Drinkwitz, Missouri’s head coach, so the Tigers will look to excel in this game against the Gators. As always, Florida will have to come with its best game, but it’s been hard to depend on the Gators late into the season.
Concluding Thoughts
Dan Mullen enters his fourth season with the Gators, and this might be the year for Florida to win the SEC Championship. Every season comes with challenges, however, so the Gators will need to perform well against SEC teams and avoid upsets down the road. These three games are signature matchups where the Gators must prove that they are the more dominant team. Of course, winning against Alabama and Georgia this year would be great, but the odds are stacked against Florida in those games. For a successful season, the Florida Gators must prevail in these potential upset games.