The Florida Gators‘ 2021 season was disappointing to say the least as Florida finished 6-7 and fired head coach Dan Mullen. However, the Florida program has new promise with Billy Napier now at the helm, and he could guide the Gators to the top of the SEC East quickly. Check out the Florida Gators’ schedule for 2022, and see where the Gators could finish at the end of the regular season.
First Stretch of the Season
The Gators will start out with a tough home game against the Utah Utes. Utah finished this past season with a loss in the Rose Bowl, but the Utes have many returning starters and are expected to be placed in the preseason top 10 poll. Still, Florida can definitely make it a close battle and even a win due to home-field advantage.
Florida will then play Kentucky early in the season, and this will be Napier’s first real test. After the Wildcats got the best of the Gators last year, fans will expect a revenge effort by the Gators to come out with a win at home. If not, tension could arise within the program yet again; however, be mindful that this will only be Napier’s second game.
Florida will have an easy matchup against South Florida before heading over to Knoxville to take on the Tennessee Volunteers. Hendon Hooker returns as the starting quarterback for the Volunteers, so the Gators could definitely be upset in this game. Expect a high-scoring affair in this one.
Midway Point Before the Bye Week
The Gators should easily beat Eastern Washington on October 1st before facing the Missouri Tigers at home. The Tigers beat the Gators in Columbia this past November, so Florida will need to make up for that loss in this matchup. Honestly, the Gators should win this game comfortably.
Florida’s final game before the bye week will be against LSU in Gainesville. Tyrion Davis-Price ran all over the Gators last year, and expect more of the game in Brian Kelly’s first year as head coach. Patrick Toney will need to come up with a scheme to counter LSU’s rushing attack.
Finales on the Road
Florida will face Georgia after the bye week in the usual neutral-site game. The Bulldogs come off a national title win, so it will be tough for the Gators to win this game. However, Florida managed to keep the score close in the first half last year, so the Gators can definitely put up a fight in this matchup.
The Gators will then face the Aggies in College Station, which is one of the hardest places to play in college football. Florida is still a young team, so the players will have to become poised over the season to be ready for the atmosphere in this game.
The South Carolina game was the moment in 2021 when Scott Stricklin decided that the program needed a change in direction. Florida will have a chance to get revenge against South Carolina in the Gators’ final home game of the season. Head coach Shane Beamer will have a new weapon in quarterback Spencer Rattler, so Florida will need to come prepared.
After Florida’s usual easy win over Vanderbilt, the Gators will finish the season against their rival, Florida State. The Gators won this matchup last November, so the Seminoles will definitely come with energy and a strong desire to win this game. For that reason, Florida will have to give its all to come out victorious.
Concluding Thoughts
After looking at these games, they can be broken down into three categories:
Likely Wins: Kentucky, South Florida, Eastern Washington, Missouri, Vanderbilt
Toss-Ups: Utah, Tennessee, LSU, Texas A&M, South Carolina, Florida State
Likely Losses: Georgia
This puts the Florida Gators at a 7-5 or 8-4 record to finish the season. That will be a strong first year for head coach Billy Napier. If he can keep the program and its players on track, Florida will be back in stakes for an SEC Championship.
(Featured image by Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)