The difficulty of the 2024 Florida Gators schedule is a hot topic in college football for the upcoming season. We already know that Florida faces tough competition based on the teams alone, but another important factor is what their opponents face the week before. Several of the Gators’ opponents have the advantage of a bye week or a game against a Group of Five or FCS team. This means that not only is Florida’s schedule potentially tough because of the opponents, but many of these opponents also have an easier week before playing the Gators. Let’s take a look at how the schedules of Florida’s Power 5 opponents shape up the week before they face the Gators.
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vs Miami, Aug. 31 – Season Opener
vs Texas A&M, Sep. 14 – Week before vs McNeese | Florida previous week vs Samford
at Mississippi St., Sep. 21 – Week before vs Toledo | Florida previous week vs Texas A&M
vs UCF, Oct. 5 – Week before vs Colorado | Florida previous week BYE WEEK
at Tennessee, Oct. 12 – Week before at Arkansas | Florida previous week vs UCF
vs Kentucky, Oct. 19 – Week before vs Vanderbilt | Florida previous week at Tennessee
vs Georgia, Nov. 2 – Previous week BYE WEEK for both teams
at Texas, Nov. 9 – Previous week BYE WEEK | Florida previous week vs Georgia
vs LSU, Nov. 16 – Previous week vs Alabama | Florida previous week at Texas
vs Ole Miss, Nov. 23 – Previous week BYE WEEK | Florida previous week vs LSU
at Florida St., Nov. 30 – Previous week vs Charleston Southern | Florida previous week vs LSU
Games against Mississippi State, Tennessee, Kentucky, Texas, Ole Miss, and Florida State stand out because these opponents have an easier previous week than Florida, either due to a bye week or facing a weaker opponent.
Excluding the season opener, the Gators face three teams coming off a bye week, with Georgia being one, where both teams have a bye week.
The November stretch at the end of the season is already considered tough and might be even harder due to the opponents’ previous weeks. Only LSU has a potentially even match-up compared to Florida, as the Tigers face Alabama while Florida is coming off a game against Texas.
For some teams, this advantage is more pronounced. Tennessee has a bye week and then plays Arkansas before facing Florida. Kentucky has a bye week followed by Vanderbilt before playing Florida. Texas has a bye week before playing Vanderbilt and then Florida.
In conclusion, the 2024 Florida Gators have a challenging schedule not only due to the strength of their opponents but also because many of these teams have the advantage of a less demanding week prior to facing Florida. This factor could play a significant role in the Gators’ performance throughout the season. As the season unfolds, it will be interesting to see how these scheduling dynamics impact the Gators’ journey and overall outcomes.
What else stands out to you about the 2024 schedule for the Florida Gators? Leave a comment!
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