Preseason College Football Rankings Reveal How Impossible Florida’s Schedule Is

The Florida Gators could be prey for several college football heavyweights this season.

The Associated Press revealed its college football preseason top 25 poll, and it drives home a point fans have known since the SEC released its 2024 slate last December : the Gators have the toughest schedule in the country.

Florida plays eight teams ranked in the preseason top 25, including in the season-opener against No. 19 Miami on Aug. 31. It also plays No. 20 Texas A&M (Sept. 14) before its Week 5 bye.

On Oct. 12, the Gators travel to No. 15 Tennessee, where they lost 38-33 in 2022.

Their schedule is backloaded with five games against teams ranked in the top 13 of the AP poll.

The Gators play No. 1 Georgia in Jacksonville on Nov. 2, followed by trips to No. 4 Texas (Nov. 9) and No. 10 Florida State (Nov. 30) and home games against No. 13 LSU (Nov. 16) and No. 6 Ole Miss (Nov. 23).

Florida head coach Billy Napier is entering his third season and is seeking his first winning season in Gainesville.

The Gators have had three consecutive losing seasons (2021-23), the program's streak since 1945-47.

Florida hasn't had four consecutive losing seasons since 1935-38. According to ESPN's Football Power Index , the Gators have a 58.2 percent chance to win six games, ahead of only Arkansas (48.4 percent), Mississippi State (40 percent) and Vanderbilt (17.8 percent) in the SEC.