Where The Athletic ranks Florida football among in-state FBS programs

The Sunshine State has long been one of the epicenters of college football but in recent years, the in-state programs have not been quite as impressive as in years past.

Nonetheless, Florida boasts a robust rotation of seven Football Bowl Subdivision schools traditionally headlined by the Florida Gators, Florida State Seminoles and Miami Hurricanes. However, the collegiate gridiron landscape is in constant flux and this triumvirate of teams does not have the stranglehold it once held over the rest of the state.

The Athletic’s Manny Navarro took a look at the seven Florida FBS programs and ranked them from best to worst ahead of the 2024 campaign. FSU came out on top, while Miami is right on its tail followed by the UCF Knights.

In fourth lands the Gators, who have posted three-straight losing seasons and missed out on a bowl game last winter for the first time since 2017.

“Billy Napier faces an incredibly tough schedule, and his program is reeling after five consecutive losses to end the 2023 campaign,” Navarro notes.

“The Gators lost eight quality players via the portal: running back Trevor Etienne (Georgia), left guard Richie Leonard IV (Florida State), right guard Micah Mazzccua (Nebraska), edge rusher Princely Umanmielen (Ole Miss), outside linebacker Scooby Williams (Texas A&M), cornerback Jalen Kimber (Penn State) and safeties Jaydon Hill (Texas A&M) and Miguel Mitchell (Arkansas).

“Florida, though, did add the Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year in defensive lineman Joey Slackman, a quality veteran safety in Asa Turner from Washington and beefed up at receiver with Arizona State’s Elijhah Badger,” he continued.

“Getting back to a bowl game is going to come down to whether or not the offensive and defensive lines have improved. Right now, it’s fair to be skeptical.”

Navarro lists the passing…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/where-athletic-ranks-florida-football-142453855.html

Author : Gators Wire

Publish date : 2024-06-08 14:24:53

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