The folks at 247Sports got bored and took a stab at projecting the 2023-24 bowl game matchups before summer camps even begin, and Florida is pegged to face Baylor in the First Responder Bowl.
No SEC team has competed in the First Responder Bowl’s 13-year history, but there are tie-ins that could make it possible. The game is played in late December at Southern Methodist University’s Gerald J. Ford Stadium in University Park, Texas.
Appearing in the First Responder Bowl wouldn’t be the only rarity in this hypothetical scenario, either. Florida last faced Baylor in 1960. A 60-year drought seems almost intentional, and there’s always the potential for one team to deny the invitation.
If the matchup does happen, it will be an easy one for networks to sell. It also likely means both programs have average seasons that barely reach bowl eligibility.
Florida hasn’t played in a meaningful bowl game since the 2020 Cotton Bowl. The Gators lost to UCF in the 2021 Gasparilla Bowl after Dan Mullen was fired, and Billy Napier’s first year brought a blowout loss to Oregon State in the Las Vegas Bowl that almost cost Florida its scoring streak.
Hopefully, these “way-too-early” projections don’t end up being accurate, but there aren’t many that are high on Florida heading into the summer.
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