Just a week separates Gator Nation from the start of the 2023 college football campaign as Billy Napier and Co. prepare for the second year of the young head coach’s tenure. This fall’s schedule is expected to be brutal for the Orange and Blue, but that is life when you play in the Southeastern Conference.
Speaking of the SEC, CBS Sports assembled its writing crew for its expert opinions and outlooks on the nation’s best football conference. While the Gators did not stand out in the various categories, votes were cast to predict the overall outcome for both divisions.
Six of the eight respondents picked Florida to finish fifth in the SEC East this season, with one (Barrett Sallee) projecting a fourth-place finish and another (Jerry Palm) calling for a sixth-place result. The roundtable picked the Georgia Bulldogs and Tennessee Volunteers to finish Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, in the division.
The LSU Tigers received six first-place votes for the SEC West title while the Alabama Crimson Tide received the other two.
Florida opens its 2023 schedule on the road against the Utah Utes on Thursday, Aug. 31, with a kickoff time of 8 p.m. EDT.
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