CBS Sports predicts Gasparilla Bowl return for Florida following Kentucky loss

Following an ugly loss to the Kentucky Wildcats, Florida remains in the bowl picture, according to CBS Sports’ Jerry Palm.

Florida’s Week 5 loss to the Kentucky Wildcats has most college football followers pumping the breaks on the Gators, but there is still a very clear path to UF becoming bowl-eligible.

CBS Sports provides weekly updates on its bowl game predictions, and the Gators are still playing an extra game in the latest projections. Jerry Palm has Florida playing Ohio in the Gasparilla Bowl on Dec. 22 at 6:30 p.m. EST.

The Gators lost the 2021 Gasparilla Bowl to the UCF Knights and haven’t won in the postseason since the 2019 Orange Bowl against Virginia.

The Gators must win at least three more games to secure bowl eligibility. A revenge game against Vanderbilt on Saturday seems like the easiest matchup left on the schedule. Then, Florida goes on the road to face South Carolina, which could be the next best opportunity to get a win.

After a bye week, the schedule goes Georgia (Jacksonville), Arkansas, at LSU, at Missouri and Florida State. Georgia is still ranked No. 1 despite some shaky play, FSU is a top-five program so far and both Tigers teams are ranked inside the top 25, leaving Arkansas as a must-win game on the schedule.

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