It’s hard to find any mention of the Florida Gators in a comprehensive and lengthy prediction article from ESPN published on Monday, but a quick look at UF’s projected record explains things a bit.
ESPN expects the Gators to take a step back in the 2023 season and finish with a 5-7 record. Of course, UF has finished each of the past two seasons with a 6-6 record each and lost both bowl games to end under the .500 mark.
Florida plays one of the toughest schedules in the country this season, and ESPN thinks that the Gators will finish behind South Carolina in the SEC East after going 3-5 against the conference. Assuming those wins come against Missouri, South Carolina and Vanderbilt, Florida would still lose to Kentucky and Tennessee for a second-straight season were these predictions to come true.
As injuries mount during training camp, an already bleak outlook for the Gators might be worsening, at least from the national perspective. A win against Utah to open the season would quickly quiet down any doomsayers locked on to the Orange and Blue, though.
There’s no question that Billy Napier’s seat is heating up despite being in just his second year at the helm of the program. A 5-7 year would only give his detractors more ammunition.
Hopefully, ESPN’s predictions are quickly proven wrong.
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