Every week, sports experts and writers make projections of where every possible bowl-eligible team will end up playing to cap off the 2023 season.
USA TODAY Sports college sports editor Erick Smith submitted his entries this week and said that not a lot changed his projections after a straight-forward week of college football.
The Florida Gators defied expectations, pulling off a last-minute upset over the South Carolina Gamecocks last Saturday afternoon. After evaluating the Gators and it recent performances, Smith is predicting is the program will get an invitation to the Birmingham Bowl in Alabama.
The predicted opponent for the Orange and Blue would be the SMU Mustangs from the American Conference. The Mustangs are currently 4-2 and are also on a two-game winning streak after beating East Carolina, 31-10, on the road last Thursday.
Experts at ESPN and CBS Sports have differing opinions than Smith’s, projecting a trip to the Duke’s Mayo Bowl instead.
The Birmingham Bowl will be played on Dec. 23.
The Florida Gators are on a bye week and are resting before its big rivalry bout in Jacksonville where they challenge the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs.
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