Concern For The Gators: Florida Gators Lose Another Player To The Transfer Portal
The Florida Gators did not have a season that was up to their standards in 2023. The offseason has been a mixed bag of results. They have gotten some good news but for the most part, the news out of Gainesville has been players entering the portal. Safety Miguel Mitchell announced his intention to enter the transfer portal.
Florida Gators Safety Miguel Mitchell Enters Transfer Portal
Mitchell is the 16th Gator to enter the portal this offseason. This is likely a move that happened because of a lack of playing time. Mitchell was the starting at the beginning of 2023 but by the end of the season, head coach Billy Napier opted to go with the freshman tandem of Jordan Castell and Bryce Thornton. This left Mitchell on the outside looking in and he is likely wanting a starting position. In 2023, he had 37 tackles and one interception.
Concern For The Gators?
The team landed a highly touted JUCO transfer and quarterback Graham Mertz announced he is returning for another season. That’s about all the good news that has happened. However, it is still early in the offseason. Florida is in the mix for a lot of players in the transfer portal and should have some players coming into the program soon. It isn’t a fun place to be in right now, but the Gators should have no issue putting a quality team on the field in 2024.
Can the Florida Gators get back to the top of the SEC in 2024? It is going to be a tough road as there are many teams that are loading up for a run in 2024.
Florida Gators’ 2024 football schedule released. It’s a doozy
The Florida Gators’ 2024 football schedule was unveiled Wednesday, and it is — as expected — arguably the toughest in program history. Six opponents were ranked in the Associated Press’ Top 25 at the end of conference championship season; five were in the top 13.
The non-conference schedule for Billy Napier’s third season had been previously announced and is brutal, with three Power Five opponents. It starts with an Aug. 31 opener against Miami in the programs’ first matchup since they kicked off the 2019 season against each other in Orlando. Florida’s non-conference schedule also includes an Oct. 5 matchup with UCF and ends Nov. 30 at Florida State. The UCF game will be the fourth between the schools and the first in Gainesville since 2006.
The Gators’ SEC opener is a home game against Texas A&M. It will also be the SEC debut of new Aggies coach Mike Elko, who replaced Jimbo Fisher.
Florida’s two open dates are Sept. 28 and the traditional spot before the Georgia game in Jacksonville.
The Gators visit Texas on Nov. 9 in the first meeting between the programs since 1940.
Another previously announced game of note: USF travels to Alabama on Sept. 7.
Next season will be the first with Texas and Oklahoma as SEC members. The schedule will not feature divisions. The SEC has not yet announced the composition of future years’ slates, including how many conference games each team will play.
Kickoff times and TV information will be announced closer to the season.
Florida Gators 2024 football schedule
Aug. 31: vs. Miami
Sept. 7: vs. Samford
Sept. 14: vs. Texas A&M
Sept. 21: at Mississippi State
Sept. 28: Off
Oct. 5: vs. UCF
Oct. 12: at Tennessee
Oct. 19: vs. Kentucky
Oct. 26: Off
Nov. 2: vs. Georgia (Jacksonville)
Nov. 9: at Texas
Nov. 16: vs. LSU
Week 13, November 23rd: Ole Miss
Week 14, November 30th: Florida State
Notables
- Florida’s bye weeks come in week five and week nine.
- Florida’s last five opponents all finished inside the top 13 of the 2023 College Football Playoff Rankings, with three of them finishing in the top 5 (Georgia, Texas, FSU).
- Florida plays six teams in 2024 that finished in the top 25 of the 2023 College Football Playoff Rankings.
- Florida opens the 2024 season with three straight home games.
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