The Gators have much to overcome in coach Will Muschamp’s first year, but one of the biggest obstacles out of their control is the schedule.
Not since 2006, a year featuring games against six ranked teams, has Florida faced such a daunting Southeastern Conference lineup.
But unlike Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin’s first year on campus, there’s no hope of a championship this season.
The Gators will be trying to merely survive.
After opening with the usual non-conference warm-up games (Florida Atlantic on Sept. 3 and Alabama-Birmingham on Sept. 10), Florida welcomes Tennessee to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Sept. 17.
The Vols are in their second year under new coach Derek Dooley and, despite being ignored by most pundits, they have some weapons that could give Florida trouble.
Sophomore receivers Justin Hunter (6-foot-4, 200) and Da’Rick Rogers (6-foot-3, 215) both present matchup problems for UF’s diminutive corners.
Hunter averaged more than 25 yards per catch last season and scored seven touchdowns — a Tennessee freshman record.
Should the Gators get past the Vols, it’s possible they enter the meat of their schedule undefeated at 4-0, as a trip to Kentucky on Sept. 24 should be manageable. But it’s all uphill from there.
A brutal October begins with a home game against Alabama, a consensus preseason top-five team.
The Crimson Tide will be ready after early tests at Penn State on Sept. 10 and against Arkansas on Sept. 24.
While a win in this matchup is doubtful, the game will be a great barometer for how the rest of the difficult season is likely to play out.
After Alabama, Florida hits the road for games against LSU (Oct. 8) and Auburn (Oct. 15) before playing Georgia in Jacksonville on Oct. 29.
In all likelihood, that means four straight against ranked opponents, including two teams (Alabama, LSU) that are expected to compete for a national title.
Then, following a miniature break against Vanderbilt for Homecoming, the Gators again will be tested against a potential top-10 team when they travel to Columbia, S.C., to take on South Carolina.
The Steve Spurrier-led Gamecocks are the favorites to win the Eastern Division this year, returning the nucleus of a team that finished in the Top 25 for the first time since 2001.
But with LSU and Alabama absent from its schedule, South Carolina may not be tested until the week prior to the UF game when it plays at Arkansas.
Coming to The Swamp on Nov. 26, Florida State is also expected to be in the hunt for a championship.
If Muschamp hasn’t sold the house he owns with Seminoles coach Jimbo Fisher by then, expect it to make national news.
But the real story will be how UF caps its first season under the new regime.
With a relatively young team playing in new systems, expect some growing pains. Florida may lose a game it shouldn’t, while also winning a game in which it is drastic underdogs.
Appearing recently on a College Football Live special, Muschamp was asked if he expects the Gators to surpass last season’s 8-5 finish.
“Well, certainly,” he said. “I have high expectations for our football team. ... We do have some deficiencies, like everyone does.”
Translation: The Gator Nation should be happy with a repeat of last year.
Florida faces a tough schedule in Will Muschamp’s first year at the helm, beginning with the Vols in Week 3. UF plays reigning national champion Auburn in Jordan-Hare Stadium, while hosting ‘Bama and FSU.
