Florida football: 5 reasons Gators will be better than Florida State in 2018

3 of 6

GAINESVILLE, FL – NOVEMBER 07: Florida Gators helmets sit on the field after the game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on November 7, 2015 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Rob Foldy/Getty Images) /

4. Favorable schedule for Florida

The Gators non-conference schedule in 2018 should bolster a Florida team that struggled in that area a season ago. After playing Michigan (L, 33-17), UAB (W, 36-7), and Florida State (L, 38-22) last season, Florida will play Charleston Southern, Colorado State, Idaho and Florida State in the non-conference in 2018.

In addition to a weaker non-conference, Mullen and Co. will also start the season with three consecutive home games – against Charleston Southern, Kentucky, and Colorado State.

The Seminoles, however, open the season against Virginia Tech, a recent power in the ACC. Even though Florida State plays cupcake Samford and Northern Illinois in the non-conference, the ‘Noles will march into South Bend in November to play Notre Dame, a game both schools will desperately need to bolster their once-flourishing programs.

The Seminoles also get Louisville, Miami (FL), and Clemson in a 4-week span; October could be a rough month for Florida State if things don’t go as planned.

During that same span, though, the Gators could make-or-break their season with games against Mississippi State, LSU, and Georgia. They’ll face Mississippi State on the road, while the Tigers stroll into Gainesville looking for a repeat of last season’s victory. The Georgia game will be played at a neutral site — TIAA Bank Field — in Jacksonville, Fla.

Home/Florida Gators