5. Florida Gators vs. Miami Hurricanes (Week 1)
Where: Orlando, Fla.
This game probably won’t have CFP implications, but it might. Both the Gators and the Hurricanes are considered second-tier in their conferences. Florida is certainly behind Georgia, LSU, and Alabama, and no one in the ACC has a chance of passing Clemson.
However, this will be an interesting game for a lot of reasons. Florida will be favored, but this is still a winnable game for both teams. Because of this, they will be playing for pride for their respective conferences. Also, these teams will be playing for recruits in Florida. Both of these teams have relatively new head coaches, and both will be trying to earn respect in the state of Florida for recruiting. Beating an in-state rival can go a long way for that.
In terms of the game itself, this will be really fun to watch. Tate Martell will be getting his first start for the Hurricanes, and there are high expectations for him to succeed. This is certainly a tough game to start your career at Miami, but an upset against Florida would be really interesting.
Florida is trying to climb its way to the top of the SEC East. This game won’t do a thing in terms of SEC standings, but a win could give the Gators confidence going into the bulk of their schedule. it is certainly an opportunity to build on what happened at the end of last season for the Gators.
This game will mostly help set the framework for the college football season. It will help us learn early if Florida is a contender for the SEC East or a pretender. A blowout win would be a good sign for the Gators.