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Florida Football: Will Gators take another step forward in 2019?

By Briley Hughes

GAINESVILLE, FL - NOVEMBER 18: Chauncey Gardner Jr.
GAINESVILLE, FL - NOVEMBER 18: Chauncey Gardner Jr. /
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GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – NOVEMBER 10: Kadarius Toney #4 of the Florida Gators crosses the goal line for a touchdown during the game against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on November 10, 2018 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – NOVEMBER 10: Kadarius Toney #4 of the Florida Gators crosses the goal line for a touchdown during the game against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on November 10, 2018 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) /

How will the Gators fare in 2019?

  • Week 0: Miami (Aug. 24)
  • Week 1: BYE
  • Week 2: UT Martin (Sept. 7)
  • Week 3: at Kentucky (Sept. 14)
  • Week 4: Tennessee (Sept. 21)
  • Week 5: Towson (Sept. 28)
  • Week 6: Auburn (Oct. 5)
  • Week 7: at LSU (Oct. 12)
  • Week 8: at South Carolina (Oct. 19)
  • Week 9: BYE
  • Week 10: Georgia (Nov. 2)
  • Week 11: Vanderbilt (Nov. 9)
  • Week 12: at Missouri (Nov. 16)
  • Week 13: BYE
  • Week 14: Florida State (Nov. 30)

Improving from 2018’s 10-3 record won’t be a cakewalk for the Gators. Thanks to an improved non-conference schedule and two tough crossover games with the SEC West, Florida finds itself staring down the barrel of a top-five difficult schedule.

It wouldn’t be surprising to see an improved Gator team from last year, but with a worse record at the end of the season. Just as likely, however, is that Florida secures another ten-win season.

August and September feature important rivalry games against teams Florida should win. Taking on a motivated and talented Miami team is a tough draw, but a win could propel the Gators to important early-season confidence. Florida will look to erase the bad taste of last year’s home loss to Kentucky in Week 3 as they visit Lexington. Two weeks later they welcome Tennessee to the Swamp in what should be a more competitive game than last year.

October (and the first week in November) will make or break Florida’s pursuit of the SEC East crown and a berth in the College Football Playoff. With Auburn, LSU, South Carolina and Georgia in consecutive games, the Gators will either prove their mettle or falter under the brutal stretch.

The final three games of the season are no sure-wins, either. Missouri is a sleeper pick to win the SEC East and the Gators will travel to Columbia to play the Tigers before a bye week. And of course, the annual rivalry game against Florida State will cap off the season.

Prediction: 10-2, 6-2 SEC

Powered by an improved offense and a stellar defense, the Gators show growth in year two under Dan Mullen. Unfortunately, the unpleasant reality that they’re still a few steps behind programs like Georgia and LSU will become clear during head-to-head losses.

Next. Florida Football: 5 bold predictions for Gators’ 2019 season. dark

Florida misses out on the SEC Championship date with Alabama due to their tie-breaking loss to Georgia, but find themselves in the Allstate Sugar Bowl for the second consecutive season.

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