Florida Gators 2014 Football Schedule, Prospects

It's still a little more than three weeks until the 2014 college football season begins for the University of Florida, but I thought I might took a look at their schedule and try to divine what their prospects for success are.  Like last year, in which the Gators began well at 4-1 until skidding uncontrollably to a dismal 4-8 finish, this year's start promises a similar rosy early picture...at least for the first three games.  On August 30 and September 6, Florida hosts two smaller colleges: Idaho and Eastern Michigan State...and on September 13, they play at home again against Kentucky.  Chalk up an early 3-0 record for them, nothing that impressive considering their opposition, but certainly helpful in reversing last season's negativity and giving Florida an early advantage in giving them postseason bowl eligibility.  It's the September 20 game at Alabama that's going to present the most problems for them, though.  I see them losing that game and, hopefully, not much more.  I say this because, quite frankly, players tend to get injured against Nick Saban's Crimson Tide, especially quarterbacks (Texas' Colt McCoy in 2009's national championship game and the Gators' John Brantley in 2012).  I want Florida to survive the Alabama game without sustaining too many injuries to key players, because they can still do quite well the rest of the way if their starting team is still essentially intact.

After a bye week, Florida will travel to Knoxville on October 4 to play Tennessee, a team that they were fortunate to come from behind and beat last year.  For Florida to win it again this year, though, I have to go on faith that they are a much improved team...for the Vols probably will be, too.  They will have a shot at beating their annual rival from the West Division, LSU, on October 11 when they return home to play them.  Depending on how healthy Florida is at this stage, I give them a shot at winning this one. The following week they will remain in Gainesville to play Missouri, a team that last year shocked them in mid-season with their performance and set the Gators firmly on their devastating slide of seven straight losses.  I see a different result this time around.  After that, it's another bye week and Florida will go on to three straight crucial East Division games that will ultimately determine their fate for this year (three games that they lost last season).  On November 1, Florida will face Georgia in Jacksonville.  On the 8th they will play Vanderbilt in Nashville.  And on the 15th South Carolina comes in to Gainesville.  I see Florida at this stage gaining some revenge on the Commodores for last year's upset loss...and the Gators winning one of the two games against the Bulldogs and Gamecocks.  And that concludes their Southeastern Conference regular season.

On November 22, Florida plays what should be an "easy" opponent at home, Eastern Kentucky.  But last year's "easy" late-season foe, Georgia Southern, beat the Gators!  Don't expect that to happen again, though.  The 2014 overall regular season ends on November 29 when Florida travels to Tallahassee to play Florida State, a game that in all probability will go to the Seminoles...but should be closer than last year's blowout.  The football schedule also includes the SEC championship game for Florida (should they win the division).  The way I see it, Florida has a good shot at going 6-2 in the league and might be in a tiebreaker situation in the East...so who knows whether they'll make it this far.  But being the guarded optimist that I am, I see the Gators turning it around in 2014 to finish the regular season at 9-3 and returning to a reasonably prestigious postseason bowl appearance...