I always like to start by copying what I wrote in last year’s post! (you can find it at www.eddiegilley.blogspot.com)
I think the Gators will lose again to all three of their
rivals. That’s not going to sit well with some of the fans but an 8-4 or 7-5
record with this schedule should be enough to keep Napier’s job.
However, if they stumble on some games they should win
and don’t, I wouldn’t be surprised if they move on from Billy Napier if the
Gators don’t make a bowl game this year. I think they have some really good
players on the team this year and I’m really excited to see what D.J. can
become in the next years. I just hope we get to watch him develop as a Gator.
I’ve met him and I’ve seen the commitment to putting the time into to be great
that he has displayed. He really does have the “IT” factor that you need to
build a great program. Let’s just hope Gator boosters will see the future and
realize that it is tied to keeping Coach Napier one more year!
Not bad, right? I didn’t get all the games right, but I got
the correct number at the end. I don’t count Bowl Games. Now let’s see what we
think the 2025 season might look like for the Florida Gators.
If there is one thing I can say with certainty, it’s this.
If the Gators lose to Long Island University on opening day, Billy Napier will
be fired! You, me and 20 other D1 players, should be able to win this one. Look
for this to be a chance to play a lot of guys we’ve never heard of in the
second half. I know some want hard games every weekend, but I really like having
a tune up game like this one. Gators win big.
South Florida comes into town next Saturday. This will be a
tougher task. Look for the Bulls to keep this close but the Gators should pull
away as talent takes over in the second half.
The next three games are a huge part of why the Gators have
the hardest schedule in the country. For some reason LSU always gets night
games. It’s hard enough to play there in the daytime but give the Cajun fans
all day to get lathered up and it’s difficult to win in Death Valley. I’m not a
Brian Kelly fan and I think this will be the start of the end of his era in Red
Stick. Gators win a thriller!
A trip to Miami is next up on this difficult schedule. I
doubted the QB there last year and missed that one terribly. We know the QB
there this year. He tried to help us beat his old team last year and without an
injury to DJ, we might have accommodated him. I think he will do it again this
year in a different color jersey. Gators get back undefeated and flying high!
Texas comes to Gainesville for the first time as an SEC foe.
I think they are the team to beat again this year. I’m just not sure the Gators
are up to the task of taking down the top Steer yet! The home crowd will be a
huge factor. If the Gators can hang in until after We Are The Boys and Won’t
Back Down reverberates through the Swamp, there might be a chance for a
monumental upset. I just can’t pick that to happen.
The Gators play the other Texas team next week. It will be
extremely difficult to prevent either a let down if they won the game against
the Longhorns or overcoming the disappointment over losing at home. If the
Gators are healthy, they should win this game. That’s a big ask, but I think
they will get it done in the Lone Star State.
The Gators reach homecoming with a 5-1 record. Avoiding the
trap game will be a test of the leadership of the Gator players and the skill
of the coaching staff. The Bulldogs should be better, but not good enough to
win on homecoming in Gainesville.
After a week off, the annual meeting with Georgia kicks off
November. The Gators have been closing the gap over the last couple of years
without being able to get the win. I think this year, that changes. Look for DJ
to have a monster day and grow the legend even more.
Kentucky will be fully engrossed in basketball mode by the
time the Gators arrive in the Bluegrass State. The Gators should win this one
in a tightly contested game late into the fourth quarter. The legend continues
to grow.
The Ole Miss Rebels will be waiting in Oxford to return the
upset. Although, I don’t think you could count it as an upset when the Rebels
are expected to be a playoff team. As much as it pains me to write it, I don’t think
the Gators will be able to overcome the trip to Oxford and the talent on the
field. While it doesn’t rule the Gators out of the playoffs, a loss means the
last two games are critical for an incredible year.
This is a year when you wish you got the Volunteers early in
the season. By the time the Creamsicles come to town, they will have had plenty
of time to work out their QB issues. This will be the first time that the crowd
can dramatically affect the outcome of the game. Gator Nation will rise to the
occasion and so will this Gator football team.
So, it comes down to the annual clash with the Noles. A win
and the Gators likely get a spot in the playoffs. A loss and it’s a good year.
The best in a long time, but it will feel as if they left something on the
table. With the heavy portal usage by the Noles, it’s hard to know whether they
will hit the jackpot like two years ago or go bust like last year. I think the
Gators can handle them either way. Once again, the home crowd will make the
difference.
10 wins and a trip to the playoffs is achievable. However,
with key injuries or some unlucky bounces and a repeat of last season is also
in play. A bowl game seems to be almost a given for this year’s team. It wasn’t
long ago when that seemed like a long shot. The expectations are high again in
Gainesville. Let’s see if these Gators can live up to expectations!
