With the 2016 season right around the corner, the University of Florida football team is working hard to prepare for the season opener against the University of Massachusetts; a game that is sure to have The Swamp rocking with electricity and anticipation of the product that head coach Jim McElwain and staff have created in their second year. While the home opener is the game that everyone is looking forward to right now, let’s take a look at a power ranking of the toughest games that the Florida Gators will play this year.
Disclaimer: These games are ranked based on my opinion and speculation. I judged the games by team roster, and position on the Gator’s 2016 schedule.
1. At Tennessee. September 24, 2016
The offseason has been filled with hype about this game. Between Jalen Tabor taking shots on Twitter, and Jim McElwain sprinkling jabs in his press conferences, the game between the Gators and Vols has revived it’s 90’s feeling. The Gators are riding an 11-year series streak into Knoxville this fall where Butch Jones will look for his signature win yet again. The Vols are confident, even though they have not beaten Florida in 11 long seasons.
My reasoning behind having the Tennessee game ranked as No.1 is because of their placement on the schedule. Florida’s first road test will be on the road in Knoxville against a team and fan base that is hungrier to beat Florida than ever. In front of over 100,000+ fans the young Gator team will look to continue improve their astounding 11 game winning streak.
The Volunteers return quarterback Josh Dobbs and running back Jalen Hurd to what should be one of the most efficient offenses in the conference. I’m not a Tennessee truther, but the 2016 game seems like one of the most hyped games in recent history. Both teams should enter the game undefeated and the smack talk will only continue to heat up until the game is finally played.
The last matchups have been decided by two points total, but as junior cornerback Jalen Tabor said on the Paul Finebaum show, “Close only counts in horseshoes.”
2. Vs. LSU. Saturday October 8, 2016
The battle for the title of “D.B.U.” will take place in The Swamp this year and is sure to write another epic chapter in the SEC East vs. West rivalry. The Tigers have reeled off three straight wins versus the Gators; some of which were in rather dramatic fashion. In a game that usually has vicious defense and fake field goals, this year’s game is bound to be another classic. LSU returns Heisman hopeful Leonard Fournette and top wide receiver Malachi Dupre in hopes of keeping their streak alive.
No matter either teams record, this game is always competitive. Florida knows that they can continuously expect the Tiger’s best shot when the two match up and this year will prove to be no different. The game against LSU is sandwiched between a trip to Nashville to face Vanderbilt, and a home stand against the Missouri Tigers; three important games but none will be as tough as the one against LSU.
3. At Florida State. Saturday November 26, 2016
If you are into circling important games for Jim McElwain going into year two, none may be as important as the one in Tallahassee this November. The Gators suffered an embarrassing 27-2 loss at home last year against the Seminoles, a game in which the already fluttering Florida offense plummeted to an all time low.
Looking for redemption, the Gators will try to spoil Senior Day at Doak Campbell Stadium. Roster-wise the Noles have a high caliber roster that will keep them in the polls all year as they make a run at the College Football Playoff.
Though the quarterback position is up for grabs, many believe the Noles will lean on the run game of Dalvin Cook and a talented defense.
Honestly, this game could be No.1 but because of it being so late in the year, I have it at the number three spot for the Gators.
4. Vs. Georgia (Jacksonville. Saturday, October 29, 2016)
The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party has been home to some of the most pivotal games in deciding who the SEC East representative will be in December and this year will be no different. The University of Georgia is searching for a quarterback but reports from camp suggest that they may have found him in Jacob Eason. With their strong running game and stout defense, new head coach Kirby Smart will look to knock off the Gators in his first year.
If it wasn’t for the uncertainty that comes with a new first year head coach, this game would have been higher on the list. Georgia faces stiff competition leading up to the game and both teams are usually banged up by this point. It will be an electric environment on the banks of the St. Johns River when these two collide in late October, a game that is sure to have important post-season implications.
5. At Arkansas. Saturday, November 5, 2016
Surprisingly this game doesn’t have as much preseason hype as I thought it would. Florida’s second SEC West opponent is Arkansas, a team—much like Tennessee—is seen as an up and coming program that is trying to make it’s squelch in the 2016 season. Florida has quite the history of beating the Razorbacks, defeating them the last four times the two have met.
This game comes at a tough time for the Gators as they will be fresh off of a neutral site game in Jacksonville against the Georgia Bulldogs. Arkansas faces a tough SEC West gauntlet before facing the Gators, but don’t let that fool you, the Razorbacks have been know in recent history to turn on the burners in the month of November and ruin SEC contenders seasons late in the year.