EA Sports College Football 25 is set to roll out this weekend, with those who pre-ordered granted early access. As part of the rollout, Florida …
Category Archives: Gator Sports
ESPN Schedule Strength Ranking
Incredibly, the 2024 college football season is nearly upon us.
We are well under two months away from kickoff and I think I speak for all of us when I say it can’t possibly get here soon enough. Amazing how many of these teams are in the SEC.
Speaking of the brand-new season, ESPN recently revealed their strength of schedule rankings as computed by their famous Football Power Index.
The top 10 toughest schedules in all of college football goes as follows…
#1. Florida Gators
#2. Mississippi State Bulldogs
#3. Georgia Bulldogs
#4. Kentucky Wildcats
#5. Auburn Tigers
#6. Alabama Crimson Tide
#7. Oklahoma Sooners
#8. Tennessee Volunteers
#9. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
#10. Texas Longhorns
Gator great Chris Doering believes Florida will exceed expectations in 2024 – Gators Wire
The general consensus among the sports media heading into the 2024 college football season is that the Florida Gators face ostensibly the most …
Congratulations to a GREAT Gator
Gator Volleyball schedule Released
Florida Gators’ 2024 volleyball schedule:
- Aug 24 (Sat): Home vs Georgia Southern University
- Aug 30 (Fri): At Colorado State University
- Aug 31 (Sat): At University of Northern Colorado
- Sep 1 (Sun): At Michigan State University
- Sep 6 (Fri): Home vs University of South Florida
- Sep 7 (Sat): Home vs Southern Indiana
- Sep 8 (Sun): Home vs Ohio State University
- Sep 11 (Wed): At Georgia Tech
- Sep 12 (Thu): At Alabama State University
- Sep 17 (Tue): Home vs Florida State University
- Sep 20 (Fri): Home vs University of North Texas
- Sep 22 (Sun): Home vs Buffalo
- Sep 26 (Thu): At University of Oklahoma
- Sep 29 (Sun): Home vs University of Kentucky
- Oct 6 (Sun): Home vs University of Texas
- Oct 9 (Wed): Home vs Mississippi State University
- Oct 13 (Sun): Home vs University of South Carolina
- Oct 18 (Fri): At Texas A&M University
- Oct 20 (Sun): At Louisiana State University
- Oct 25 (Fri): Home vs University of Tennessee
- Oct 30 (Wed): At University of Arkansas
- Nov 3 (Sun): Home vs University of Mississippi
- Nov 8 (Fri): Home vs Auburn University
- Nov 10 (Sun): Home vs University of Alabama
- Nov 15 (Fri): At University of Missouri
- Nov 20 (Wed): At Auburn University
- Nov 23 (Sat): Home vs University of Central Florida
- Nov 27 (Wed): At University of South Carolina
- Nov 30 (Sat): At University of Georgia
2024 Gator Football Schedule
Florida’s 2024 college football schedule was officially released on Wednesday night. The SEC welcomes two new teams in Oklahoma and Texas next season. 2024 is the first year the SEC will play a schedule without divisions since 1991. The top two teams in the SEC league standings will play in the SEC Championship game on December 7th. There are two bye weeks for each SEC team next season. Here’s the Gators’ complete 2024 schedule.
(Home games in bold)
Week 1, August 31st: Miami (FL)
Week 2, September 7th: Samford
Week 3, September 14th: Texas A&M
Week 4, September 21st: Mississippi State
Week 5: BYE
Week 6, October 5th UCF
. Week 7, October 12th: Tennessee
Week 8, October 19th: Kentucky
Week 9: BYE
Week 10, November 2nd: Georgia (Jacksonville)
Week 11, November 9th: Texas
L I Week 12, November 16th: LSU
Week 13, November 23rd: Ole Miss
Week 14, November 30th: Florida State
Notables
- Florida’s bye weeks come in week five and week nine.
- Florida’s last five opponents all finished inside the top 13 of the 2023 College Football Playoff Rankings, with three of them finishing in the top 5 (Georgia, Texas, FSU).
- Florida plays six teams in 2024 that finished in the top 25 of the 2023 College Football Playoff Rankings.
- Florida opens the 2024 season with three straight home games.
Gators take series!
Gators Secure Series Victory Over Missouri
Posted: Sunday, May 15, 2022
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Florida overcame an early two-run deficit to pick up its third-straight series victory with a 4-3 win over Missouri at Taylor Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Sunday’s series finale was delayed by an hour and forty-five minutes due to inclement weather, but play eventually started just after 2 p.m. CT.
The Gators (32-19, 13-14 SEC) and Tigers (26-22, 8-19 SEC) engaged in an early pitchers’ duel in game three, as starters Nick Pogue and Carter Rustad exchanged zeros through the first three innings of play. While Florida was held in check in the fourth, Missouri broke into the scoring column with a pair of solo home runs by Luke Mann and Trevor Austin.
Faced with a 2-0 deficit, Florida answered right back in the top of the fifth. After Kris Armstrong singled to center with one out, Josh Rivera stepped to the plate and connected on a two-run, game-tying homer off the scoreboard in left field.
Following a one-two-three inning from Pogue, the Orange & Blue grabbed its first lead of the day in the top of the sixth. Sterlin Thompson reached to lead off the frame via a hit-by-pitch, then Florida loaded up the bases with a Jac Caglianone single to left and subsequent walk by Ty Evans. With two outs and an 0-1 count, Armstrong delivered a clutch, two-run single to center to make it 4-2 in favor of the Gators.
Pogue went back to work in the bottom half, retiring the side in order with two strikeouts. As a result, Pogue notched new career highs in innings pitched and strikeouts.
The fourth-year right-hander returned to the mound in the seventh and recorded two quick outs, but was lifted with runners at the corners after allowing an RBI single to Ross Lovich. Right-handed reliever Blake Purnell took over at that point, needing just one pitch to hold the score at 4-3 by inducing an inning-ending groundout to second base
Purnell retired the first two batters of the eighth via the groundout, but ceded pitching duties to right-hander Ryan Slater after surrendering a pair of singles. Slater successfully worked the Gators out of the inning, inducing a line-out to center field to send the game into the ninth with the one-run lead still intact.
Slater closed out the matchup in the bottom of the ninth with little fanfare, navigating around a one-out walk to pick up his fourth save of the season. He finished with 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief.
Pogue (3-2) earned his second-consecutive victory, firing a career-high 6 2/3 innings with three earned runs allowed on five hits. He did not allow a walk while striking out a career-high eight batters.
Missouri starting pitcher Carter Rustad (3-2) was saddled with the loss, allowing four earned runs one seven hits and one walk across 5 2/3 frames. He struck out five.
Armstrong (3-for-4) and Halter (2-for-3) collected multiple hits in the finale.
Sunday’s series finale was delayed by an hour and forty-five minutes due to inclement weather, but play eventually started just after 2 p.m. CT.
The Gators (32-19, 13-14 SEC) and Tigers (26-22, 8-19 SEC) engaged in an early pitchers’ duel in game three, as starters Nick Pogue and Carter Rustad exchanged zeros through the first three innings of play. While Florida was held in check in the fourth, Missouri broke into the scoring column with a pair of solo home runs by Luke Mann and Trevor Austin.
Faced with a 2-0 deficit, Florida answered right back in the top of the fifth. After Kris Armstrong singled to center with one out, Josh Rivera stepped to the plate and connected on a two-run, game-tying homer off the scoreboard in left field.
Following a one-two-three inning from Pogue, the Orange & Blue grabbed its first lead of the day in the top of the sixth. Sterlin Thompson reached to lead off the frame via a hit-by-pitch, then Florida loaded up the bases with a Jac Caglianone single to left and subsequent walk by Ty Evans. With two outs and an 0-1 count, Armstrong delivered a clutch, two-run single to center to make it 4-2 in favor of the Gators.
Pogue went back to work in the bottom half, retiring the side in order with two strikeouts. As a result, Pogue notched new career highs in innings pitched and strikeouts.
The fourth-year right-hander returned to the mound in the seventh and recorded two quick outs, but was lifted with runners at the corners after allowing an RBI single to Ross Lovich. Right-handed reliever Blake Purnell took over at that point, needing just one pitch to hold the score at 4-3 by inducing an inning-ending groundout to second base
Purnell retired the first two batters of the eighth via the groundout, but ceded pitching duties to right-hander Ryan Slater after surrendering a pair of singles. Slater successfully worked the Gators out of the inning, inducing a line-out to center field to send the game into the ninth with the one-run lead still intact.
Slater closed out the matchup in the bottom of the ninth with little fanfare, navigating around a one-out walk to pick up his fourth save of the season. He finished with 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief.
Pogue (3-2) earned his second-consecutive victory, firing a career-high 6 2/3 innings with three earned runs allowed on five hits. He did not allow a walk while striking out a career-high eight batters.
Missouri starting pitcher Carter Rustad (3-2) was saddled with the loss, allowing four earned runs one seven hits and one walk across 5 2/3 frames. He struck out five.
Armstrong (3-for-4) and Halter (2-for-3) collected multiple hits in the finale.
NOTABLES
- Pogue set new career highs with 6 2/3 innings pitched and eight strikeouts
- His previous career highs were 5 1/3 innings and six strikeouts, which he set during his last outing at Missouri on May 18, 2019.
- Armstrong picked up three hits, finishing 3-for-4 with the game-winning, two-run single in the sixth.
- Florida did not commit an error all series at Missouri.
- Florida is now 28-5 all-time vs. Missouri including 11-4 on the road.
- Florida is 32-4 vs. the Tigers under O’Sullivan.
- Florida has won nine of its last 11 games.
- The Gators are 8-1 in their last three SEC series, sporting three-consecutive series wins.
- Thompson extended his on-base streak to 21 games.
- Langford extended his on-base streak to 13 games.
FROM HEAD COACH KEVIN O’SULLIVAN
On the hard-fought win…
“You know, Missouri played well all weekend. We ran across a really good arm today. We knew going in it was not going to be easy. He threw a bunch of strikes, low and in, so it kind of took away a little bit of our offense. But, credit Nick Pogue. He was just outstanding, other than the two solo home runs there in the fourth. But he was just outstanding… I’m really pleased with how Ryan [Slater] bounced back to close out the game.”
On the offense…
“At the plate, Josh had the big, two-run homer to tie the ballgame up and Kris had a good day. He had three hits. It was a good team win. Missouri’s played everybody tough this year. To get a series win, especially this late in the season, it’s big for us.”
On Pogue’s outing and the defense…
“He was great. Down in the strike zone. We only had one walk, with one out in the bottom of the ninth. So, all our pitchers threw strikes and we played really good defense.”
UP NEXT
Florida returns home to close out the final four games of the 2022 regular season at Condron Family Ballpark. The Gators host in-state rival Florida State on Tuesday, May 17 at 7 p.m. on SEC Network, before welcoming South Carolina to town for a three-game series spanning from Thursday, May 19 to Saturday, May 21. Saturday’s season finale is Senior Day. All three game against the Gamecocks will stream on SEC Network+.
Softball SEC Tournament
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — For the second straight night, Florida coach Tim Walton had glowing words for an exuberant home crowd and lively (not to mention advantageous) environment that helped ignite his team for a second straight victory in the Southeastern Conference Tournament.
Much like they did to Texas A&M about 24 hours earlier, fifth-seeded UF jumped on Kentucky, the tourney’s No. 4 seed, in the first inning, got the Pressly Stadium faithful instantly into the game, and rolled to an impressive 9-3 quarterfinal-round victory Thursday that moved the 12th-ranked Gators (43-15) in Friday night’s semifinals to face league regular-season champ, tourney top-seed and fourth-ranked Arkansas (42-9).
“Same as last night. I thought our our crowd did a really nice job, was really energetic before the game even started,” Walton said. “It’s a lot more fun to play in an atmosphere like that. It’s obviously not easy to do and be consistent with that, but, man, it sure is nice on the field to hear that roar and the cheers to feel the dugout’s intensity grow whenever the fans in the stands get after it.”
The home team, of course, did its part. Not in a small way, either.
Walton believes the Gators found a little something extra about themselves back on April 30 in their 2-1 extra-inning win at LSU, courtesy of a homer from Cheyenne Lindsey in the ninth. There has been an air of late-season confidence that has carried over into the early postseason. It was there from the jump in Wednesday’s second-round win, and erupted against the Wildcats (35-17) with one of the best collective versions of this UF squad in weeks.
“Playing in front of Gator Nation is just huge,” junior shortstop Skylar Wallace said.
Great Recruiting Day!
The Florida Gators picked up their third commitment of the 2023 recruiting class on Saturday when an in-state lineman committed to the Gators.
Offensive lineman Knijeah Harris (6-3, 335, Bradenton, FL. IMG) committed to Florida over Miami, Oklahoma, and Texas A&M on Saturday.
Harris visited Gainesville multiple this spring and he likes the emphasis that Billy Napier is putting on the offensive line by having multiple coaches for the position.
The Florida Gators picked up their second commitment on Saturday as a local prospect committed to the staff as the fourth member of the class.
Receiver Creed Whittemore (5-11, 175, Gainesville, FL. Buchholz) committed to Florida over several other schools including UCF and West Virginia.
“I will be committing to the University of Florida, Whittemore tweeted. “And joining the Gator Nation.”
2022 Gator Football Schedule
Florida football 2022 schedule
Week 1, Sept. 3 vs. Utah
Week 2, Sept. 10 vs. Kentucky
Week 3, Sept. 17 vs. USF
Week 4, Sept. 24 at Tennessee
Week 5, Oct. 1 vs. Eastern Washington
Week 6, Oct. 8 vs. Missouri
Week 7, Oct. 15 vs. LSU
Week 8, Oct. 22 Idle
Week 9, Oct. 29 vs. Georgia
Week 10, Nov. 5 at Texas A&M
Week 11, Nov. 12 vs. South Carolina
Week 12, Nov. 19 at Vanderbilt
Week 13, Nov. 26 at Florida State
Dec. 3 SEC Championship Game
Florida football schedule analysis
Utah Utes
2021 record: 10-4 (8-1 Pac-12)
All time series: Florida leads, 1-0
Last meeting: Florida won, 38-29 (1977)
Kentucky Wildcats
2021 record: 10-3 (5-3 SEC)
All time series: Florida leads, 53-19
Last meeting: Kentucky won, 20-13 (2021)
USF Bulls
2021 record: 2-10 (1-7 AAC)
All time series: Florida leads, 2-0
Last meeting: Florida won, 42-20 (2021)
Tennessee Volunteers
2021 record: 7-6 (4-4 SEC)
All time series: Florida leads, 31-20
Last meeting: Florida won, 38-14 (2021)
Eastern Washington Eagles
2021 record: 10-3 (6-2 Big Sky)
All time series: Never played
Missouri Tigers
2021 record: 6-7 (3-5 SEC)
All time series: Missouri leads, 6-5
Last meeting: Missouri won, 24-23 (2021)
LSU Tigers
2021 record: 6-7 (3-5 SEC)
All time series: Florida leads, 33-32-3
Last meeting: LSU won, 49-42 (2021)
Georgia Bulldogs
2021 record: 14-1 (8-0 SEC)
All time series: Georgia leads, 53-44-2
Last meeting: Georgia won, 34-7 (2021)
Texas A&M Aggies
2021 record: 8-4 (4-4 SEC)
All time series: Texas A&M leads, 3-2
Last meeting: Texas A&M won, 41-38 (2020)
South Carolina Gamecocks
2021 record: 7-6 (3-5 SEC)
All time series: Florida leads, 29-10-3
Last meeting: South Carolina won, 40-17 (2021)
Vanderbilt Commodores
2021 record: 2-10 (0-8 SEC)
All time series: Florida leads, 43-10-2
Last meeting: Florida won, 42-0 (2021)
Florida State Seminoles
2021 record: 5-7 (4-4 ACC)
All time series: Florida leads, 37-26-2
Last meeting: Florida won, 24-21 (2021)We