Good – The State of Florida is Back
Florida football is officially on the national stage again, and not just the Gators. For the first time in years, the Big 3 Florida schools sit inside the Top 15. Miami looked much improved defensively, knocking off Notre Dame in Hard Rock for a huge Top 10 win. Florida dominated against LIU in the cupcakest of all cupcake games. And Florida State shocked the country by stunning Alabama, a huge win after last year’s 2-10 season. Add in USF upsetting Boise State on Thursday night, and the Sunshine State flexed its muscles from the Panhandle to Coral Gables. College Football is better when the Florida schools are good.
Good – Freshman Standouts
We knew the 2025 recruiting class was gonna special, but Week One showed they might be even better than advertised. Vernell Brown III is already playing like a polished veteran, not to mention is OBJ esqe catch. And the crazy part? His fellow 5-Star wideout Dallas Wilson hasn’t even stepped on the field yet. On defense, Jayden Woods and Jalen Wiggins flashed game-changing ability, while QB Tramell Jones Jr. showed poise and accuracy coming in at QB for Lagway showing we do have a capable backup this year and won’t have to rely on Aidan Warner if DJ goes down. The youth movement is real in Gainesville.
Bad – Florida’s Schedule is Only Getting Harder
Reality is coming fast for the Gators. Florida faces eight Top 25 opponents this season, a gauntlet that is the toughest in the country, and could be the hardest in the history of the sport. Early trips to LSU and Miami will test us greatly and then after a bye week we host Texas and then travel to Aggieland to play Texas A&M. The only games left that seem like “sure wins” are vs USF, vs MSST, and @ Kentucky, and even then we can’t sleepwalk through those games if we want to avoid being upset. But I say, bring it on, Spot The Ball, we gotta play all these teams, but they also gotta play us.
Ugly – Billy Napier’s Playcalling
Look, I know we won 55-0, but the playcalling against LIU looked like nothing from the past 2 years had changed. Too many bubble screens, too many short-yardage throws, and way too conservative for a team that needs to build rhythm heading into the gauntlet ahead. Napier has to let DJ Lagway unleash his arm. He has more than enough arm talent to stretch the field, and the receivers are more than capable of winning one-on-one matchups. If Florida sticks to dink-and-dunk against LSU, Miami, or Texas, we will get exposed quickly.
