Florida football could soar past preseason projected win totals for 2025 campaign
Florida football could soar past preseason projected win totals for 2025 campaign
Florida football exceeded expectations in 2024 by snapping a three-season sub-.500 streak with an 8-5 finish that included its first bowl game win since 2019. This all came against one of the toughest schedules among all FBS schools.
The Gators once again face a brutal gauntlet of games that will be hard, if not harder than what they battled through last fall. However, unlike years past, the national sports media is beginning to show some confidence in Billy Napier's rebuilding of UF's gridiron gang.
CBS Sports writer Brad Crawford put together a list featuring one team from each major conference that he expects to exceed preseason win expectations. His choice for the Southeastern Conference was the Orange and Blue, which is projected for a 7.5-win season (per FanDuel) in 2025.
Key factor: Surviving a treacherous first-half slate that includes three preseason top-10 opponents
"Oddsmakers haven't had enough of the DJ Lagway hype, yet? It would grow exponentially in the coming months if the Gators are a surprise challenger near the top of the SEC," Crawford begins.
"One of the nation's hottest quarterbacks to finish the 2024 season, Lagway played an integral role in Gators wins over LSU, Ole Miss and Tulane to end the campaign. And when taking into account some of the impact skill players Florida signed in its 2025 class, Billy Napier's fourth roster in Gainesville should be his best when paired with four returning offensive linemen," he continues.
"Shemar James, Jason Marshall, Des Watson and Jack Pyburn are the only noticeable losses in the starting lineup defensively for new coordinator Vinnie Sunseri, a former safety at Alabama tasked with fixing issues on the back end. Sunseri should be able to get the most out of Florida's depth in the secondary, an area that previously held the team back. It's easy to identify why many outlets have Florida comfortably inside the top 25. This win total seems low for a team with lofty expectations," Crawford concludes.
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