What preseason magazines think of Florida football entering 2025 season
The Florida Gators return an experienced squad that includes eight starters on offense, eight starters on defense and kicker Trey Smack. UF closed its season at 8-5 on a four-game win streak and picked up its first bowl win since 2019, beating Tulane 33-8 in the Gasparilla Bowl in Tampa.
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Florida is 19-19 in three seasons under head coach Billy Napier, who for now, at least, appears off the hot seat. The challenge for Napier is to build off that momentum against another challenging schedule that includes games against national-title contenders LSU, Miami, Texas, Texas A&M, Georgia and Tennessee.
"We've gotten more and more familiar with the evaluation process in terms of what's required in our league at the top of college football," Napier said. "And then I think you learn a lot about the football piece, too, in terms of how you put your team together and what it takes to win our conference and win a national championship."
Here's where preseason magazines project the Gators going into the 2025 season:
Where Phil Steele Magazine projects Florida football
Phil Steele has Florida at No. 17 in its preseason poll and picks the Gators to finish seventh in the SEC.
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"Billy Napier took over a Gators squad that had below average recruiting classes prior to him and two super tough schedules," the magazine wrote. "In '22 they got to a bowl game and lost (6-7) and in '23 were 5-7 with three close losses. Last year they had a brutal schedule, but all of my nine sets power ratings call for seven-plus wins with just three true SEC road games. After a 4-5 start, which included their QB out for the year, DJ Lagway led them to four wins and an 8-5 year (beat No. 21 LSU. No. 9 Ole Miss). This year Lagway is back, and they face the fourth-toughest schedule in the SEC."
Steele has seven UF players on his All-SEC teams, with defensive tackle Caleb Banks and long snapper Rocco Underwood on the first team, center Jake Slaughter and left tackle Austin Barber on the second team and defensive end Tyreak Sapp, kicker Trey Smack and wide receiver Eugene Wilson on the third team. Underwood was named a first-team All-American by the magazine, while Slaughter was named a second-team All-American, Banks a third-team All-American and Wilson a fourth-team All-American.
Where Lindy's Magazine projects Florida football
Lindy's has Florida as No. 15 in its preseason Top 25 and picks Florida to finish seventh in the SEC.
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"No longer on college football's hottest seat, Billy Napier hopes to ascend with DJ Lagway, the most talented quarterback the program has had since Tim Tebow," the magazine writes. "UCLA wideout J. Michael Sturdivant was a nice add and edge Kofi Asare (UMass) was a needed depth piece."
Lindy's has Slaughter as an All-SEC first team selection and Banks and Smack on its All-SEC third team.
Where Athlon Magazine projects Florida football
Athon has Florida at No. 11 in its preseason Top 25 and picks Florida to finish fifth in the SEC.
"The Gators have momentum after ending 2024 on a four-game winning streak," the magazine writes. "The late surge helped ease the pressure on head coach Billy Napier, especially with quarterback DJ Lagway's emergence to superstar status. However, the Gators will be holding their breath all offseason after Lagway was limited in spring practice due to a shoulder injury ... The Gators could play seven preseason Top 25 teams on a daunting schedule. Lagway's recovery and development will share just how successful the '25 season will be."
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Athlon has Slaughter at center on its All-SEC first team.
Kevin Brockway is The Gainesville Sun's Florida beat writer. Contact him at kbrockway@gannett.com. Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1. Read his coverage of the Gators' national championship basketball season in 'CHOMP-IONS!' — a hardcover coffee-table collector's book from The Sun. Details at Florida.ChampsBook.com
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Where preseason magazines pick Florida football to finish in SEC, nationally
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