For all the history that has come with the yearly battle between the Sunshine State’s most hated rivals - the Florida State Seminoles and the Florida Gators - both teams did something last season they hadn’t done since 1961: both finishing the season with a losing record.
Yes, 2021 was a time that those in garnet and gold and orange and blue would love to forget. FSU lost to a FCS team for the first time in program history and finished with their fourth straight losing season for the first time since the mid-1970s. UF dropped four of their final six regular season games (with one of the wins being over the ‘Noles) and lost to a Florida-based team other than FSU for the first time since 2013.
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WATCH HERESo, if you’re a fan of the Gators or ‘Noles, the best way to look at the 2022 season is…it can’t get any worse? Heck, FSU won its first season opening game since the 2016 season last weekend and Florida could get an upset over a top-10 ranked team in its season opener on Saturday.
Is this the season that the Seminoles remember what it’s like to finish with a winning record? Is this the season the Gators can avenge three of last year’s losses that were by a combined 15 points?
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Here’s a complete season preview of the 2022 Florida State Seminoles and Florida Gators.
Florida State Seminoles Biggest Question: Can Mike Norvell right the ship and avoid another losing season?
Heading into this season, Norvell has a record of 8-13 – which was one game worse than the 9-12 record that Willie Taggart has when he was fired with a month left in his second season as coach. Norvell got his ninth win last week over Duquesne, but he’s going to need six more wins at least to avoid any talk of yet another coach being shown the door in Tallahassee.
Biggest Game: September 4th vs. LSU (in New Orleans)
Under the spotlight of a sold-out stadium and a national television audience this Sunday, the Seminoles will aim to prove that they are back among the power teams in college football. If, and it’s a big if, the ‘Noles can get a win over the Tigers and be 2-0 heading into ACC play, it could go a long way to guaranteeing that winning season that is desperately needed in the state capital of Florida.
Florida Gators Biggest Question: Can new head coach Billy Napier avoid a rough start and keep the fans on his side?
In his first game coaching the orange and blue, Napier will lead the Gators on the field against an eighth ranked Utah team in the country who won happened to win a Power Five conference last season. In game two, the Gators will host a Kentucky team they have split their last four meetings with after winning the previous 31 games in the series. If Florida drops both games, it’s going to get interesting in Gainesville.
Biggest Game: September 24th at Tennessee
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If the Gators can get past the Utes and Wildcats to start the season (along with USF in game three), Florida could finish the first month of the season undefeated as they have been able to beat the Volunteers 16 of the last 17 times. If Florida comes into this game with two losses, there is a chance the Gators’ season could be over before the month of October arrives.
