5 Schools the Florida Gators Should Play More Often in Football

Sep 7, 2013; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Hurricanes fans cheer on during a game against the Florida Gators at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

As excited as I am for the Florida Gators’ 2015 football season, I cannot help but roll my eyes looking at teams like New Mexico State, Eastern Carolina, and even Vanderbilt.

The only reason the Florida Atlantic game excites me is because they are an in-state school and this will be the third ever meeting between the Owls and Gators.

More from Hail Florida Hail

• Florida football: Billy Napier disappointed in how Gators’ handling success
• Florida football: Gators’ defense ranks No. 2 in the country in vital stat
• Florida Football: Former target Cormani McClain struggling at Colorado
• Florida Football: The curious case of Kamari Wilson
• Florida Football: Gators know consistency is the next big step

Even though I despise these “cupcake games”, I see the reason for their existence.

With tough conference schedules that take up usually eight or nine games, it is good for teams to take a break and beat up on less-caliber competition every now and then.

Of course, upsets can happen.

Take Appalachian State over Michigan in 2007, Jacksonville over Ole Miss in 2011, and Georgia Southern over Florida in 2013.

Despite a few outlying upsets, most of the cupcake games are blowouts.

Sure, it makes you feel good when your team scores a lot and shuts down that small school who is really only playing you as a means to collect a large payout, but at the end of the day it is boring.

I have a dream, maybe even a vision if you want to call it that. It may not happen anytime soon, but I believe that a time will come when college football will soon see a day where big schools no longer waste viewers’ and fans’ time playing overmatched FCS and mediocre D-1 schools.

When that long-awaited day comes, I will be ready and expect the Florida Gators to broaden their horizons and seek out worthy opponents.

With this in mind, here are my top-5 teams (in no particular order) who the Florida Gators should seek to add to the football schedule in future seasons.

Honorable Mention: Notre Dame (0-1), UCF (2-0), Georgia Tech (9-23-6), Wisconsin (0-0), Texas A&M (2-1), Louisville (2-1)

Next: Alabama