Florida Football: 5 Pivotal games for Gators in 2017

Florida vs Florida State – November 25,2017

Win back the state. The Gators won 7 of 9 meetings prior to the 2013 season. Since then, Florida State won the next four straight match-ups, including 3 in The Swamp.

In that time period, Florida State has dominated the recruiting trail against the Gators. During the last five recruiting cycles, the Noles have finished at an average of 6th place, while the Gators finish around 10th.   The Gators, however, haven’t finished in the top 10 of the rankings in three straight cycles.

With Florida State landing more of the premiere players in the country and state, Florida must take home field advantage and win back this rivalry. This is a potential top 15 match up depending on how the seasons go. This game also goes a long way in deciding who owns bragging rights for both schools, and positioning themselves in tight recruiting battles.