Florida football: AP Poll shows how difficult Gators schedule has been
![Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier waves to fans during Gator Walk before the game against the South Florida Bulls at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, September 17, 2022. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun]Ncaa Football Florida Gators Vs South Florida Bulls](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape%2Fcover%2Fsport%2F6b9bd8252c4c3d6668491ea51f283ce79a161d52ef5f188246d88f6b6f5e940d.jpg "Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier waves to fans during Gator Walk before the game against the South Florida Bulls at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, September 17, 2022. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun]Ncaa Football Florida Gators Vs South Florida Bulls")
If you are a fan of Florida football, then you are not into moral victories. Through four games the Gators are 2-2 and the new AP poll has left Florida where it started the season, unranked.
But if you are looking for an encouraging sign that Billy Napier has the program pointing in the right direction, take a peek at just how difficult the first four games have been.
Florida football: Strength of schedule
Couple different metrics out there for strength of schedule, but with the new AP Poll out the Gators have played a top 15 opponent in three of their four games. pic.twitter.com/ov3T7WXCLP
— Hail Florida Hail (@HailFloridaHail) September 25, 2022
There are a few different sites that try and use metrics to rank teams and give a strength of schedule. Most notably though the website Power Rankings Guru has Florida football tabbed as having the second hardest schedule in the country behind Colorado.
Our neighbors to the west that are feeling special about their 4-0 start are ranked 44th in strength of schedule.
As we know, Florida opened the season against 7th ranked Utah. The Utes haven’t lost since and are still ranked 12th.
Both Kentucky and Tennessee find themselves inside the top 10. Even USF, um, well, you see… on second thought let’s not talk about USF.
Perhaps the most frustrating part are the pathways Florida had to beat Kentucky and Tennessee and how easily the Gators could be 4-0.
Compare Florida’s schedule to Georgia’s (Oregon, Samford, South Carolina, and Kent State) or FSU’s (Duquesne, LSU, Louisville, and Boston College) and ask yourself if it would be surprising if Florida emerged from those with a 4-0 record.
And yes the Gators are also two plays away from being 0-4. And yes the Gators have to get back to a place where wins over Kentucky and Tennessee are automatic and not coin flips.
But it showcases that Florida football has a decent enough of a starting base for Billy Napier to build from and one would expect it’s only going to get better from here.
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