Florida Gators: Predicting Every Regular Season Game in 2023
![Florida Gators quarterback Graham Mertz (15) passes during drills. The University of Florida Football team held their 2023 Football Spring Practice Tuesday afternoon, April 4, 2023 at Sanders Football Practice Field at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL. [Doug Engle/Ocala Star Banner]2023 tFlgai 040623 Uf Spring Fb 0019 De](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape%2Fcover%2Fsport%2F4fa1a6a664162f2a37ea5b9c0ca5b6841e5df199c0507222cee6ad4d15753141.jpg "Florida Gators quarterback Graham Mertz (15) passes during drills. The University of Florida Football team held their 2023 Football Spring Practice Tuesday afternoon, April 4, 2023 at Sanders Football Practice Field at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL. [Doug Engle/Ocala Star Banner]2023 tFlgai 040623 Uf Spring Fb 0019 De")
Florida Football: 2023 game-by-game predictions
Game 1: Florida Gators @ Utah
Last Meeting: #7 Utah 26-29 Florida (2022)
If not for a huge Amari Burney interception in his own endzone, this game could have ended a lot differently. But it didn’t, and the Gators got a huge win over Utah in 2022.
The big news for Utah this offseason is that quarterback Cam Rising decided to return to Utah for another season. Brant Kuithe and Devaughn Vele will also return in hopes for another championship season.
This is not a great matchup for the Florida Gators. Last year, the game was close in The Swamp. Utah finished the season with the 27th-ranked defense in the nation and the 18th-best rush defense. If the Gators can’t get the ground game going early, they’ll be forced to throw the ball and play catch up. The defense won’t allow this game to be a runaway, but Utah should be able to get their season off to a strong start at home.
Prediction: Florida 24-31 Utah
Game 2: Florida Gators vs. McNeese
Last Meeting: 1st Meeting
McNeese is an FCS school playing out of the Southland Conference. And they aren’t a good FCS team either. In 2022 McNeese went 4-7 overall and 2-4 in the Southland Conference. They were 1-4 away from home.
Their starting QB, Knox Kadum, was 81-162 (50%) for 6 TDs and 10 INTs in his sophomore year in 2022. McNeese, like Florida football, will look to run the ball. However, last year’s starting running back, Deonta McMahon, declared for the NFL draft and has since joined the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL. No matter which way you slice it, McNeese should be outclassed, outmuscled, and outworked by a superior Gator football team.
Prediction: McNeese 13-48 Florida
Game 3: Florida Gators vs. Tennessee
Last Meeting: Florida 33-38 #11 Tennessee
Tennessee is a team that had a good rushing defense in 2022 and an explosive offense. Tennessee led the nation in scoring offense in 2022 at 46.1 points/game. They won 11 games for the first time since 2001, and the Vols beat the Gators for just the second time since 2004. 2022 was the best season Tennessee has had in over two decades, and history favors the Gators here.
The one major problem is their starting quarterback, Hendon Hooker, has graduated. Joe Milton III put up good numbers in his relief in 2022, but he’s been a college QB for a handful of years, and he has never come close to being able to do what Hendon Hooker did in 2022.
In 2022, Tennessee would beat Florida 38-33 on Rocky Top despite Anthony Richardson having, arguably, his best game as a Florida Gator. If Graham Mertz can be the game manager everyone expects him to be, and the defense steps up and slows down a good Tennessee offense, Florida football will open up SEC play with a win in front of their home fans.
Prediction: Tennessee 28-34 Florida