Our continuing "Confidence Meter" series for the Florida Gators brings us to week four against Miami. After two games, Florida should win easily; the Gators have a coin flip against LSU.
Depending on how the LSU game goes, the week four matchup with the Hurricanes might just define the season for the Gators.
But after getting beatdown to open 2024, how much confidence should Florida fans have in 2025?
Florida Gators' Confidence Meter against Miami
As a recap of the first three weeks of the Confidence Meter:
- LIU - 99.9%
- USF - 90%
- LSU - 45%
Miami comes at a pivotal point in the schedule for the Gators. If Florida can knock off LSU and overcome Miami, the Gators will enter the bye week 4-0, and the hype train is going to start to pick up steam.
If Florida loses to LSU and has a repeat performance against Miami, Billy Napier might not still be around after the bye week against Texas.
Florida Confidence Meter - 60%
41-17, blah, blah, blah.
Miami fans have talked more about 41-17 than Gator fans have talked about actually winning a national title in basketball.
But that's what happens when you have as many ACC titles as Stanford: you cling to what you can.
On paper, Miami does have a strong roster in 2025. The ESPN FPI has the Hurricanes ranked 9th, and Miami was aggressive in the transfer portal, landing 20 new transfers to the program.
Headlining that group is Carson Beck, and this is where most Gator fans seem to think Florida has an advantage.
In case one needs a reminder, Beck needed a DJ Lagway injury so that he could come from behind against Aidan Warner to knock off Florida last year. And it's not an accident that Georgia basically let Beck walk and didn't try to match whatever it is that Miami is paying him.
Unlike last year, Florida is going to have stability along its offensive line and, for the first time in the Billy Napier Era, is entering a season with the same defensive coordinator.
Combined with Hard Rock Stadium sounding like a library compared to what Florida is going to deal with on the road against LSU, there are plenty of reasons why the Gators shouldn't be intimidated in 2025.
Could Florida lose this?
Of course, that's why the confidence meter is only at 60%. Plus, Miami gets to play USF the week before, while Florida has to take on LSU.
But this is going to be one of those "Show me" games for Florida in 2025.
If Billy Napier is who he claims to be, then he wins this game.
If not, we hope he knows how to update his LinkedIn profile.