There are two truths that can apply to the Gators over the last few years. The first is that Florida hasn’t been very good, and the Billy Napier Era was one of the worst in Gainesville, potentially ever. The second is that Florida has had to navigate a schedule far more difficult and demanding than that of some others around the country.
Speaking at the SEC Media Days in Tampa, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey tried to paint a picture that the conference has the most demanding schedule in the country. He didn’t mention Florida, but Florida as a litmus test paints a complicated picture for the entire conference.
Florida’s strength of schedule doesn’t leave room for error
In his remarks, Sankey continued his narrative that the SEC should get the benefit of the doubt compared to other conferences because of the top-to-bottom strength of the SEC. He was asked about the move to a nine-game conference schedule, and Sankey responded with:
“I'm actually one who believes competitors want great challenges. I'm unapologetic about that reality.
As it relates to the College Football Playoff Selection Committee, we have heard about strength of schedule, strength of record. I think there were some references for strength of conference.
We had what I'll call an unsatisfactory conversation with members of the College Football Playoff staff and some of their advisers in Destin. That's rehashing from a couple months ago, that's not a secret. That's a reminder of that process needing to continually improve.
My confidence is that people will act with integrity. I do think we have questions about the understanding of the strength and rigor associated with competing in the Southeastern Conference.”
The core debate around college football as a whole is how to evaluate a 9-3 team from the SEC compared to a 11-1 team from the Big 12 or ACC. Sankey would argue that the SEC is currently not rewarded enough, and that this could lead teams to opt for the easiest non-conference slate possible if quality wins won’t matter.
This brings us to Florida and the role the Gators played in shaping the 2025 playoffs. As we have talked about, Florida’s win over Texas was the sole reason the Longhorns didn’t make the playoffs. As it became clear Texas was going to miss the playoffs, there were arguments made that they should still make it in at 9-3 ahead of some others.
And this may seem like orange colored glasses, but one could make the case Florida was stronger than their 4-8 record indicated. The 4-8 Gators were in a one-score game with Miami with ten minutes to play and went on to smash FSU to close out the season. Had the Gators played in the ACC rather than the SEC, who is to say Florida wouldn’t have gone 8-4 instead of 4-8?
The continuation of this argument from people like Sankey is that teams like Texas and Georgia would go 11-1 in the ACC and Big 12 without breaking a sweat.
Not as simple as Greg Sankey claims
The problem with Sankey’s claims and an uncomfortable truth that SEC and Florida fans probably don’t want to admit is that over the past three years, the SEC hasn’t exactly been the king of football.
The SEC went 6-8 against the ACC in 2025 and 5-7 in 2023. Against the Big 10, the SEC was 3-4 in 2025 and 4-6 in 2024. And other fanbases are well aware of these records, and Sankey’s words start to ring hollow when the SEC hasn’t backed up his claims.
It doesn't help optics either when Florida goes out and loses at home to USF and then turns around and beats Texas.
So yes, there is an argument to be made that Florida has faced a harder schedule than most and that’s part of what has contributed to its downfall. But the difficult schedule is in the eye of the beholder, and if the Gators are ever going to make the playoffs, they shouldn’t count on a 9-3 record getting them into the dance.
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