Florida Football trying to be the agent of chaos in 2024

The 2024 SEC football season is shaping up to be one for the ages, with powerhouse programs fighting for position in the newly expanded 12-team College Football Playoff. While much of the focus is on perennial contenders like Georgia and Alabama, it's the Florida Gators who might emerge as the ultimate chaos-makers in college football's most competitive conference.

Florida enters the season with tempered expectations, with a preseason over/under of just 4.5 wins. However, their potential impact on the SEC landscape far exceeds their projected record. The Gators boast what many consider the toughest schedule in the entire country, featuring matchups against Texas A&M, Tennessee, Georgia, Texas, LSU, and Ole Miss – not to mention non-conference clashes with Miami, Florida State, and UCF.

This murderer's row of opponents presents Florida with numerous opportunities to play spoiler. As head coach Billy Napier enters a critical third year at the helm, the Gators are desperate for statement wins. A single upset victory could derail the playoff hopes of a conference rival, potentially keeping them out of the expanded CFP field.

The key to Florida's success – and their ability to cause chaos – lies with senior quarterback Graham Mertz. After setting career highs in every major statistical category last season, including 2,903 passing yards and 20 touchdowns against just three interceptions, Mertz is poised for an even bigger 2024 campaign.

"I came back to win," Mertz declared emphatically. "That's why I'm here right now. That's why I'm standing up here. That's why I was just on the practice field for two hours in some serious heat – because I want to win."

For Florida to truly shake up the SEC, they'll need to improve their explosive play potential. The Gators ranked just 56th nationally in 20-plus-yard plays last season, a statistic that Napier and his staff have emphasized throughout the offseason. With an influx of talented receivers and a more experienced offensive line, Florida appears primed to stretch the field more effectively in 2024.

While the Gators may be the most intriguing chaos agents, they're not alone in their potential to disrupt the SEC hierarchy. Tennessee, led by sophomore quarterback sensation Nico Iamaleava, enters the season ranked 15th and could make a surprise push for the CFP. The Volunteers face a relatively manageable conference schedule outside of matchups with Oklahoma, Alabama, and Georgia.

Texas A&M, under new head coach Mike Elko, is another team to watch. The 19th-ranked Aggies avoid both Alabama and Georgia on their schedule, setting the stage for a potential 10-win season if quarterback Conner Weigman can stay healthy and build upon his promising, albeit limited, performances over the past two years.

As the season unfolds, focus will be on how these potential disruptors navigate their challenging schedules. For Florida, in particular, the final five-game stretch against Georgia, Texas, LSU, Ole Miss, and Florida State will be pivotal. According to research by Andrew Weatherman, the Gators will become just the eighth team since 2000 to play five or more consecutive games against preseason ranked competition. Remarkably, no team has finished above .500 in such a gauntlet over that span.

If Florida can defy the odds and emerge from this stretch with a winning record, they could find themselves in the unlikely position of competing for a playoff spot. Even a 3-2 record in those final five games could potentially propel the Gators to a 9-3 overall mark – a resume that might be enough to sneak into the expanded 12-team field given the strength of their schedule.

While it may seem premature to discuss playoff possibilities for a team coming off a 5-7 season, the expanded format and Florida's brutally tough schedule create a unique opportunity. A few timely upsets could not only salvage Napier's tenure but also throw the entire SEC – and by extension, the national championship picture.