Transitive property hasn't been kind for Florida Football in 2024
![Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier runs onto the field before the start of the game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, September 7, 2024 against the Samford Bulldogs. The Gators won 45-7. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_4106,h_2309,x_0,y_1019/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images%2FImagnImages%2Fmmsport%2F213%2F01j8w7nc73xggdbkm0a9.jpg "Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier runs onto the field before the start of the game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, September 7, 2024 against the Samford Bulldogs. The Gators won 45-7. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]")
The running joke this weekend is that Florida Football can't possibly lose. With the Gators on a bye week, one would think our vitriol would be nullified for at least one week.
But most Gator fans watching Miami vs Virginia Tech last night had the conniption that the Hokies are far less talented on paper than Florida, yet nearly pulled off what Florida never came close to.
Florida Football: Geometry
Even if you slept through math class, hopefully you are familiar with the transitive property. It is the rule that states ff a = b and b = c, then a = c. As sports fans we use this rule all the time. If Florida beats Mississippi State, and Mississippi State beats Eastern Kentucky, then most would assume Florida is better than Eastern Kentucky.
Maybe.
As we all know, Florida was waxed by Miami to open the season inside The Swamp. Some floated the theory of "Well, what if Miami is just an elite team and Florida ran into a buzzsaw?"
So let's check in on how Miami did against Virginia Tech last night:
Miami 38, Virginia Tech 34, and that's after Virginia Tech had a last-second hail mary overturned in replay because of... reasons.
Mind you, Florida only managed 17 points against Miami, but maybe Virginia Tech is also really good.
*Goes to Google*
Virginia Tech lost to Vanderbilt to open the season and is ranked 52nd in the 247 Talent Composite, while Florida is tanked 12th.
*Closes Tab*
Oh, right.
The problem for Florida is that it's not just the blowout loss to Miami that isn't going to hold up well.
Remember when Florida only put up 14 points against Samford in the first half? West Georgia had put up 26 against Samford in the first half the week before.
Florida was blasted by Texas A&M. The Aggies had lost to Notre Dame, who lost to North Illinois, and the week after beating Florida, the Aggies had to scrape past Bowling Green 26-20. Bowling Green did a better defensive job than Florida.
And as we all know, Toledo did a better defensive job against Mississippi State than Florida.
For as much as this season has been sold as the hardest schedule in the history of college football, the reality is that Florida's opening four opponents have only looked great against Florida.
It doesn't require the quadratic equation to figure out that's not a good look for the Gators.
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