2024 NCAAF Cheat Sheet: Florida Gators Stats & Odds
The 2024 Florida Gators Stats Could be Impacted by Eight Games Against Top 25 Teams
Florida’s Billy Napier Could be Coaching for His Job in 2024
Florida was not among the nine teams in the SEC that made the top 25 in both the Associated Press and American Football Coaches preseason polls, and Florida was picked 12th in the SEC preseason poll so there will be plenty of opportunities for the Gators to defy the odds in 2024 after going 5-7 during the 2023 season.
A win over a ranked Tennessee team was part of a 3-1 start for the Gators last season. Will the 2024 Florida Gators stats see a similar start this season?
The Gators lost their other four games versus ranked opponents although they had a chance to end the season with wins over Missouri and Florida State. Florida has lost 13 of its last 16 games against top 25 college football teams.
The Gators were 3-1 as a home favorite but 0-4 as the road underdog. Talk about consistency, Florida was 1-3 against the spread as both a home favorite and a road underdog.
Among SEC teams, only Mississippi State and Vanderbilt covered less frequently than the Gators. Florida saw four of its five road games land over the total.
These are not the Steve Spurrier Florida Gators as Florida was ninth in the SEC in scoring offense while finishing 11th in total defense and scoring defense.
Florida Gators At A Glance
| Odds to Win | Opening Odds | Current Odds |
| Championship | +12500 | +25000 |
| Conference | +12000 | +12500 |
| Regular Season Win Total | 4.5 (o -150, u- +122) | 4.5 (o -155, u- -125) |
| To Make Playoffs | Yes +2000, No -20000 | Yes +2000, No -20000 |
Florida Ready to Rebound After Injury-Marred 2023 Season
There were 70 college football players named to the preseason All-SEC first, second, and third teams on either offense and defense with running back Montrell Johnson Jr. and defensive Jason Marshall Jr. the only Gators to make the cut.
Florida’s group of incoming transfers was ranked fifth nationally. However, three of the teams ahead of the Gators are from the SEC. That might not bode well when it comes to the 2024 Florida Gators stats.
USC offensive lineman Jason Zandamela, Colorado cornerback Cormani McClain, Penn defensive lineman Joey Slackman, South Carolina linebacker Grayson Howard, and Alabama cornerback Jameer Grimsley lead the list of the 16 incoming transfers.
Seeing team sack leader Princely Umanmielen, second-leading rusher Trevor Etienne and third-leading tackler Scooby Williams transfer to other SEC programs was not an encouraging turn of events.
Etienne’s departure should mean more carries for Johnson and that is a good thing. Quarterback Graham Mertz and receiver Eugene Wilson also return on offense. Top receiver Ricky Pearsall is now with the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers.
Mertz completed 73% of his es with 20 touchdowns and three interceptions but might be one of the SEC returning starting quarterbacks receiving the least among of buzz heading into the season. He could lead the way in the 2024 Florida Gators stats.
- The defense fell apart during a season-ending five-game losing streak when they allowed 38.2 points and 480 yards per game.
Safety Jordan Castell is back after leading Florida with 59 tackles last season. There are proven options at cornerback. Defensive end Justus Boone and linebacker Shemar James combined to play in just one game in 2023.
Linemen Kelby Collins and TJ Searcy were other key defenders who missed time. Add in some promising transfers and the defense should be improved.
Championship Odds: Gators Have Work to Do
Florida is expected to be an improved team but even with the College Football Playoffs expanding from four to 12 teams, it is hard to imagine the Florida will be in the mix.
Quarterback DJ Lagway and defensive lineman LJ McCray were the top-rated players at their position among the incoming recruiting class as the Gators signed a pretty solid class. How many of them will play right away?
As if facing six ranked teams during conference play wasn’t challenging enough, the Gators have non-conference matchups against Miami and ACC favorite Florida State as well.
When looking at the 2024 college football schedule, Florida could be listed as an underdog in eight of the 12 games.
Conference Odds: Gators Hope to Surprise
Did the Gators do something to offend the person or people responsible for putting together the 2024 SEC schedule?
Is there a team in the country with a more daunting four-game stretch than Florida having to play at Georgia, at Texas, at home against LSU and Ole Miss? The next game is the annual showdown with Florida State.
Florida is going to have to work for each of its conference wins and the Gators better win some early NCAAF games.
Regular Season Wins: Can Gators Survive A Brutal Schedule?
When looking at the 2024 Florida Gators stats, this feels like a make-or-break season for Florida coach Billy Napier. You would have to go back to 1947 to find the last time a Florida Gators team had three straight losing seasons.
Josh Cody was the last Florida coach to begin his career with three straight losing seasons and that was back in the 1938s. He was replaced after the following season.
Expectations are pretty low with the regular-season win line set at 4.5.
Florida will need to beat at least one team in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll to get to five wins.
We have a hunch that Florida will find a way to go over 4.5 wins but it could be risky to put money on that happening.
To Make Playoffs: Gators Hope to Go Bowling
When looking at the national championship betting options, it is easy to forget that Florida finished in the top 10 in the final national polls 16 times from 1983 to 2009. It hasn’t happened since 2019 and don’t look for Florida to be in the conversation to be in the 12-team College Football Playoffs this season.
If Florida can somehow scratch out six wins to earn a college bowl bid, that might be considered a successful season.
Side Bets
Mertz is tied for ninth at +3500 to lead the SEC in ing yards. A better option might be for Montrell Johnson to be the leading rusher in the SEC. It is also a bit risky to roll with Mertz at +12000 in the odds of winning the Heisman Trophy.
It might be worth looking at Florida to cover as a 2.5-point underdog according to the NCAAF odds in the season opener against visiting Miami or as a 3.5-point underdog at home against Texas A&M in Week 3.
For Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
