10. Florida Gators
Week 1 Opponent: No. 7 Utah
Entering year one under new head coach Billy Napier, the No. 10 spot in our preseason power rankings goes to a Florida team looking for a bounce back 2022 season.
After three-straight New Year’s Six bowl appearances, as well as a 2020 SEC Championship Game appearance, the Gators had a down 2021, finishing with a 6-7 overall record. Going 2-6 in SEC Football play as well (fewest in-conference wins since 1986), the Gators 6-7 record was Florda’s first losing season since 2017, as well as only their fourth since 1979.
Now enters Napier however, who comes to Gainesville after four successful seasons at Louisiana where he led the Ragin’ Cajuns to a combined 40-12 record, as well as three consecutive bowl wins from 2019-21. As for how year one will look at Florida however, well, the Gators have many things needed to be a potential sleeper team in the SEC this season, assuming the dominoes fall a certain way.
The Gators added a few notable transfers during the offseason such as Montrell Johnson, Ricky Pearsall, and O’Cyrus Torrence, combining with a roster that already returned a few key names. As for the biggest name of that group, that is certainly Anthony Richardson, and should a breakout season happen for the Gators quarterback, Florida will have one of the SEC’s most dynamic playmakers taking snaps under center in Gainesville.
Week one will also provide an immediate test for the Gators as they welcome a Top 10 team in Utah, one of the top teams in the Pac-12, to the Swamp. Florida is certainly capable of pulling the week one upset at home, and should that happen, it would be hard to script a better start to the Napier era in Gainesville.