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Florida Gators playoff projections: 3 reasons why Billy Napier's team will not make playoffs in 2024 season

Only a diehard optimist would consider the Florida Gators' playoff projections. After all, the Gators have three straight losing seasons, an embattled head coach in Billy Napier and one of the most brutal schedules in college football.

It's a long-shot path for the Gators to the College Football Playoff. Here are the three reasons why those Gators playoff projections will end in vain.

Florida Gators playoff projections: 3 reasons why Florida won't make playoff in 2024

Florida Gators playoff projections require a massive season from QB Graham Mertz and the porous offensive line that protects him (Photo credit: IMAGN)
Florida Gators playoff projections require a massive season from QB Graham Mertz and the porous offensive line that protects him (Photo credit: IMAGN)

#1. The worst November schedule imaginable

Here's the thing. It probably takes a 9-3 regular season, even in the SEC, to reach the playoff. Florida might be doing well to only lose three games in November. The slate is Georgia, Texas, LSU, Ole Miss and Florida State. Each of those teams has a better shot at the playoff than the Gators.

Not that Florida's schedule is otherwise certain. Even before November, they play Miami, Texas A&M, go to Tennessee and play a Kentucky team that has won the last three games over Florida. But that November is a killer.

#2. The new and improved SEC

Meanwhile, it's not like the SEC stood still while the Gators went on a massive skid since 2019. Adding Oklahoma and Texas will only make Florida's potential playoff goal more daunting. The Gators will probably need a top-three finish in the SEC. So, in other words, Florida has to be better than all but two teams on this list: Georgia, Alabama, Ole Miss, Texas, Oklahoma, LSU, Tennessee and Missouri.

That's going to be daunting for anyone. After all, Georgia and Alabama have been playoff fixtures. LSU isn't far behind, and both Texas and Oklahoma look like day-one contenders in the league. How can Florida hope to climb as the league's cliff gets steeper and steeper?

#3. A truly offensive line

Championship football starts up front, which leaves those pushing Florida Gators' playoff projections as pushing a pipe dream. A year ago, Florida's offensive line allowed a miserable 39 sacks. The last time Florida even approached that awful total was in 2017 when the Gators went 4-7 while allowing 37 sacks.

Florida's ground game has also declined from 209 to 200 to 150 yards per game. Some of that is the move from dual-threat Anthony Richardson to pocket passer Graham Mertz at QB. Some of that is the offensive line. The Gators do return three starters, but it's far from clear that it's a benefit to return players from last season's group.

How crazy are those Florida Gators playoff projections? Weigh in below and let us hear your thoughts in the comments section!

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