Coming off of a 2-1 loss to No. 5 Wake Forest, No. 23 Florida soccer eyes its first SEC win this week. The Gators will head north to face the No. 19 South Carolina Gamecocks on Thursday — marking the only SEC opener to feature two ranked opponents.
Florida (4-2-1) has produced exciting results during non-conference play despite kicking off the season with a loss to Central Florida. Florida’s home opener brought rain showers and loud crowds, as the Gators escaped with a 2-1 win over Coastal Carolina. Later that week, Florida made headlines after pulling off a notable upset over then-No. 3 Florida State.
The Gators subsequently broke into the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 for the first time since the 2020 season, and they’ve managed to stay in the rankings since Aug. 25 despite losing their win streak.
Coach Nick Zimmerman, anyway, emphasized that the team’s performance matters more than the result as he continues a program rebuild in his first season. The Gators have focused on learning and growing from their mistakes while refusing to dwell on wins and losses.
“There was disappointment, but there was also excitement after the Wake game in the locker room from the players,” Zimmerman said. “They expressed how excited they are to begin this new chapter.”
Florida has honed a simple mentality: every game is a big game. Whatever the score is, the team looks ahead to the next matchup, which has helped it improve through non-conference play, especially against competitive, ranked teams like FSU and Wake Forest.
Florida is also one of three teams in the country that played two top-five opponents so far.
“It certainly prepares us for what is the gauntlet in the SEC,” Zimmerman explained. “That was a perfect game for us on Sunday as we transition to a really good footballing team in South Carolina.”
South Carolina (6-1) has had a more straightforward season, logging several decisive victories in the past month. It holds a five-game win streak and is coming off a 6-1 home win. Like Florida, South Carolina has two ranked matchups under its belt, splitting the results. And like Florida, South Carolina suffered the loss at the hands of undefeated Wake Forest.
The Gamecocks have built a reputation as an experienced, veteran-led team with 15 seniors or graduate students. Not to mention, coach Shelley Smith is in her 26th season at the helm. Experience has proved to be an advantage this season — one the Gators will have to overcome.
In preparation for the Gamecocks, Zimmerman focused on improving the team’s communication and decisiveness. While Zimmerman acknowledged his group still has areas to improve, he applauded its effort this week.
“A lot of coaches are like ‘All right, it’s SEC play now. It’s time,’” Zimmerman said. “For us, it’s just another day. We go again.”
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Eugene E. Stone III Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina, on Thursday.
