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Last night, the SEC announced its full football schedule for 2020 on the SEC Network. Previously, the conference announced its week one matchups at 3 p.m. that day.
Analyzing the Gators’ Schedule
The Gators’ schedule was revealed during the SEC schedule announcement. Florida begins its season in Oxford against Ole Miss on Sept. 26.
Time to get to work. #GoGators 🐊 pic.twitter.com/EqojdUC7Gy
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) August 17, 2020
Since the SEC switched to a conference-only slate, the Gators will face ten conference opponents. Therefore, they have some intriguing games on their schedule.
On Oct. 17, Florida hosts the defending national champions in LSU. This game will gauge how good the Tigers can be without Joe Burrow at quarterback.
The Gators will look for revenge after LSU beat them 42-28 last season. This is also a valuable checkpoint to analyze the team’s success four games into the year.
A couple of games later lies the most important game of the year for the Gators. Florida and Georgia battle in Jacksonville on Nov. 7. Originally, the game was scheduled for Halloween. However, both teams will get their bye week before this highly-anticipated matchup. The winner will likely end up in the SEC Championship.
Then, Feleipe Franks returns to the Swamp for the first time since his transfer to Arkansas. Franks started at quarterback for three seasons as a Gator before leaving for Fayetteville, following the emergence of Kyle Trask.
The back end of the Gators’ schedule features a pair of trap games. Kentucky comes to Gainesville on Nov. 28, after giving Florida a scare last year.
Finally, the Gators head to Tennessee on Dec. 5. A trip to Knoxville in the cold against Tennessee could be a tough test.
SEC teams with most, least difficult schedules
With the switch to conference-only games, SEC teams were affected in varying ways. Some teams received easier schedules, while others have harder slates.
Arkansas has the toughest schedule and it’s not even close. The Razorbacks start the season against Georgia before playing Auburn a couple of games later.
In the second half of the season, they play Florida and LSU back-to-back. To conclude, the Razorbacks head to Alabama. Poor Feleipe Franks.
On the flip side, it’s hard to find a team with a softer schedule than Florida or Georgia. They each play Arkansas, Missouri and Vanderbilt.
Meanwhile, Georgia avoids facing LSU and Texas A&M. Florida might have it even easier. The Gators have a surprising lack of both Alabama and Auburn on their schedule.
