Florida Gators 2023 Future Odds
Gators' Best Days Behind Them? Appears That Way.
The Florida Gators could look drastically different this season, starting at, of all places, quarterback. With Anthony Richardson off to the NFL, there is a big void to fill.
The Gators haven’t done a whole lot of winning of late, though pressure remains high at one of the country’s most storied programs. What will this season bring? Let’s break down some key Florida Gators future odds in our team preview.
Florida Gators At A Glance
| Odds to Win | Opening Odds | Current Odds |
| National Championship | +15000 | +15000 |
| Conference | +8500 | +8000 |
| Regular Season Win Total | 5.5 (o+100, u-120) | 5.5 (o-120, u-110) |
| To Make Playoffs (if applicable) | N/A | N/A |
New QB, New Questions for Gators
The Florida Gators have plenty of work to do to return to a bowl. They’ve appeared in five straight bowl games, with the most recent victory coming in the 2019 Orange Bowl. Wisconsin transfer Graham Mertz is expected to take over under center for head coach Billy Napier, who went 6-7 in Year One.
Mertz posted respectable college football stats (2,136 passing yards, 19 touchdowns) last season, but his lack of mobility will a stark difference for a team that relied so heavily on Anthony Richardson’s legs. If not Mertz, Napier could turn to Jack Miller III. He started last year’s Las Vegas Bowl, throwing for 180 yards in a 30-3 loss to Oregon State.
Regardless, there’s plenty of questions the Gators need to overcome, especially on defense. New defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong is tasked with improving a unit that ranked toward the bottom of the SEC in points allowed (28.8). The Gators were especially porous during their season-ending three-game losing streak, with opponents averaging 35.3 points.
The Gators haven’t missed a bowl since 2017, their last season under Jim McElwain. But if they don’t shore up their issues, that could very well change. In the SEC, there isn’t much room for error.
National Championship Odds: Those Days Have Passed
Is Tim Tebow walking through the door? No? OK, there’s your answer. The three-time NCAA champions have fallen from the ranks of college football’s elite programs. They’re a modest 20-18 over the last three seasons and haven’t won double digits since 2019. Now, they must replace their star quarterback. In the SEC, no less.
The Florida Gators future odds have remained steady at +15000. In other words, they’re a longshot. Let’s face it, they’re hardly a lock to make a bowl game, let alone contend for a national championship.
Conference Odds: Slim Chance
Florida hasn’t won the SEC since 2008, which coincides with its last NCAA title. The Gators are 0-4 in the SEC Championship Game since then, with their most recent appearance coming during the COVID-interrupted 2020 season. As such, the Florida Gators future odds are now +8000. That’s only slightly better than the start of the preseason (+8500).
Georgia (-110) and Alabama (+300), the two favorites, have combined to win eight of the last nine SEC titles. The conference is noticeably trending that way again.
Regular Season Wins: Bowl Game a Possibility
The Gators underwhelmed last season with six regular season wins, just as they did in 2021. Expectations are a tad lower this year, with Under 5.5 juiced to -110. Projections haven’t been this low for the Gators for well over a decade, which speaks volumes about what they must overcome.
The NCAAF schedule, for one, is daunting. But that’s life in the SEC. The Gators will be tested right from the jump, with a trip to defending Pac-12 champion Utah on Aug. 31. Utah is currently a 7.5-point favorite and -320 to win outright, with Florida priced +260. The Gators also play Georgia in Jacksonville (Oct. 28) and visit LSU (Nov. 11) before closing the year Nov. 25 against rival Florida State, a potential Top 5 team, at home.
Are there six wins to be found? Perhaps. But only if the Gators do not slip up against a few of the lower-tier programs in the SEC.
To Make Playoffs: Don’t Count on It
Florida to make the College Football Playoff? It’s not even under consideration at the moment. The Gators’ schedule is meaty enough that they’ll have plenty of opportunities to improve their stock in the NCAAF standings and open the eyes of the selection committee. We will have to wait, though.
For NCAAF picks, odds, analysis and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
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