Oklahoma or Ohio State?

[DRU2012]

Since we are beating a dead horse until the committee releases the bowl projections, and we already know the answer tot the question in the original post (Oklahoma), let us apply what we have learned to next year. Here is the schedule for next year, with my way-too-early rankings inserted. I assume Florida will enter the 2019 season ranked at #14. Florida will know what its CFP situation looks like before Labor Day. This year's CFP tells us that we cannot lose a game without winning the conference, especially if we can erase the loss by beating the team in a rematch. If Florida looks good against Miami, then we have to avenge the loss to Kentucky, keep Tennessee at bay, and use the "bye week" against Towson to be prepared for the always-tough Auburn before traveling to Baton Rouge. That could be a tough stretch. Assuming we survive those two gauntlets, we have a very angry FSU to take care of. Typically we learn a lot about FSU by playing Miami, so that first game in August becomes very important.

2019 Florida Football Schedule
Date Opponent Location
August 31 #8 Miami Orlando, Fla.
September 7 UT Martin Gainesville, Fla.
September 14 #23 Kentucky Lexington, Ky.
September 21 Tennessee Gainesville, Fla.
September 28 Towson Gainesville, Fla.
October 5 #15 Auburn Gainesville, Fla.
October 12 #8 LSU Baton Rouge, La.
October 19 South Carolina Columbia, S.C.
October 26 BYE
November 2 #4 Georgia Jacksonville, Fla.
November 9 Vanderbilt Gainesville, Fla.
November 16 Missouri Columbia, Mo.
November 23 BYE
November 30 #25 Florida State Gainesville, Fla.
December 7 SEC Championship Atlanta, Ga.

ANOTHER typically "ominous" SEC Schedule (NONE of the NON-SEC "contenders" face anything like it--nor would they survive it undefeated, imho)...So what else is new? Yes, that IS the reality/caveat going into EVERY season under the current CFP format now: Either go UNDEFEATED ALL THE WAY, or at least WIN THE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME without losing another if you want to assure yourselves a place in the playoffs. The chance to "directly avenge the one earlier-in-season SEC loss" would help--but its very unlikelihood in a league where a mid-level member might rise up and beat ANYONE, ANYDAY is part of the point here: "Our league ain't LIKE your'n..." WE don't have a buncha 'garbage squads' to feed on down in some nether region at the bottom of the various divisions... I don't wanna HEAR anymore complaining about our non-conference schedules: They're still at LEAST the equal of some of those "programs" actually IN y'all's leagues, they come to play in what for them is their "BIGGEST GAME" at the SWAMP, for a pay out that helps them SUPPORT their programs, make them better in every way, and (despite claims to the contrary) are more, MUCH more than "scrimmages" to EITHER team (for our part, they BETTER be).
Still and all, with a successful "off"-season and a good spring-into-summer we should come into next season healthy, positive and ready-to-ROLL: The challenges are familiar, and if we can meet them with calm poise, execute the gameplan with both efficiency AND emotion (as per our Coach's basic personality, philosophy and oractical approach) we CAN better THIS season's positive result and make it into "the TALK" about who'll be partvof the CFP, at LEAST...Circumstances will determine our chances there--and we'll just have to "see what actually HAPPENS" before making any real "reality-based" predictions beyond that.
They are listing the various Bowl games' projected participants now...