Florida Gators Football Schedule 2024 & Gators History

June 6, 2024

university of florida gators football schedule and history 2024

The University of Florida Gators have been scuffling the last few seasons, but make no mistake, the program has a rich history and a very passionate fan base. The Gators have won three national championships, eight SEC titles, three Heisman Trophies, and developed a laundry list of football luminaries. (Scroll down for the Florida Gators Football Schedule 2024 & Gators History).

Under third-year coach Billy Napier, Florida is hoping to return to national prominence… but it’s been a slow climb.  The Gators have three consecutive losing seasons, which is downright unfathomable considering how dominant the Gators once were in the 1990s and 2000s.

It wasn’t that long ago, however, when the Gators were a perennial top-10 powerhouse.  In 2019, the Gators went 11-2, won the Orange Bowl, and finished the season ranked #6 in the country.  This year, Florida has a solid roster but a tough schedule.  Can they return to the top of The Swamp?  See below for the Florida Gators football schedule 2024 … and Go Gators!

Florida Gators Football Schedule 2024

Date Opponent Location Time (EST) TV Tickets All-Time Record
31-Aug Miami Gainesville, Fla. 3:30 PM (EST) ABC Buy Tickets Miami leads 29-27
7-Sep Samford Gainesville, Fla. 7:00 PM (EST) SEC Buy Tickets Florida leads 1-0
14-Sep Texas A&M Gainesville, Fla. 3:30 PM (EST) ABC Buy Tickets Series tied 3-3
21-Sep Mississippi State Starkville, Miss. TBD TBD Buy Tickets Florida leads 34-19-2
28-Sep Bye
5-Oct UCF Gainesville, Fla. TBD TBD Buy Tickets Florida leads 2-1
12-Oct Tennessee Knoxville, Tenn. TBD TBD Buy Tickets Florida leads 32-21
19-Oct Kentucky Gainesville, Fla. TBD TBD Buy Tickets Florida leads 53-21
26-Oct Bye
2-Nov Georgia Jacksonville, Fla. TBD TBD Buy Tickets Georgia leads 55-44-2
9-Nov Texas Austin, Texas TBD TBD Buy Tickets Texas leads 2-0-1
16-Nov LSU Gainesville, Fla. TBD TBD Buy Tickets LSU leads 34-33-3
23-Nov Ole Miss Gainesville, Fla. TBD TBD Buy Tickets Series tied 12-12-1
30-Nov Florida State Tallahassee, Fla. TBD TBD Buy Tickets Florida leads 37-28-2
7-Dec SEC Championship Atlanta, GA (Mercedes-Benz Stadium) TBD TBD Buy Tickets

In addition to an always-competitive SEC slate, Florida’s non-conference schedule includes in-state matchups against Miami, UCF, and Florida State. Florida needs to perform well in its first seven games in order to give them a chance to secure a bowl bid.

Florida Gators Football – 2024 Game-by-Game Quick Preview

  • Miami (Aug. 31)
    • What a way to start the season! This in-state rivalry will be one of the marquee Week 1 matchups, as the Hurricanes travel to Gainesville for the first time since 2008.  Miami went 7-6 last season and lost to Rutgers in the Pinstripe Bowl.  Like the Gators, they’ve been scuffling as of late and hope to turn things around in 2024.  This should be a closely contested matchup.
  • Samford (Sept. 7)
    • Although this is the easiest game on the schedule, Samford hung 52 points on the Gators back in 2021 (the Gators won 70-52). Regardless, this should be a nice warmup game before SEC play begins against the Aggies next week.
  • Texas A&M (Sept. 14)
    • The SEC schedule opens with a home game against an Aggies team that went 7-6 last year – a mark so disappointing A&M decided to pay $76 million to fire head coach Jimbo Fisher. Now under first-year coach Mike Elko, Texas A&M looks to recapture SEC prominence.  In The Swamp, however, Florida is going to be a tough team to beat.

UF Football Schedule 2024 & Gators History (Continued)

  • Mississippi State (Sept. 21)
    • Florida finally hits the road a month into the season, when they travel to Starkville, Mississippi to face the Bulldogs. Mississippi State is firmly in rebuild mode behind first-year head coach Jeff Lebby, and this is a must-win game for the Gators if they hope to clinch a bowl bid.
  • UCF (Oct. 5)
    • Another in-state matchup, as the Golden Knights travel to Gainesville for the first time since 2006. There’s not a long history between these two teams, although UCF did win their last matchup in the 2021 Gasparilla Bowl, 29-17.  Playing out of the Big 12, UCF went 6-7 last year.  This is another very winnable game for the Gators.
  • Tennessee (Oct. 12)
    • Dating back to 2005, Florida has gone 17-2 against the Vols, however, hopes are high in Rocky Top these days! Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava is a dual threat who accounted for 178 yards and four touchdowns in last year’s Citrus Bowl.  The Gators will have their work cut out for them, especially in Knoxville.
  • Kentucky (Oct. 19)
    • The Wildcats have won the last three matchups against the Gators and look to extend their winning streak. However, if Florida wants to have a shot at a bowl bid, this is an important game to win.  The Wildcats return top wide receiver Barion Brown and landed quarterback Brock Vandagriff in the transfer portal from UGA.  Vandagriff is an X factor that could make Kentucky a sleeper team this season.

Florida Gators Football Schedule 2024 & Gators History (Continued)

  • Georgia (Nov. 2)
    • The annual Florida-Georgia rivalry has been played in Jacksonville, Florida since 1933. The Gators surely appreciate the neutral site (anything’s better than playing in Athens!), but the Bulldogs will once again be a top team in college football.  UGA failed to make the College Football Playoffs last season despite being the top-ranked team for nearly the entire year.  Behind coach Kirby Smart, they return 16 starters including quarterback Carson Beck, and there aren’t a lot of visible weaknesses on their roster.
  • Texas (Nov. 9)
    • Texas is a newcomer to the SEC this year, but they bring a rich tradition and a powerhouse team. Behind star quarterback Quinn Ewers, the Longhorns aim to return to the College Football Playoffs, where they lost 37-31 to Washington a season ago.  This one is going to be tough for the Gators, especially having to travel to Austin.

Florida Gators Football Schedule 2024 & Gators History (Continued)

  • Ole Miss (Nov. 23)
    • This will be a challenging home game against a very talented Ole Miss team that finished 11-2 last year and beat Penn State in the Peach Bowl. The Rebels are an offensive-minded team, led by returning quarterback Jaxson Dart, wide receiver Tre Harris, and a very experienced offensive line.  Many preseason polls have Ole Miss as a top-5 team coming into 2024. Expect Lane Kiffin’s squad to be a handful.
  • Florida State (Nov. 30)
    • The final regular season game of the ‘24 campaign will be a doozy – like always! This in-state rivalry is one the best in the nation and although the Gators hold the all-time series lead, since 2010, the Seminoles have dominated this series, going 9-4.  Playing in Tallahassee, the Gators can expect a Florida State team playing with a chip on its shoulder after missing a College Football Playoff bid last season, despite going undefeated.  This year, FSU will be attempting to tow the line between rebuilding and competing.

Gator Football Coaches

Football at UF began in the very first year of the University’s existence – 1906.  Since then, there have been 29 head coaches.  The Gators have two coaches, however, who stand above the rest.

Steve Spurrier (1990-2001, 122-27-1 .817 winning percentage)

Spurrier revolutionized Florida football with his innovative “Fun and Gun” offense. He led the Gators to their first national championship in 1996 (beating Florida State!) and six SEC titles.

The achievements during Spurrier’s tenure at Florida are remarkable.  He has – by far – the most wins in program history (the next closest is 70 by Coach Graves).  He won SEC Coach of the Year five times and became the only coach to win at least 120 games in his first 12 seasons at one school.  In his 12 seasons at Florida, his teams never finished lower than No. 13 in the final rankings.

In addition, he was an excellent quarterback at Florida and won the school’s first Heisman Trophy in 1966.  Matter of fact, he’s only the fourth person ever to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as both a player and coach.

You could easily say Spurrier is the Gator’s GOAT, but there is one more name on that list…

Gators Football Schedule 2024 & Gators History (Continued)

Urban Meyer (2005-2010, 65-15 .813 winning percentage)

Meyer’s legacy at Florida is a complicated one.

On one hand, Meyer won two national championships in 2006 and 2008, re-established the Gators as a national powerhouse, and was named “Coach of the Decade” by Sports Illustrated.

He ran an innovative spread offense and his dynamic recruiting lured the nation’s top talent. He coached a host a NFL greats – from MVP Cam Newton to the Pouncey brothers to shutdown cornerback Joe Haden.

On the other hand, Meyer’s tenure ended in 2010 when he resigned abruptly due to health reasons.  He said he would never coach anywhere ever again… but went to Ohio State two years later.  That’s a bitter pill to swallow for many UF fans despite the level of success he brought to the school.

Regardless, Meyer’s six seasons at Florida were unlike any other in the program’s history.  He won two national championships, two SEC titles, and went 5-1 in bowl games.

Florida National Championships

Steve Spurrier’s Gators won their first national title with a 52-20 victory over Florida State in the Sugar Bowl.

Urban Meyer’s team, led by quarterback Chris Leak, dominated Ohio State 41-14 in the BCS Championship Game.

  • 2008 (13-1)

Tim Tebow led the Gators to their second title under Coach Meyer, defeating Oklahoma 24-14 in the BCS Championship Game.

Florida Football Records

Florida has produced players so memorable you only need one word: Tebow. Wuerffel. Emmitt.  Nonetheless, there are a whole host of talented players to don the orange and blue over the years.

Rushing Yards (Career)

  1. Errict Rhett (1990-1993) – 4,163 yards
  2. Emmitt Smith (1987-1989) – 3,928 yards
    1. In 1989, Smith set the single-season rushing record, running for 1,599 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns.
  3. Neal Anderson (1982-1985) – 3,234 yards
  4. Earnest Graham (1998-2000) – 3,085 yards
  5. Fred Taylor (1994-1997) – 3,075 yards
  6. Tim Tebow (2006-2009) – 2,947 yards
    1. The fact that quarterback Tim Tebow ranks sixth on this list is a testament to his dominance.

Passing Yards (Career)

  1. Chris Leak (2003-2006) – 11,213 yards
  2. Danny Wuerffel (1993-1996) – 10,875 yards
  3. Shane Matthews (1989-1992) – 9,287 yards
  4. Tim Tebow (2006-2009) – 9,285 yards
  5. Rex Grossman (2000-2002) – 9,164 yards
  • Kyle Trask holds the single-season passing record, throwing for 4,283 yards in 2020. Trask is 8th on the all-time passing list.

Receiving Yards (Career)

  1. Carlos Alvarez (1969-1971) – 2,563 yards
  2. Jabar Gaffney (2000-2001) – 2,375 yards
  3. Andrew Caldwell (2003-2007) – 2,349 yards
  4. Reidel Anthony (1994-1996) – 2,274 yards
  5. Jack Jackson (1992-1994) – 2,266 yards
  • Travis McGriff holds the single-season record, catching 1,357 yards in 1998. McGriff is ranked #14 on the all-time receiving list.

Touchdowns (Career)

  1. Tim Tebow (2006-2009) -145 total touchdowns
  2. Danny Wuerffel (1993-1996) – 122 total touchdowns
  3. Chris Leak (2003-2006) – 101 total touchdowns
  4. Rex Grossman (2000-2002) – 83 total touchdowns
  5. Shane Matthews (1989-1992) – 81 total touchdowns

Tackles (Career)

  1. David Little (1977-1980) – 475 tackles
  2. Scot Brantley (1976-1979) – 467 tackles
  3. Sammy Green (1972-1975) – 457 tackles
  4. Charlie Williams (1974-1977) – 409 tackles
  5. Ed Robinson (1990-1993) – 363 tackles

 Interceptions (Career)

  1. Fred Weary (1994-1997) – 15 interceptions
  2. Teako Brown (1995-1998) – 14 interceptions
  3. Will White (1989-1992) – 14 interceptions
  4. Ahmad Black (2007-2010) – 13 interceptions
  5. Bruce Bennett (1963-1965) – 13 interceptions

Total Heisman Trophy Winners: 3

Total Conference Championships: 8 (which ranks #83 across college football)

Bowl Games: 48 (this ranks #14)

Total NFL Players: 374 (this ranks #10)

Notable Rivalries

Florida-Georgia

This rivalry between UF and UGA has been going on for more than 100 years, and the game has been played in Jacksonville since 1933.  According to historian Norm Carlson, the game was originally moved to Jacksonville because it was easier for both teams’ fans to get there by train.  The stadium sold out in 1933, and the rest is history!

UGA owns the all-time series with a record of 55-44-2.  However, in Florida’s heyday from 1990-2010, the Gators owned the Bulldogs, going 18-3 during that stretch.

Third Saturday in September (Florida-Tennessee)

The Gators first played the Volunteers in October of 1916.  Since then, there’s been a natural rivalry between the two teams since they’ve always been in the same conference (originally, the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association).

The rivalry, however, became more heated in the 1990s.  With the advent of the SEC, both teams were placed in the East Division guaranteeing a yearly matchup.

Florida Gators Football Schedule 2024 & Gators History (Continued)

The rivalry is more commonly known as the Third Saturday in September, which is when the teams have usually played each other dating back to 1992.  Some notable exceptions to that scheduling trend include a rescheduled game due to the 9/11 attacks, the 2020 COVID season, and – for some unknown reason – the upcoming 2024 season in which the teams face off on Oct. 12.

Florida owns the all-time record 32-21 and, since 2005, Florida has gone 17-2 against the Vols.

Florida-Florida State

Only a 2-hour drive on I-10 separates Gainesville and Tallahassee, and this in-state rivalry has the intensity of a civil war.

The rivalry started in 1902 when FSU was called Florida State College and UF was called Florida Agricultural College and was located in Lake City.  In the modern era, however, the true rivalry began in 1958.  In those 66 years, these teams have played each other 67 times!  Florida leads the all-time series 37-28-2.

Heading into the Florida Gators Football Schedule 2024

The 2024 season is shaping up to be a crucial year for head coach Billy Napier.  However, with one of the toughest schedules in all of college football, the focus for the Gators should be on player development rather than a national championship.

With key returning players like quarterback Graham Mertz and a promising youth cohort, the Gators have enough talent for a bowl bid.  In addition, many high-potential but unproven players, such as Tre Wilson, Andy Jean, and Aidan Mizell, need to show their capabilities this season.

The SEC is only getting stronger.  This season, the Gators need to build a solid foundation for a significant leap in 2025.

2024 Florida Gators Football Schedule – Additional Resources

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Chris Zaluski

Chris is a writer, filmmaker, and educator living in North Carolina. He holds an MFA in Documentary Filmmaking and his films can be found on all major streaming platforms. Originally from Canton, Ohio, he enjoys cheering for the Cleveland Guardians, singing karaoke, and eating pierogies.

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