Florida football 2022 season prediction, preview, awards, 2022 bowl game

Billy Napier must pick up the pieces after Dan Mullen left the Florida football program in ruins.

It may be a dawn of a new day in Gainesville, but that is not to say it will be easy for one Billy Napier taking over a downtrodden Florida football program.

The noted Nick Saban disciple left a strong Group of Five job in Louisiana to rebuild a once-proud Florida football team. His predecessor Dan Mullen went full-blown Darth Gator around Halloween 2020 and forgot how to recruit. This led to the unmitigated disaster that was the 2021 campaign. Napier is making a more concerted effort on the recruiting trail, but these things take some time.

On the uptick, coming in at No. 34 on FanSided’s Preseason Top 50 Rankings, the Florida Gators!

Florida football 2021 season in review

After winning the SEC East in 2020, Florida did not live up to lofty expectations in the season that followed. While it did not help that arch-rival Georgia would go on to win its first national championship in 41 years, Florida simply could not get out of its own way from the start. After winning its first two games over Florida Atlantic and South Florida, Florida lost by two to Alabama.

It may have only been a narrow defeat at home to the Crimson Tide, but that would be about as good as it would get for Florida last season. They may have rebounded to beat a rebuilding Tennessee team under first-year head coach Josh Heupel to get to 3-1, but a tough loss to rival Kentucky in Lexington was only the tip of the iceberg. After a Vanderbilt shutout, it so hit the fan.

The Gators would fall in a rivalry game at Baton Rouge to an LSU team that was about to ax Ed Orgeron. After getting drubbed by Georgia in Jacksonville, Florida would get cooked like a chicken to an on-the-rise South Carolina team in Columbia. While they proved victorious over Samford the following week, those Bulldogs put up 52 points on a reeling Gator defense. It was embarrassing.

After losing in overtime to Missouri the following week to fall to 5-6 on the year, that would be all she wrote for Mullen’s four-year run in Gainesville. Though they beat in-state rival Florida State to achieve bowl eligibility, the Gators would be humiliated by Group of Five power UCF in the sacred Gasparilla Bowl in nearby Tampa. This may not have been rock bottom, but it was so damn close…

Previewing Florida offense for 2022 season

Returning starters (6): Anthony Richardson (QB), Justin Shorter (WR), Trent Whittemore (WR), Richard Gouraige (LT), Ethan White (LG), Kingsley Eguakun (C)
Newcomers (2): O’Cyrus Torrence (RG), Montrell Johnson Jr. (RB)
Impact player: Anthony Richardson (QB)

The cupboard is not completely bare for Napier in his first season at the helm. Florida returns right around six starters on the offensive side of the ball, including the team’s most important player in quarterback Anthony Richardson. Justin Shorter and Trent Whittemore return in the Gators receiving corps, while three starting offensive linemen are back from a season ago as well.

Right guard O’Cyrus Torrence followed Napier from Lafayette to Gainesville. The former Ragin’ Cajuns star will be a most welcomed addition in the middle of this Florida offensive line. Torrence’s former college teammate Montrell Johnson Jr. also made the trek from Louisiana to Florida. He looks to be in contention for the starting running back gig on Napier’s first team in SEC Country.

As a surprise to absolutely no one, the Florida offense starts and ends with its talented dual-threat playmaker at quarterback. Richardson is the unquestioned starter this year after splitting time with Emory Jones, who has since transferred to Arizona State. Former Ohio State backup Jack Miller III may get some playing time if Richardson either gets hurt or proves to be too inconsistent.

Previewing Florida defnse for 2022 season

Returning starters (9): Princely Umanmielen (DE), Gervon Dexter Sr. (DT), Brenton Cox Jr. (LB), Ventrell Miller (LB), Avery Helm (CB), Trey Dean III (SS), Rashad Torrence II (FS), Jason Marshall Jr. (CB), Tre’Vez Johnson (NB)
Newcomer: Jalen Kimber (CB)
Impact player: Brenton Cox Jr. (LB)

Another reason to believe Napier can get this thing turned around quickly at Florida is how many returning starters they have on the defensive side of the ball. The Gators have around nine returning starters, including linebackers Brenton Cox Jr. and Ventrell Miller. Cox is a former Georgia transfer, while Miller returns to Gainesville after injuries limited him to only two games last fall.

While Florida may have taken on a few transfers on the offensive side of the ball, the only guy switching teams on defense is former Georgia defensive back Jalen Kimber. He may have been part of last year’s national championship-winning team, but shoulder surgery sidelined him for much of his second season in Athens. He arrived in Gainesville this spring as a redshirt sophomore.

Cox is the player to watch on the Florida defense. He has had plenty of playing experience over the last four years split between Florida and Georgia. The all-conference performer really started to make a name for himself at Florida a season ago. If the Gators want to make some noise and sneak up on some people in the SEC this year, Cox will have to be a huge part of that defensively.

Florida football players awards watch for 2022 season

Several Florida football players have appeared on awards watch lists, including these four guys.

Brenton Cox Jr., Bednarik

Cox checks in as a contender for the Bednarik. With this being the most prestigious honor any defensive player can be up for, it will be challenging for a star on a mid-tier SEC team to win it.

Anthony Richardson, Maxwell

Given the amount of talent Richardson has, he could be the third winner of the Maxwell for the Gators. The man may have dumped his former nickname, but he does wear Tim Tebow’s number.

Ventrell Miller, Butkus

Miller has been a regular on the Butkus Award Watch List over the last three preseasons. The talent and productivity are definitely there, but he must stay healthy and his team needs to win.

Kingsley Eguakun, Rimington

Center Kingsley Eguakun is the elder statesman along the Florida offensive line. Though the right side of the front five is inexperienced, Eguakun has a real shot at winning the Rimington this year.

Florida football biggest game on 2022 schedule

Florida’s 2022 regular-season schedule is far from easy. While the Gators have the luxury of being in the inferior SEC East, they still have to play Georgia, Kentucky and Tennessee in-division, as well as draw LSU and Texas A&M out of the West. Florida also hosts reigning Pac-12 champion Utah in Week 1, in addition to closing out the season in Tallahassee vs. in-state rival Florida State.

Let’s be real. Anything more than an 8-4 record this year would be remarkable. But to avoid the science of selling yourself short, the Gators can’t be less than Jake when they play rival Tennessee in Knoxville. Unfortunately, Florida might begin the year 0-2 with an absolutely brutal first two home games: vs. Utah and vs. Kentucky. Splitting the pair would be nothing short of impressive.

Assuming a win over South Florida at Ben Hill Griffin, the Gators can get back to .500 by spoiling another year of great promise for ole Rocky Top. If Florida beats the Volunteers, the Gators could be riding a five or six-game winning streak heading into the Cocktail Party. Eastern Washington is a gimme, Missouri is beatable and LSU is a work in progress in Brian Kelly’s first year in charge.

If Florida is 5-2 heading into Jacksonville, the Gators have a chance at being an 8-4 football team.

Florida football best-case scenario

As stated before, Florida’s schedule is too daunting to be realistically anything more than an 8-4 team. If they get a few lucky bounces runnin’ down a dream, they have an outside shot at 9-3. It starts with splitting the pair between Utah and Kentucky. Either would be a great first signature win for Napier in Gainesville. It would allow for Florida to get to Jacksonville already bowl eligible.

However, I won’t do you like that, but I absolutely will. Florida is not beating Georgia in Jacksonville, as Napier doesn’t know how it feels to be Dawg food in the hot Duvalian sun. The experience may give the Gators a fighting chance to wrangle Jimbo Fisher’s Texas A&M Aggies in College Station, but don’t count on it. After that, Florida can defeat South Carolina, Vanderbilt and Florida State.

A 9-3 (6-2) Gators team will be ranked and have a chance at getting into a New Year’s Six bowl.

Florida football worst-case scenario

And I swear 2021 was the last time Florida wouldn’t take recruiting seriously, but it’s hard to overlook what happened. Not to say Napier’s best friends are all metalheads, but how you look, how you act and how you think is what is required to turn around a program such as the Gators. Pretending you’re not the same as Mullen is easier said than done. What if it hits the fan again?

Florida drops its first two games to Cameron “Black Smoke” Rising’s Utah Utes and that banana mayonnaise coffee-drinking son of a gun Will Levis’ Kentucky Wildcats. Falling to 0-3 vs. USF is not happening, but 1-3 with a Rocky Top defeat is. After beating the school that gave us Cooper Kupp, Colin Cowherd and noted shark enthusiast Jim McElwain, they beat Mizzou and lose to LSU.

At a very Will Muschamp-ian 3-4, the Gators become Dawg Food vs. Muschamp and the rest of Kirby Smart’s Georgia staff. Florida will take its 3-5 record into fast-talking Jimbo Fisher’s House of NIL money, hoping bowl eligibility is still on the horizon. A loss to Gig Em means 3-6, and who’s to say Florida beats South Carolina at home at this point? A win over Vandy, but then an FSU loss…

Admittedly, 4-8 (2-6) is way too punitive, but there is a chance team finishes below .500 at 5-7.

Florida football 2022 season prediction

Unless Pac-12 football is truly horrendous, Florida loses to the Utes in their home opener. The pressure will be on in the UK game, but Mark Stoops has plenty of SEC experience on his side to eke out a nail-biter in Gainesville for the ‘Cats. A must-win over South Florida gives Florida a much-needed confidence boost heading into Tennessee. If only it were being held in Gainesville…

Florida bounces back to win three in a row over Eastern Washington, Missouri and LSU to get to Jacksonville at a respectable 4-3, all things considered. Facing potential bowl game doubts after losses to Georgia and Texas A&M, a 4-5 Florida team takes care of business vs. Steve Spurrier’s third Power Five coaching wife to get to 5-5. A win over Vanderbilt gets Florida to a bowl game.

With a chance to end Mike Norvell’s Tallahassee tenure, Florida improves to 7-5 (4-4) on the year.

Florida football 2022 bowl game prediction

A 7-5 (4-4) mark will not have the Gators finish any better than fourth in the SEC East. Despite divisional losses to Georgia, Kentucky and Tennessee, Florida will be invited to the Las Vegas Bowl where they will take on another down-on-its-luck traditional Power Five power in Kalen DeBoer’s Washington Huskies. With lucky win No. 7 over FSU, it is time for the Gators to roll the dice, baby!

Up next: No. 33: Mississippi State Bulldogs

Other articles in this series:

Next. College Football Rankings: FanSided Preseason Top 50. dark

For more NCAA football news, analysis, opinion and unique coverage by FanSided, including Heisman Trophy and College Football Playoff rankings, be sure to bookmark these pages.

Home/College Football