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Now that fall camp has come and gone and games are set to be played, we’ve decided that it’s an appropriate time to discuss our expectations and projections for the 2024 Florida Gators football team.

The 2023 season was forgettable for much of the fan base as Florida finished the season 5-7 overall and 3-5 in conference play.

The schedule, somehow, appears to be even tougher in 2024 as Texas and Oklahoma join the SEC and division play has been scrapped.

The following are our best guesses at who will lead Florida in several statistical categories. Following the stat leaders, we will prognosticate Florida’s regular season record and explain why we think so.

Leading Rusher:
Brian Fox: Montrell Johnson, 860 yards
Hugh Green: Montrell Johnson, 935 yards
Aiden Wacksman: Montrell Johnson, 950 yards

Brian’s Two Bits: Johnson is clearly RB1 heading into the new season, however, the depth at the position is impressive. Treyaun Webb, Cam Carroll and freshmen KD Daniels and Jadan Baugh will likely get touches as well, if healthy. This is my favorite position group on this team thanks to the talent four and five deep on the depth chart.

Leading Receiver:
Brian Fox: Chimere Dike, 645 yards
Hugh Green: Eugene Wilson III, 750 yards
Aiden Wacksman: Eugene Wilson III, 710 yards

Hugh’s Two Bits: The most explosive player on the Gators’ offense this season, without a doubt, is Eugene Wilson III. With Ricky Pearsall gone, Wilson’s usage percentage should be incredibly high. While Florida added a pair of very talented, experienced wideouts in Elijah Badger and Chimere Dike, Wilson should still be Mertz’s No. 1 receiver.

Tackles Leader:
Brian Fox: Shemar James, 91 tackles
Hugh Green: Jordan Castell, 67 tackles
Aiden Wacksman: Shemar James, 72 tackles

Aiden’s Two Bits: Shemar James accumulated 55 tackles in just eight games last season, good for second on the team. James should be able to far surpass that number with a fully recovered knee and valuable experience under his belt. As long as he stays healthy, the junior will be Florida’s most active linebacker.

Sacks Leader:
Brian Fox: Tyreak Sapp, 8
Hugh Green: Joey Slackman, 7
Aiden Wacksman: Tyreak Sapp, 9

Brian’s Two Bits: Sapp enters his fourth season at Florida and looks to be the most likely breakout candidate on the defensive line. Sapp finished 2023 with 24 tackles and two sacks and will be helped by veteran inside linemen Cam Jackson and Desmond Watson as well as Joey Slackman and Caleb Banks on the outside.

Interceptions Leader:
Brian Fox: Jason Marshall, 4
Hugh Green: DJ Douglas, 3
Aiden Wacksman: Devin Moore, 3

Hugh’s Two Bits: Douglas, who is going into his sixth season in college football, transferred over from Tulane where he earned All-AAC Honorable Mention honors after having three interceptions last season. Florida’s secondary is much improved this year with plenty of new additions, but Douglas’ ball-hawking skills will put him over the top in the interception category.

Record Prediction:
Brian Fox: 6-6, losses to TAMU, Tenn, UGA, Texas, Mississippi, Florida State
Hugh Green: 6-6, losses to Tenn, Kentucky, UGA, Texas, Mississippi, Florida State
Aiden Wacksman: 7-5, losses to Tenn, UGA, Texas, LSU, Mississippi

Why?
Brian Fox: Simply put, Florida is just not as talented as most of their SEC rivals. While the talent has improved, especially on the offensive side of the ball, the Gators still have a lot of work to do to get to where they desire. The gap is closing and there are solid players on this roster, but managing this difficult schedule will likely result in another “down year,” by UF standards.

Hugh Green: While Florida has an exciting, high-powered roster, having the toughest schedule in the country does the Gators no favors. Florida will begin the year strong if they are able to get a win at home against Miami, but the final month will be so challenging. With Billy Napier in his third year, it is time to start winning with his guys, but this may not be the year it begins.

Aiden Wacksman: Florida has a much improved team from last year in terms of experience and talent. Unfortunately, the brutal schedule will pit a strong Florida squad against opponents with more talent and depth across the board. The Gators, however, should be able to secure some key victories in The Swamp and make it to a bowl game. The home opener against Miami will be the most significant indicator of what this team is capable of.

Let us know what you believe we got right and wrong either in the comments or on social media.