Florida's Scott Stricklin reaches out to Power 5 ADs on social media in effort to schedule more series
Florida football has long been criticized for not playing a regular-season non-SEC true road game outside the Sunshine State in decades. While that still hasn’t happened yet (though the Gators traveled to Dallas to face Michigan in 2017), AD Scott Stricklin has scheduled some noteworthy home-and-home series with Power 5 teams. On Tuesday, Stricklin took to Twitter to let his colleagues know he’s still looking to add more Power 5 games to UF’s future schedules.
“Attention ADs from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 or Pac-12 … (Florida) is looking to add additional Home-and-Home series against P5 opponents. Let’s connect and schedule quality games the fans want to see!” Stricklin wrote in a tweet Tuesday.
Florida already has four non-conference opponents scheduled for the 2020 and 2021 seasons to go along with the eight SEC games, meaning Stricklin is looking at 2022 and beyond.
Here are the Power 5 non-SEC opponents already on Florida’s future schedules (in addition to arch-rival Florida State):
- Utah – 2022 (home), 2023 (away)
- Miami – 2024 (home), 2025 (away)
- Colorado – 2028 (home), 2029 (away)
- Texas – 2030 (home), 2031 (away)
Florida also has a 2-for-1 scheduled with USF (home games in 2022, 2025; away in 2021). The Bulls are not a Power 5 program and play in the American Athletic Conference.
Attention ADs from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 or Pac-12 … @GatorsFB is looking to add additional Home-and-Home series against P5 opponents. Let’s connect and schedule quality games the fans want to see! #GoGators
— Scott Stricklin (@ScottStricklin) October 22, 2019
Nobody Is READY for A Team On Their Way UP !!!!
Gotta love the fact we’re trying to schedule so many P5 teams
This drives me crazy! “ Florida football has long been criticized for not playing a regular-season non-SEC true road game outside the Sunshine State.” If you have to put that many qualifiers on it, perhaps it isn’t that interesting. How many states have 3 power 5 teams? I cannot stand that it is always UF that gets badmouthed for having our OOC rival in the same state. Very few teams outside the SEC play the difficulty of an SEC schedule, yet the Gators are put down for this?
I am glad Stricklin has called everyone out. Can’t blame UF for games not played when he just issued an open invitation!
Great take. Agree 100%
To be fair, we didn’t leave the state for a non conference game (outside of a bowl) for 26 years (1991-2017). Miami is in-state, granted, but considering Georgia has the same limitation we do (ACC in-state rival and UF as a neutral site game) they have found a way to schedule Boise State, UNC, Colorado and Notre Dame. We get Towson. Loving the fact that we are scheduling P5 teams nationwide over the next decade. Hope we continue this!
Keep in mind that during most of that timeframe, the Semis were pretty dam good, and we often played the Canes who also were often good. Nobody else was scheduling 2 very good out of conf opponents annually, whether in-state or not.
Bring it!!! We own the world. Please somebody have the ballz to sign up
I’d like to play some California teams (preferably in the LA area – USC, UCLA) to help with recruiting. There’s a load of talent in that area and so many of them leave the state. Let’s get out there. That would be a great road trip as well as the games vs. Texas, Colorado and Utah.
I believe Clemson answered the call.
Great. They typically play only 2 games during the regular season and then play pat-a-cake with the cr*p teams in their conference. Let’s wear all orange and beat the H out of them.
2037 and 2038. That is a long time to wait, but if that is all they can do I say lock it in. Scott is looking to fill the 26, 27 seasons right now.
Am I alone in thinking this is a bad move? Who cares what everyone thinks? Why would we do anything to make our schedule more difficult than it already is? We go through the meat grinder every year with ranked opponents from the SEC. If we win the games we are supposed to and win the SEC then we are a lock in the final 4. I don’t understand the rationale. If teams like ND, USC and Oregon can play a light schedule, go undefeated and get in them why is hard to believe that we could lose one time, win the SEC and get in. This doesn’t make sense to me. I think we need to lighten the load.
Gators had a top 10 schedule this year with Miami they do have it tough with Georgia doing well and rival with Lsu wish Alabama a.d. had the same balls. Florida plays 10 power 5 compared to 9 for the rest of the sec outside Georgia and South Carolina. But believe the A.D. from Clemson answered the call to arms.
I think the rationale is ticket sales and the declining attendance dilemma facing most teams now. I know I have zero plans to buy tickets to watch McNeese St and Arky St play my Leghumpers but change that to a ClemGooberU or a TroyCondomU and Wahlah!
You dont buy season tickets, do you?
When I pay the booster fee and the season ticket fee, I don’t want to waste my time driving from ATL to Gainesville to watch Towson or UT Martin.
It also drives me up the wall when I see our guys get injured in these absolutely worthless games.
If we play these types of games, and win it will help recruiting top recruits who want to play against the best.
Mullen is a great coach who sees this and is very open to playing these types of games.
I for one am looking forward to traveling for these upcoming home and home series against quality teams.
Besides, it is only a matter of time before the playoffs expand and these tough games actually help solidify a resume and help distinguish teams that deserve to be in the playoff even with a loss or two.
Could not disagree more. Those “tune up,” games give guys a chance to rest in already taxing season. It is more likely that we have guys get hurt when they are playing every down against a quality opponent. It also gives a chance for young guys to get game experience. Plus those games give Mullen a chance to see what type of schemes work and which don’t. Besides football is physically and mentally taxing. We just do not need any more strength in our schedule. It’s useless and senseless. We win the games that matter and the SEC championship and we are lock for playoffs. Period. We already play the best in the country in conference. Recruits want to play in title games and we IMO we have better chance to do so when you have a couple breaks in the schedule.
Stricklin is looking to have 10 P5 games not 12.
We can still have an opening week G5 patsy for tuning up for Kentucky and SEC play, and then one other mid season G5 patsy.
Aside from tackling practice, the FCS teams that we played this year offer no significant benefit and I am not alone when it comes to not wanting to see these types of games. The evidence is shown by the myriad empty seats during these games.
Additionally, there are idiots in the media like Heather Dinitch (sp?) that spout of on tirades about UF not deserving playoff consideration because we had two FCS games on the schedule.
College football is better without so many cupcakes, and the fans do deserve better. Look at the ratings for Floridas big games this year. People are voting by tuning into these marquee match ups.
I guess I’m just not as concerned about entertaining fans and more concerned with being fresh at the end of the year when it matters. History shows that if a team wins the Sec with less than 2 losses they are in. Also, playing a big game every week is taking its tole on my health! Either way go Gators!
*toll
I would love to see us drop the 12th regular season game rather than playing an FCS school or any week FBS school.
I mean, what value was that UT-MArtin game in the grand scheme of things, and we even lost one of our most explosive players in Toney.
—A T T E N T I O N— -U C F- —A T T E N T I O N– -U C F-
EAT SH!T
Where’s the “like” button?
LOL, where’s the “love” button!
If Alabama counted nattys like UCF does, they would have about 40
Good to see for all sec fans
UVA. Va Tech.. UNC… Penn State .. Wisconsin… Would love to see these games.