Florida Gators Add Texas A&M, Arkansas to 2020 SEC-Only Schedule
The SEC has released each program's additional two opponents for the 2020 season after reducing the season to 10-game, conference-only format for each team.
After losing games against out-of-conference opponents Florida State, Eastern Washington, South Alabama, and New Mexico State, the Florida Gators will add Texas A&M and Arkansas to their 2020 schedule.
Former Gators starting quarterback Feleipe Franks transferred to Arkansas in January following the emergence of Kyle Trask. Franks suffered a season-ending ankle injury against Kentucky in Week 3.
The Razorbacks look to improve upon their 2-10 (0-8 SEC) finish from a year ago, under the direction of new head coach Sam Pittman, who previously served as Georgia's offensive line coach.
The last the Gators and the Razorbacks faced off came in 2016 with Arkansas defeating Florida 31-10. Florida currently hold the series lead 9-2, last defeating Arkansas 30-10 in 2013 in Gainesville.
Florida will travel to College Station to face the Aggies, who finished 8-5 (4-4 SEC) in 2019 under head coach Jimbo Fisher. The Aggies enter the 2020 season ranked No. 13 in the AP Top 25.
The Gators have faced off against the Aggies only four times in its history. The series is currently tied 2-2, with Florida falling to Texas A&M 19-17 the last time the two teams faced off in 2017. The last contest in College Station was the first time the Gators played the Aggies as an SEC opponent, earning a 20-17 win at Kyle Field in 2012.
Ron DeSantis, the Governor of the state of Florida, pushed the idea of rescheduling Florida's game with in-state rival Florida State at a roundtable discussion on Thursday. The ACC is currently planning a conference only, plus-one schedule with the eleventh game being against an out-of-conference opponent - not in line with the SEC's strategy.
"I am going to see if we can make sure that rivalry game continues because I know it's one we all look forward to every year," said DeSantis. "It's an epic rivalry, and if you're able to play, you're able to play, and so let's give the fans what they want."
The Gators' new-look schedule will be released next week, as days and times are being adjusted given the season's late kickoff. Florida's complete list of 2020 opponents is as follows, in order of the original schedule with the two new opponents added at the bottom:
vs. Kentucky
@ Tennessee
vs. South Carolina
vs. LSU
@ Ole Miss
vs. Georgia (at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Fla.)
@ Vanderbilt
vs. Missouri
vs. Arkansas
@ Texas A&M
“The SEC office and Commissioner Sankey have worked tirelessly to help its member schools and our student-athletes move forward given unprecedented circumstances; from putting together detailed medical plans, guaranteeing scholarships for athletes who wish to opt-out, to plotting a course for what seasons and schedules could look like," UF athletic director, Scott Stricklin said in a statement released by the team.
“Given all the unknowns we face, today’s announcements regarding the SEC initial COVID-19 management requirements, along with the identification of two additional opponents in football, provide a solid framework with a goal of giving our teams the opportunity to compete in a healthy environment during the 2020-21 school year."
The SEC will kick off its season on September 26th. Fall camp has been pushed back from its original August 7th start date to August 17th, with the practice window extended to 40 days.
