Luicci's List: No. 1 Florida
Let’s start with this: Kyle Trask is the best quarterback in the SEC East. Now take it a step further: With no Joe Burrow at LSU and Mac Jones still needing to prove himself at Alabama, Trask and A&M’s Kellen Mond (Bo Nix needs to show more before joining those two) enter the season as the best quarterbacks in the league overall.
That’s always a reason for optimism. But it goes beyond that with the Gators, who are coming off an 11-2 season that included a 14-point loss to LSU and a seven-point loss to Georgia. Both results can be reversed this year, and if they are the Gators will head to the SEC championship game. That’s one step from the College Football Playoffs.
Trask, an unlikely star, helped the offense achieve better balance last year, but it’s not quite where coach Dan Mullen wants it to be just yet. With all-SEC TE Kyle Pitts, proven big-play wideouts Trevon Grimes and Kadarius Tony and a veteran offensive line, the unit should championship-caliber. Miami transfer Lorenzo Lingard is expected to provide a major boost in the backfield.
Defensively, Florida will be good again after leading the SEC in sacks and red zone defense. Only three schools nationally allowed fewer touchdowns in 2019.
The schedule isn’t too daunting, especially with rebuilding LSU coming to Gainesville. An early game at Texas A&M could prove tricky, but one thing Florida did last year was beat all the teams it was supposed to beat, regardless of venue.
The Gators were close last year. There’s no reason they can’t take that next step to being championship caliber.