“Is Going To Have The Best Quarterback”: Florida Gators Listed As Dark Horse Contenders For College Football Playoffs In 2025

The Florida Gators football team finished with a 7-5 record in 2024 and showed some promise toward the end of the 2024 season. Florida had a lot of questions at the start of the 2024 season and many fans wanted head coach Billy Napier fired, but they decided keep Napier around for another year.

One of the reasons why they kept Napier around was because of the rise of quarterback D.J. Lagway. He was just a freshman a season ago and has a chance to shine as a sophomore. The SEC only had three teams in the college football playoffs last season. Will Florida crash the college football playoffs in 2025?

College Football Analyst Thinks That the Florida Gators Can Crash the College Football Playoffs In 2025

Ari Wasserman of on3.com wrote about teams from the SEC and the BIG10 Conference who did not make the college football playoffs last season but will have a chance to potentially make it in 2025. Well, it appears as if there is always a team who comes out of nowhere each season in college football.

Wasserman thinks that Florida can crash the party in 2025. He said,

“Florida is going to have the best quarterback in the country in D.J. Lagway. Some people are resistant in thinking in those terms, but anyone who has open eyes and a clear heart watched him play last year and saw something special. Florida’s players developed last year as the season went on — especially on the defensive line — and the Gators bring in two elite-level receiver prospects in Vernell Brown III and Dallas Wilson to help Lagway out. You may roll your eyes, but Florida has a chance to be something special this year if things click for Billy Napier, who has existed on the hot seat his entire tenure in Gainesville.”

This is a stretch to think that Lagway will be the best quarterback in the country in 2025. Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning and Clemson Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik maybe better than Lagway. The Gators quarterback maybe the fourth best quarterback in the conference behind Manning, LaNoris Sellers of the South Carolina Gamecocks, and Garrett Nussmeier from the LSU Tigers.

There is no question about Lagway’s potential and talent. He has a chance to be really special in 2025 and would be the reason why the Gators get to the playoffs. However, Lagway will not be the best quarterback in the nation in 2025. Florida will be knocking on the door for a playoff spot in 2025, but they may fall short of that. The Gators fanbase wants to see the playoffs this year, but 2026 may feel more realistic for them to get there.

With the Tennessee Volunteers potentially on the decline in 2025, it could open the door for Florida to join the party. There is no doubt that the Texas Longhorns and the Georgia Bulldogs will most likely make the field once again in 2025. The third and fourth teams potentially from the SEC could be major question marks. This could open up a chance for the Gators to crash the party in 2025 depending on how Lagway and the rest of the team performs also.

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