With March Madness about to consume the sports world and the college football season already in the books, it may seem like a strange time to think about bowl games. The South Florida Bulls were never going to reach one this last season just gone, with a 1-11 record. But there was some representation from Florida.
The anticipation for the betting lines for bowl games is always intense towards the end of the year. But we thought we would look back at the Florida schools that did make a bowl game last season – and who might be able to make it next year. Unfortunately, the Bulls will not feature heavily in this preview!
Military Bowl
After a year off because of COVID, following a season when no teams were available to play, the Military Bowl went ahead in Annapolis, Maryland, and featured Orlando’s own UCF Knights. It would be the final time the team would feature in this bowl as it moves to the Big 12 next year.
It was the 14th bowl game in UCF’s history, but the first time it had ever faced the Duke Blue Devils. It won’t be one that many fans remember, though.
Although the first quarter finished level at 7-7, Duke added more points before the half and could not be caught in the second period. Even a fourth-quarter TD from the Knights couldn’t stop Duke from winning 30-13.
Las Vegas Bowl
The 30th annual Las Vegas Bowl featured a Florida school for the very first time this year, when the Gators went up against the Oregon State Beavers. It had been an up-and-down year for Florida, losing games it expected to win and recording a few surprise scores of its own. In the end a 6-6 overall record (3-5 in conference play) earned the Gators a berth.
First-season head coach Billy Napier was dealt an even bigger blow before the game when QB Anthony Richardson announced that he was to forgo playing in the bowl game and declare for the NFL Draft instead. Redshirt freshman Jack Miller stepped in to take over.
Understandably, the offense struggled throughout the game and only managed a field goal with 37 seconds left. That did extend the NCAA record to 436 games without a shutout, though – a little reward for a tough season under the new coach.
Cheez-It Bowl
The Florida State Seminoles had never lost a Cheez-It Bowl in all its previous guises, and kept that record going against Oklahoma this year at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. It was sweet revenge for the Seminoles, who had lost the three previous bowl games between the two programs – including the Orange Bowl in 2001, which saw the Sooners win the national championship.
It had been a relatively good season for the Seminoles, including a first win over the Gators since 2017, and they opened the scoring with a field goal. The Sooners hit back with two TDs before the halftime break, but by the middle of the fourth quarter, the scores were level at 25-25.
Each team had a touchdown before the final minute when Ryan Fitzgerald kicked the game-winning field goal with just 55 seconds left on the clock. A closer game than had been expected – but a good way to end the season for the Seminoles.
Looking Ahead to 2024
After the worst season in school history, it is unlikely that we will see South Florida in a bowl game next year. A major rebuilding program needs to be put in place by new head coach Alex Golesh for the Bulls to come away with even a respectable record next season. So who can we hope to see playing at the turn of 2024?
It is tough for Florida in the SEC but there should always be a chance for a bowl game for the Gators. Hopefully next year there will be greater stability towards the end of the season and there might even be a win for Billy Napier. The Seminoles look to be the most likely to succeed though – and they did do better than a lot of people thought they would this year.
UCF could struggle playing in the Big 12, but there is sure to be some Florida representation at College Bowl time. There probably just won’t be any from Tampa.
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