The 2024 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 2024 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Gators were led by third-year head coach Billy Napier and played their home games at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium located in Gainesville, Florida.
The Gators entered the season with one of the most difficult schedules in the history of college football. After opening the season with a loss to Miami and a win over Samford, conference play began with a 33-20 home loss to the Texas A&M Aggies, calling into question the future of head coach Billy Napier. Florida would win their next 2 games, on the road at Mississippi State and a home game against UCF, before losing a close game to No. 8 Tennessee, amplifying the discussion around a potential coaching change. Florida proceeded to win its next game against Kentucky, before losses to No. 2 Georgia and No. 5 Texas. However, the team would rallied towards the end of the season, upsetting No. 22 LSU and No. 9 Ole Miss in back to back games. The Florida Gators would finish on a three-game winning streak, beating their in-state rival, the Florida State Seminoles on the road in Tallahassee, their first win in this rivalry since 2021 and their first at Doak Campbell Stadium since 2018. This also marked Florida's first regular-season winning record since 2020. With a win over Tulane in the Gasparilla Bowl, Florida would win their first bowl game since 2019.
Offseason
Coaching staff changes Sean SpencerDefensive line coachFiredGerald ChatmanCorey RaymondSecondary coachFiredWill HarrisJay BatemanLinebackers coachAccepted job at Texas A&MRon RobertsDarnell StapletonCo-offensive line coachAccepted job at Washington Commanders
Coaching staff additions Jonathan DecosterOffensive assistant (Cleveland Browns)Assistant Offensive line coachGerald ChatmanDefensive line Coach (Tulane)Defensive line coachRon RobertsDefensive Coordinator (Auburn)Linebackers coach, Co-defensive coordinator, Executive defensive head coachWill HarrisAssistant defensive backs coach (Los Angeles Chargers)Secondary coach
Team departures Overall, thirty-seven Florida players left the program during or after the 2023 season. 6 players graduated, 1 medically retired, 6 players declared for the NFL draft, while the other 24 players entered the transfer portal. Of those twenty-four, 22 have found new teams while 2 have not. Jack Miller IIIQBSoRetiredDante ZandersTESrGraduatedTeradja MitchellLBSrGraduatedDaniel CrossWRSrGraduatedKenny AnyaehieLBSrGraduatedJaelin HumphriesDLJrGraduatedDakota MitchellSSoMedically Retired
Entered NFL draft
+Kingsley EguakunCJrRicky PearsallWRSrMicah LeonQBGrad StudentEddie BattleRBSrJacob WatkinsPSrLyndell Hudson IIOLSr
Transfer Portal Twenty-one Florida players will be playing for new teams in the 2024 season after entering the NCAA Transfer Portal. Over the off-season, Florida added thirteen players from the transfer portal.
Departing transfers Max BrownQBCharlotteCaleb DouglasWRTexas TechRichie Leonard IVOLFlorida StateScooby WilliamsLBTexas A&M Jaydon HillCBTexas A&MMicah MazzcuaOLNebraskaJalen KimberCBPenn StateMiguel MitchellSArkansasWill NormanDLMarshallTrevor EtienneRBGeorgiaPrincely UmanmielenEDGEOle MissKeenan LandryDLLouisiana TechJalen FarmerOLKentuckyAndrew SavaiinaeaTENevadaJordan HermanOTCharlotteJonathan OdomTEEastern MichiganKamari WilsonSArizona StateChris McClellanDLMissouriJadarrius PerkinsCBToledoThai Chiaokhiao-BowmanWRRiceMannie NunneryLBTexas StateCarlson JosephRBMars Hill
Additionally, the following players are currently in the transfer portal and have not committed to a new school for the 2024 season. Ara EmerzianPAdam MihalekK
Incoming transfers
Jameer GrimsleyCBAlabamaAsa TurnerSWashingtonGrayson HowardLBSouth CarolinaClay MillenQBColorado StateGeorge Gumbs Jr.EDGENorthern IllinoisDJ DouglasSTulaneTrikweze BridgesCBOregonDevon ManuelOTArkansasChimere DikeWRWisconsinBrandon Crenshaw-DicksonOTSan Diego StateJoey SlackmanDLPennCaleb RillosTEAir ForceAidan WarnerQBYaleElijhah BadgerWRArizona StateJason ZandamelaCUSCCormani McClainCBColorado
Recruiting class
*Jameer Grimsley originally signed to Alabama, but left the program following the departure of head coach Nick Saban.
2024 Overall class rankings ESPN – –29930On3 Recruits#10#7211519Rivals#15#8210719247Sports#12#728919
Walk-ons Paul KesslerQB6'4.5, 217 Los Angeles, CAVenice High SchoolAidan WarnerQB6'3, 199Winter Park, FLWinter Park High School (Yale)Hunter SmithK5'10, 204Gainesville, FLBuchholz High School (FAU)Jack MuseP6'3.5, 195Hingham, MAHingham High School (UMass)Jake XellerILB6'2.25, 239Reston, VAHerndon High SchoolChase StevensOL6'3, 305Vero Beach, FLVero Beach High School
Schedule Florida and the SEC announced the 2024 football schedule on December 13, 2023.
Rankings
Game summaries No. 19 Miami (FL)
Statistics MIA UF First downs 25 17 Total yards 529 261 Rushing yards 144 139 Passing yards 385 122 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 26–36–1 14–26–2 Time of possession 34:30 25:30 Team Category Player StatisticsMiami (FL) Passing Cam Ward 26/36, 385 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Damien Martinez 15 carries, 65 yards Receiving Xavier Restrepo 7 receptions, 112 yards, TDFlorida Passing Graham Mertz 11/20, 91 yards, INT Rushing Montrell Johnson Jr. 11 carries, 106 yards, TD Receiving Eugene Wilson III 7 receptions, 50 yards
Samford
Statistics SAMUF First downs 15 22 Total yards 68–205 62–632 Rushing yards 61 166 Passing yards 144 466 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 22–33–0 19–28–0 Time of possession 33:30 26:30 Team Category Player StatisticsSamford Passing Quincy Crittendon 22/31, 144 yards Rushing Damonta Witherspoon 9 attempts, 26 yards, 1 touchdown Receiving Brendan Jenkins 4 receptions, 51 yardsFlorida Passing DJ Lagway 18/25, 456 yards, 3 touchdowns Rushing Montrell Johnson Jr. 15 carries, 67 yards, 2 touchdowns Receiving Eugene Wilson III 6 receptions, 141 yards, 1 touchdown
Texas A&M
Statistics TAMUUF First downs 27 19 Total yards 488 301 Rushing yards 310 52 Passing yards 178 249 Turnovers 0 3 Time of possession 37:37 22:23 Team Category Player StatisticsTexas A&M Passing Marcel Reed 11/17, 178 yards, 2 TD Rushing Le'Veon Moss 18 rushes, 110 yards Receiving Cyrus Allen 3 receptions, 81 yards, TDFlorida Passing Graham Mertz 12/15, 195 yards, TD, INT Rushing Treyaun Webb 6 rushes, 37 yards Receiving Elijhah Badger 5 receptions, 94 yards, TD
at Mississippi State
Statistics UFMSST First downs 27 31 Total yards 503 480 Rushing yards 226 240 Passing yards 277 240 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 26–28–0 20–34–0 Time of possession 27:36 32:24 Team Category Player StatisticsFlorida Passing Graham Mertz 19/21, 201 yards, 3 TD Rushing Montrell Johnson Jr. 15 rushes, 68 yards Receiving Elijhah Badger 3 receptions, 45 yardsMississippi State Passing Blake Shapen 13/21, 140 yards, TD Rushing Johnnie Daniels 14 rushes, 77 yards, TD Receiving Mario Craver 3 receptions, 62 yards
UCF
Statistics UCF UF First downs 20 18 Total yards 62–273 60–359 Rushing yards 40–108 32–130 Passing yards 165 229 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 12–22–1 23–28–0 Time of possession 27:44 32:16 Team Category Player StatisticsUCF Passing KJ Jefferson 12/22, 165 yards, INT Rushing RJ Harvey 16 carries, 75 yards, TD Receiving Randy Pittman Jr. 3 receptions, 44 yardsFlorida Passing Graham Mertz 19/23, 179 yards, TD Rushing Montrell Johnson Jr. 10 carries, 54 yards, TD Receiving Chimere Dike 4 receptions, 88 yards
at No. 8 Tennessee (rivalry)
Statistics UFTENN First downs 22 18 Total yards 72–361 69–312 Rushes/yards 40–138 43–143 Passing yards 223 169 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 20–32–1 16–26–1 Time of possession 34:56 25:04
Team Category Player Statistics Florida Passing Graham Mertz 11/15, 125 yards, TD Rushing Montrell Johnson Jr. 12 carries, 85 yards Receiving Chimere Dike 4 receptions, 76 yards, TD Tennessee Passing Nico Iamaleava 16/26, 169 yards, INT Rushing Dylan Sampson 27 carries, 112 yards, 3 TD Receiving Squirrel White 5 receptions, 71 yards
Kentucky (rivalry)
Statistics UKUF First downs 17 16 Total yards 68–309 59–476 Rushing yards 36–144 44–197 Passing yards 165 279 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 12–32–3 8–15–1 Time of possession 29:56 30:04 Team Category Player StatisticsKentucky Passing Brock Vandagriff 12/26, 165 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Demie Sumo-Karngbaye 10 carries, 39 yards Receiving Barion Brown 2 receptions, 56 yards, TDFlorida Passing DJ Lagway 7/14, 259 yards, INT Rushing Jadan Baugh 22 carries, 106 yards, 5 TD Receiving Elijhah Badger 3 receptions, 148 yards
at No. 2 Georgia (rivalry)
Statistics UF UGA First downs 13 26 Total yards 68–228 73–455 Rushing yards 38–115 33–146 Passing yards 113 309 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 9–30–1 25–40–3 Time of possession 26:25 33:30 Team Category Player StatisticsFlorida Passing Aidan Warner 7/22, 66 yards, 1 interception Rushing Ja'Kobi Jackson 12 attempts, 74 yards, 1 touchdown Receiving Aidan Mizell 4 receptions, 66 yards, 1 touchdownGeorgia Passing Carson Beck 25/40, 309 yards, 2 touchdowns, 3 interceptions Rushing Nate Frazier 19 attempts, 82 yards, 1 touchdown Receiving Arian Smith 2 receptions, 59 yards
at No. 5 Texas
Statistics UF TEX First downs 20 23 Total yards 66–329 64–562 Rushing yards 41–197 31–210 Passing yards 132 352 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 12–25–2 22–33–0 Time of possession 32:06 27:54 Team Category Player StatisticsFlorida Passing Aidan Warner 12/25, 132 yards, 2 interceptions Rushing Ja'Kobi Jackson 19 attempts, 116 yards, 1 touchdown Receiving Chimere Dike 5 receptions, 95 yardsTexas Passing Quinn Ewers 19/27, 333 yards, 5 touchdowns Rushing Jerrick Gibson 16 attempts, 100 yards, 1 touchdown Receiving Jaydon Blue 3 receptions, 67 yards
No. 22 LSU (rivalry)
Statistics LSU UF First downs 25 13 Total yards 92–390 43–339 Rushing yards 44–128 17–113 Passing yards 262 226 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 28–48–0 13–16–0 Time of possession 41:43 18:17 Team Category Player StatisticsLSU Passing Garrett Nussmeier 27/47, 260 yards, 1 touchdown Rushing Caden Durham 21 attempts, 95 yards Receiving Aaron Anderson 7 receptions, 72 yards, 1 touchdownFlorida Passing DJ Lagway 13/26, 226 yards, 1 touchdown Rushing Jadan Baugh 6 attempts, 65 yards, 1 touchdown Receiving Elijhah Badger 6 receptions, 131 yards, 1 touchdown
No. 9 Ole Miss
Statistics MISS UF First downs 24 19 Total yards 77–464 63–344 Rushing yards 35–141 45–164 Passing yards 323 180 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 24–42–2 10–18–1 Time of possession 30:03 29:28 Team Category Player StatisticsOle Miss Passing Jaxson Dart 24/41, 323 yards, 2 touchdowns, 2 interceptions Rushing Jaxson Dart 14 attempts, 71 yards Receiving Cayden Lee 6 receptions, 94 yards, 1 touchdownFlorida Passing DJ Lagway 10/17, 180 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception Rushing Montrell Johnson Jr. 18 attempts, 107 yards, 1 touchdown Receiving Elijhah Badger 5 receptions, 87 yards, 1 touchdown
Florida State (rivalry)
Statistics UF FSU First downs 18 20 Total yards 368 239 Rushing yards 235 99 Passing yards 133 140 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 14–22–1 15–28–0 Time of possession 27:08 32:52 Team Category Player StatisticsFlorida Passing DJ Lagway 14/22, 133 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Montrell Johnson Jr. 10 carries, 99 yards, TD Receiving Chimere Dike 3 receptions, 63 yardsFlorida State Passing Luke Kromenhoek 15/28, 140 yards Rushing Lawrance Toafili 9 carries, 43 yards, TD Receiving Lawrance Toafili 3 receptions, 39 yards
Tulane (Gasparilla Bowl)
Statistics TULN UF First downs 11 26 Total yards 57–194 79–529 Rushing yards 27–69 44–224 Passing yards 125 305 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 11–30–3 22–35–2 Time of possession 21:03 38:57