Keys to a Florida Gators Victory Over Florida State Seminoles

The Florida Gators can end the regular season in electric fashion and crush rival Florida State if they just follow these keys to victory

Here's the keys to Florida Gators win in the regular season finale / Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

The Florida Gators head to Tallahassee to take on rival Florida State to wrap up the regular season. They’re looking to win their first game against the Seminoles since 2021. 

Florida is the clear favorite in this bout, being given an 82.2% chance to win according to ESPN Analytics. 

However, that doesn’t mean the Gators can show up without a plan. If they follow these three keys, it should ensure them a win against arguably their top rival. 

Take This Game Seriously 

The last thing this team needs is to allow this game to be any sort of trap game. Florida has everything to lose being the heavy favorites. FSU has nothing to lose. They would love to pick up one last win and get the satisfaction of beating Florida as a way to redeem their disastrous season. 

After all the momentum they have gained from beating LSU and Ole Miss and taking Tennessee and Georgia down to the wire, a loss here would stop it all in its tracks. A good team pulls off the upsets but also beats the teams they’re supposed to. 

Florida needs to go in and play like the plan is to win 50-0. 

Run the Ball

We know the big story of the season for the Gators is their quarterback, DJ Lagway. But if they want to hit FSU where it hurts, they have to run the ball. 

The Seminoles have the worst rushing defense in the ACC, allowing 180.1 rushing yards per game on average this season. But remember, that’s average, factoring in the 57 rushing yards by Charleston Southern and the 65 rushing yards by Memphis. In the other nine games, FSU has given up over 200 rushing yards on average. 

Don’t be afraid to let Montrell Johnson Jr., Ja’Kobi Jackson and Jadan Baugh go have their fun out there. If it wasn’t for the hamstring risk, I’d say let Lagway test his legs a bit too. 

Give FSU’s Offense Zero Favors 

FSU’s offense is the worst in the ACC, and it’s not even close. They’re the only team in the conference that hasn’t scored 250 points...or 200...or 180. There’s no reason to cut them any slack.

If the Gators want one last pre-bowl game statement, have the defense run circles around their offense. Doesn’t matter if it’s Brock Glenn or Luke Kromenhoek out there at QB. Collapse the pocket and see how many sacks you can tally in Tally. 

FSU averaged 89.1 rushing yards per game. See how much further that average can be dragged down before it’s finalized for the year. 

The Gators have the chance to make this a satisfying finish to the regular season. All it takes is going out there and showing the crowd who the better team is.