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Through the first three weeks of the college football season, the Florida Gators seem destined to play a bowl game in their home state.

Because these games are being played in late December-early January, a lot of them take place in Florida due to the weather being far more ideal than the conditions up north.

It's never a guarantee that the Gators are going to get to remain in the state, but ESPN's latest bowl projections see Florida participating in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl.

How fitting, to say the least, that the Gators would end up in the Gator Bowl.

Remember, this is a Florida program that went 4-8 last year and missed out on a bowl game entirely. 

Their last bowl game appearance was on Dec. 20, 2024, when they defeated Tulane, 33-8, in the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL.

Florida is predicted to play at EverBank Stadium

The Jacksonville Jaguars are soon going to have to relocate due to stadium renovations, but for now, EverBank Stadium is still operational.

According to both Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach, Florida fans should have Wednesday, Dec. 30 circled on their calendar, as that's the date this bowl game is being played.

The two may disagree on who the Gators are playing, but both still see Florida playing a 2026 bowl game in Jacksonville.

As for Bonagura, he believes Pittsburgh will be Florida's opponent. Schlabach disagrees, and he sees SMU being the Gators' opponent on the night before New Year's Eve.

For reference, Schlabach has Pittsburgh taking on Wisconsin in the Duke's Mayo Bowl while Bonagura has SMU penciled in for the Pop-Tarts Bowl against Kansas State.

Any bowl game would be a step in the right direction

No matter what happens, just making a bowl game this year would be a positive note for Jon Sumrall and the rest of this coaching staff.

Taking a struggling team in the SEC to a .500 record is step one, as that's a mark they failed to reach in 2025.

This Gators team has had no shortage of success in the past, but that doesn't mean they've thrived in the NIL and transfer portal era.

Fans shouldn't take these predictions too seriously three weeks into the year, but Florida has already made a huge statement by taking down Auburn, and now all eyes are on No. 4 Ole Miss, who's coming to town on Sept. 26.

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