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Florida Gators bowl projections following upset win over Ole Miss

On3 imageby: Keith Niebuhr11/24/24On3Keith
Billy-Napier-Florida-Gators
Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier celebrates a fourth down stop on the Rebels during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, November 23, 2024. The Gators defeated the Rebels 24-17 [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]

The Florida Gators are hot. And after two straight upset wins, Billy Napier’s team now is bowl eligible. Where might the Gators, now 6-5 entering next weekend’s game at Florida State, land? Here are some current bowl projections.

College Football Network (Oliver Hodgkinson)

Gasparilla Bowl: South Florida vs. Florida
Location: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Fla.
When: Dec. 20
411: Both teams are 6-5, but the Gators have played a much more difficult schedule. Florida has two wins over ranked teams in six games; USF has faced only two ranked teams and is 0-2. The Bulls played Alabama tough for awhile but fell 42-16. They also gave Miami a fight for a half before losing 50-15 at home. USF plays 3-8 Rice next weekend. Here’s one reason not to match these teams up in a bowl game: They meet next Sept. 6 at The Swamp.

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CBS SPORTS (Jerry Palm)

Gasparilla Bowl: West Virginia vs. Florida
Location: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Fla.
When: Dec. 20
411: West Virginia is 6-5 overall, 5-3 in the Big 12 after beating UCF 31-21 on Saturday. The Mountaineers play 7-4 Texas Tech in their regular-season finale. The Gators last played West Virginia in the Sugar Bowl after the 1993 season and beat the 11-0 Mountaineers 41-7.

ESPN (Kyle Bonagura)

Birmingham Bowl: NC State vs. Florida
Location: Protective Stadium, Birmingham, Ala.
When: Dec. 27
411: NC State is 5-6 and needs a win next weekend vs. arch-rival North Carolina (6-5) to become bowl eligible. The Wolfpack has run hot and cold this season after starting off with fairly high expectations. NC State has played two ranked teams (Tennessee and Clemson) and lost badly both games. Starting quarterback Grayson McCall was lost for the season the first weekend in October.

ESPN (Mark Schlabach)

Liberty Bowl: TCU vs. Florida
Location: Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, Memphis, Tn.
When: Dec. 27
411: TCU has won four of five and enters its last regular-season game against 5-6 Cincinnati at 7-4 overall, 5-3 in the Big 12. The Horned Frogs have played only one team that currently is ranked — SMU. It lost 66-42. These schools have never met in football.

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