Is Dan Mullen a Genius? Former Florida Coach Shares Excellent Preseason Predictions

Nick Roushby:Nick Roush09/01/22

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It appears Dan Mullen initially missed his calling. After spending almost 30 years in coaching, the 50-year-old has started his second act as an ESPN broadcaster with a big splash, particularly around the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Once reviled by the Big Blue Nation, he has quickly discovered a soft spot in the hearts of Kentucky football fans.

Dan Mullen coached against the Kentucky football team for 16 seasons. It all started in Gainesville where he was an assistant for Urban Meyer. He then spent nine seasons as the head coach at Mississippi State, followed by four years as the Florida head coach. He was 8-1 against the Wildcats at Miss. State, but 2-2 while coaching the Gators, a big reason why he’s no longer their head coach.

Instead of waiting in unemployment lines, Mullen dipped his toes into broadcasting during the CFB Playoffs. He recently agreed to an on-air role throughout the 2022 season for ESPN. The first order of business: preseason predictions. Dan Mullen picked Kentucky to finish second in the SEC East, two spots ahead of his Florida Gators.

But wait — There’s More!

If you didn’t enjoy the shade he threw Florida’s way, Mullen took a shot at another Kentucky rival. While many analysts are fawning over Scott Satterfield and Malik Cunningham, Dan Mullen is picking Louisville to finish last in the ACC Atlantic division.

If you believe Dan Mullen is on to something, invest in the Syracuse Orange. They are 4.5-point underdogs at home Saturday night. An outright win over Louisville is +155 on the moneyline.

Is Dan Mullen one of us?

All joking aside, his SEC East projection should instill confidence in Kentucky football fans. Few folks know the conference better than the guy who spent the better part of two decades coaching successful SEC football programs. Sure, at times he could be an obnoxious zealot. Now he’s a new man, ready to provide factual knowledge to the college football world by only sharing the most accurate preseason predictions on the market.

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2024-04-26