Gators release corrected 2018 slate

The Florida Gators released a corrected 2018 schedule Wednesday that now includes a much tougher stretch of road games early in the SEC slate.

The Gators will travel to Tennessee, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt during a four-week period that could go a long way toward determining UF’s season.

Florida will not leave the state of Florida during the final five games, with away contests only against Georgia in Jacksonville and at Florida State to end the regular season.

The Gators have had little luck lately in Starkville, Miss. Until a 29-19 win in 2009 behind quarterback Tim Tebow, the Gators had lost during its previous four visits to Mississippi State, dating to 1986.

The road trip to face the Bulldogs follows a visit to SEC East rival Tennessee. The Gators needed a 63-yard touchdown pass on the final play to defeat the Vols this past Saturday and lost 38-28 during the teams’ 2016 matchup in Knoxville.

The Gators will return from Mississippi State to host LSU, and then will head to much-improved Vanderbilt the following Saturday.

Here is the complete schedule: Sept. 1 vs. Charleston Southern; Sept. 8 vs. Kentucky; Sept. 15 vs. Colorado State; Sept. 22 at Tennessee; Sept. 29 at Mississippi State; Oct. 6 vs. LSU; Oct. 13 at Vanderbilt; Oct. 27 vs. Georgia (Jacksonville); Nov. 3 vs. Missouri; Nov. 10 vs. South Carolina; Nov. 17 vs. Idaho; Nov. 24 at Florida State.

Next game: No. 20 UF at Kentucky, Saturday, 7:30 p.m., SEC Network

Edgar Thompson