Mullen’s tough question
Is Georgia playing catch-up to Gators by scheduling FSU?
GAINESVILLE — Georgia’s decision to schedule a home-and-home series with Florida State in 2027 and 2028 created buzz this week.
The move, along with a home-and-home with Clemson in 2032 and 2033, was lauded as a sign of aggressive scheduling by the Bulldogs during an age when top programs often first consider their College Football Playoff semifinal résumés.
UF coach Dan Mullen does not see what is causing all the fuss.
“We play Florida State, so people are trying to catch up to us, with how tough our schedule is, to be honest with you,” Mullen said. “We play Florida State every year, right? Georgia is playing them. They’re trying to catch up to us, I guess. Toughen their schedule.
“We play one of the toughest schedules. It would be hard-pressed to find somebody nonconference next year. We’re playing Miami and Florida State.”
UF opens the 2019 season Aug. 24 in Orlando against the Hurricanes and ends the regular season Nov. 30 against the Seminoles. Neither in-state rival is at the height of its power, but each will have a slew of talented players and plenty of motivation to beat the Gators.
Beyond next season, the Gators have three games scheduled with USF in 2021, 2023 and 2025 — a series with ample in-state appeal.
“We’ve tried to really pay attention to scheduling that way and make a schedule that’s good for the program and good for the Gator fans,” Mullen said.
Yet the Gators rarely venture outside the Sunshine State to face a nonconference opponent during the regular season. UF’s 2017 season-opening loss to Michigan in Arlington, Texas, was the Gators’ first such trip since a 1991 visit to Syracuse.
UF’s last out-of-state home-and-home nonconference series was against Memphis in the late 1980s.
When SEC foes like Georgia or Alabama schedule big-time nonconference opponents, the Gators’ scheduling history usually becomes a hot topic. Besides FSU and Clemson, Georgia reportedly is weighing a home-andhome series with Oklahoma.
In the end, Mullen feels like the Gators do not get enough credit for facing FSU every year.
“I think that’s one thing that gets looked down upon,” Mullen said. “Would it be better to drop Florida State and schedule Oklahoma? That probably wouldn’t go over so well.
“We already have that the schedule.”
The Gators also play in the SEC, long considered the nation’s top football conference. In 2019, the Gators host Tennessee and Auburn and have trips to LSU, Kentucky and South Carolina.
At the same time, UF’s schedule includes visits from two Football Championship Subdivision opponents — UT Martin (Sept. 7) in and Towson (Sept. 28).
Fans long have wondered if an appealing nonconference game could replace one of the weaker games on UF’s home schedule. A sticking point is the Gators’ need to play at home, where a single game can yield nearly $3 million in revenue. A home-and-home series would cost the Gators a game in the Swamp.
“We want to make sure we keep enough home games here in the Swamp for our fans to come see our guys playing in one of the greatest stadiums in college football,” Mullen said. “To be able to make sure we’re playing enough games in there. That’s what’s always tricky. We’re always trying to do what’s best for the program, play games that fit the program.
“When you look scheduling-wise, even since I’ve been here, we try to do that with who’ve scheduled. Also try to make it intriguing for people.”
Georgia’s future scheduling created plenty of intrigue Wednesday. Enough so, UF athletics director Scott Stricklin took to Twitter to discuss the Gators’ nonconference scheduling philosophy.
Stricklin wrote that scheduling a home-andhome series with a Power 5 school would be difficult prior to 2025, but neutralsite games were under consideration.