2025 Mississippi State football opponent preview: Florida

Last season was a weird one for Florida.

At one point early in the season all we were waiting on was an official announcement that coach Billy Napier had been fired. By the end of the season, Napier was getting an ice bath after winning the Gasparilla Bowl.

Last season’s game against Mississippi State isn’t quite the line of demarcation since the Gators lost three more games afterwards, but it was the first win for Florida against a Power 4 team and the calls for Napier’s firing began to subside.

But this Florida team is different. There’s no quarterback battle going on. Key players on both sides of the ball, including some considered the best at their position, are back. There’s a lot to like about this Florida team and it could put the Gators back in the upper tier of SEC. They’ll certainly have a chance to earn it.

Here’s a look at the Bulldogs’ seventh opponent of the 2025 season:

Offense

The quarterback battles in Gainesville this offseason. DJ Lagway is ready for his first full season as a starter after going 6-1 in the second half of last season and a 154.9 passer rating. Lagway has enough playmakers around him to make him a legitimate Heisman Trophy contender, too. Eugene Wilson III is back from a hip injury, running backs Jadan Baugh and Ja’Kobi Jackson combined for more than 1,100 rushing yards and an offensive line with one All-American and two others with 25 or more starts. The Gators’ offense, if healthy, won’t have many excuses for not being good.

Defense

Part of Florida’s late-season surge was due to its defense. The Gators overcame early struggles against Miami and Texas A&M that put Napier on the hottest of seats. The unit should be closer to the second half version in 2025. Tyreak Sapp is one of the best defensive linemen in the country after seven sacks and 13 TFLs a year ago. The Gators also brough in George Gumbs from Northern Illinois after recording five sacks. There’s also plenty of returning experience at linebacker and in the secondary.

Schedule

Once again, Florida has the hardest schedule in the nation. The Gators have to play LSU, Texas, Georgia, Ole Miss and Tennessee. The only way to make the Gators’ schedule harder would be to have them play Alabama. The mid-October game against Mississippi State is one of the easier games on the schedule and Florida will have a week off after to prepare for Georgia.

Outlook

As previously mentioned, Mississippi State is the easy part of Florida’s schedule and the Gators know it. Florida will celebrate its Homecoming against the Bulldogs, which tells you that Florida expects to win this game. And so will nearly everyone else outside of Starkville.

The Game

Date: Saturday, October 18
Time: Afternoon Window
TV: TBD
Location: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, Fla.

The Team

Head Coach: Billy Napier (59-31, 4th season)
Offensive Coordinator: Russ Callaway (4th season)
Defensive Coordinator: Ron Roberts (2nd season)
2024 Record: 8-5 overall, 4-4 SEC
2024 Final Rankings: n/a

The School

Location: Gainesville, Fla.
Founded: 1853
Enrollment: 54,814
Nickname: Gators
School Colors: Orange and blue
Mascot: Albert and Alberta Gator

The Program

Series History: Florida leads 35-19-2
Last Meeting: Florida 45, Mississippi State 28 (2024)
Last Conference Title: 2008, SEC
Last Bowl Game: 2024 Gasparilla Bowl, def. Tulane 33-8

The Schedule

August 30: vs. LIU
September 6: vs. South Florida
September 13: at LSU*
September 20: at Miami
October 4: vs. Texas*
October 11: at Texas A&M*
October 18: vs. Mississippi State*
November 1: vs. Georgia, Jacksonville, Fla.*
November 8: at Kentucky*
November 15: at Ole Miss*
November 22: vs. Tennessee*
November 28: vs. Florida State

*Denotes a conference game