Here's a glance at five of the most important games between Florida teams this season.
Central Florida at Kansas State (Sept. 23)
The first-ever Big 12 Conference game for Central Florida takes place at the home of the reigning league champion. UCF is one of four Big 12 newcomers this season, but the Knights are probably the only of those teams best positioned to challenge for the crown in 2023. John Rhys Plumlee led all Football Bowl Subdivision quarterbacks in rushing last season (861 yards and 11 touchdowns) while also throwing for 2,586 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Florida Atlantic at South Florida (Oct. 14)
Florida Atlantic begins its first season in the American Athletic Conference with a new head coach. Tom Herman takes over for the fired Willie Taggart after previous stops at Houston (where he won an AAC title in 2015) and Texas. The Owls will travel across the state to take on South Florida in their first AAC road game. The Bulls are also led by a new head coach in Alex Golesh, who spent the past two seasons as offensive coordinator at Tennessee. FAU is 1-3 all-time against the Bulls, but the Owls won the last meeting a decade ago in Tampa.
Florida vs. Georgia (Oct. 28)
Florida faces two-time defending national champion Georgia in its annual border rivalry in Jacksonville, Florida. Both teams are breaking in new quarterbacks. The Gators will be led by Wisconsin transfer Graham Mertz, who threw for 5,399 yards and 38 touchdowns in three seasons with the Badgers. Redshirt junior Carson Beck is the presumptive starter for the Bulldogs, passing for 310 yards and four touchdowns in mop-up duty last season. This is the last year that the Southeastern Conference will be split into divisions, meaning the Bulldogs will once again stand in Florida's way of getting back to Atlanta, where the winner has represented the East Division each year since 2015. Georgia has won two in a row and five of the last six meetings.
Miami at Florida State (Nov. 11)
The Seminoles made Miami look silly in last year's 45-3 beatdown at Hard Rock Stadium. Now the game shifts back to Tallahassee, where Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis orchestrated an impressive comeback 31-28 victory in 2021. FSU is 12-7 against Miami since the Hurricanes joined the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2004.
Florida State at Florida (Nov. 25)
Florida State snapped a three-game losing streak in the series with last season's 45-38 win. The Seminoles are 17-14-1 against Florida since 1992, but the Gators have won the last two meetings in Gainesville and own a slight 8-7 edge at "the Swamp" during that span.
