Florida Football 2025: What Preseason Magazines Are Saying and Why It’s More Crucial Than Ever

It’s that time of year again: the days are getting longer, summer is in full swing, and preseason magazines are flooding the market, giving college football fans a glimpse into what to expect for the upcoming season. For the University of Florida, a program with a storied history and high expectations, the 2025 season holds particular weight. After a season of ups and downs, the pressure is on for the Gators to take that next step and prove they’re ready to contend at the highest level once again.

But what exactly are the preseason magazines saying about Florida football entering the 2025 season? Are the Gators poised for a resurgence, or will they continue to face the growing pains of a rebuilding phase? To get a sense of how the experts are feeling, let’s break down the early predictions and key storylines surrounding Florida’s season ahead.

The Florida Gators football program is in a unique spot heading into the 2025 season. Under head coach Billy Napier, who is entering his third year at the helm, the program is still very much in transition. After taking over from Dan Mullen, Napier’s first two seasons were filled with both promising moments and frustrating inconsistencies. While Florida remains one of the most talent-rich programs in the SEC, they’ve struggled to find sustained success, particularly on offense.

The key question for 2025 is whether Napier can build on the flashes of potential from previous seasons and push the Gators into contention in the SEC East—or even in the broader SEC landscape. Fans and experts alike are eager to see how Florida will fare, particularly given the pressure mounting on Napier to deliver a winning season.

According to several preseason magazines, Florida is considered a team with significant potential but also significant question marks. Let’s take a closer look at how these outlets view the Gators entering the 2025 season.

Athlon Sports has always been known for its in-depth analysis and no-nonsense approach to evaluating teams. When it comes to Florida football in 2025, they are cautiously optimistic. In their preseason rankings, the Gators find themselves hovering around the middle of the pack in the SEC, with a projected finish of 4th or 5th in the SEC East.

Athlon points to Florida’s defense as one of the program’s major strengths entering 2025. The Gators return a solid group of defenders, including key players like LB Shemar James and DL Cam Jackson, who have the potential to anchor one of the more formidable front-seven units in the SEC. The secondary also shows promise, with the addition of some highly-ranked recruits who should help bolster Florida’s defensive depth.

In terms of recruiting, Athlon commends Florida’s efforts under Napier, particularly in securing elite talent on the defensive side of the ball. With several top-tier recruits, especially in the trenches, Florida is positioning itself to be a top contender in future years, and 2025 could serve as a pivotal season to build momentum.

However, where Florida continues to struggle is on offense. Athlon lists quarterback play as the Gators’ biggest question mark entering the season. Florida has yet to settle on a consistent signal-caller, and with Graham Mertz (a transfer from Wisconsin) and Jalen Kitna (son of former NFL QB Jon Kitna) competing for the starting job, the Gators are still looking for someone who can lead the offense with confidence.

Athlon notes that Florida’s offensive line, though talented, has been inconsistent, and the Gators’ ability to move the ball on the ground and through the air will ultimately depend on how well the line gels and how effective the quarterback position is. The Gators’ lack of an explosive playmaker at wide receiver is another issue that raises concerns for the 2025 campaign.

Lindy’s Sports takes a more conservative approach to Florida’s 2025 prospects. In their preseason analysis, Florida is ranked around 30th nationally, which puts them in a similar range as teams like South Carolina and Mississippi State. Lindy’s highlights that while Florida is far from being a “bad” team, they aren’t yet considered a major threat to SEC powers like Georgia, Alabama, and LSU.

Lindy’s places a strong emphasis on improving the offensive line and running back depth as two crucial areas for Florida in 2025. While the Gators have a solid stable of running backs, the lack of depth and overall talent at the position could be a limiting factor if they hope to compete at a higher level in the SEC.

The offensive line, while possessing some talent, remains a major question mark. Florida struggled to find consistency in 2024, and that’s something Lindy’s believes will need to be rectified if Florida wants to avoid another season of frustration.

What Lindy’s really points to is the need for coaching continuity and player development. Napier’s recruiting success is evident, but his ability to develop players and build a cohesive team in 2025 will be his biggest challenge. The Gators have the talent to be competitive, but they need to put all the pieces together—and that comes down to coaching and preparation.

Sports Illustrated is known for taking a broader, more holistic view of college football teams, and their analysis of Florida for 2025 is no different. While they’re not projecting the Gators as a playoff contender just yet, they do believe the pieces are in place for long-term success under Billy Napier.

Florida is projected to finish around 6-7 wins in 2025, with a potential bowl game appearance, which is an improvement over the previous seasons of the Napier era. While 6-7 wins may seem underwhelming for a program of Florida’s caliber, Sports Illustrated argues that this year needs to be viewed as a step in the right direction, with the Gators taking the necessary steps toward future SEC contention.

Sports Illustrated focuses on the team’s recruiting efforts, praising Napier’s ability to bring in top-level talent, particularly on defense and the offensive line. While the 2025 season might be a “bridge” year, the foundation is being laid for future success. They point to potential future stars like 2026 5-star WR Aaron Johnson and 4-star DB Tyree Clark as signs that Florida’s recruiting pipeline is still very much intact.

Like other outlets, Sports Illustrated notes that quarterback play is the biggest X-factor for Florida’s 2025 season. With Graham Mertz and Jalen Kitna battling for the starting role, the Gators need someone who can effectively run the offense and reduce turnovers. Sports Illustrated believes that if Napier can settle the quarterback situation early in the season, Florida could exceed expectations and make a run at a solid bowl game.

While preseason magazines are generally cautious in their projections, the 2025 season represents a crucial year for Florida football. Napier’s ability to get Florida back to the elite level of SEC football will be measured by how well the team progresses from year to year. The question is no longer just about recruiting—it’s about development. Can Napier’s program translate recruiting success into on-field performance? Can the Gators find stability at quarterback and improve their offensive output?

The early predictions for 2025 paint a picture of a program in transition. Florida is not far off from being competitive in the SEC, but they still have a ways to go to compete with the likes of Georgia and Alabama for the top spot in the conference.

But for fans in Gator Nation, 2025 is more than just a year of development—it’s the year they hope will show them that Napier is the right man to return Florida to its former glory. The pressure is mounting, and the clock is ticking, but with a strong defense and an incoming crop of talented recruits, Florida’s future remains promising.

As the season gets closer, all eyes will be on the Gators to see if they can make a leap from “rebuilding” to “contender.”