ESPN analyst Greg McElroy believes Florida can surprise everyone in 2024 despite CFB's toughest schedule

It is no secret that Florida struggled significantly in the last couple of seasons in college football. The Gators have recorded seven losses in each of the last three seasons and missed out on a bowl game in 2023. The program has found it quite hard to catch up with its SEC rivals.

Considering their tough schedule for the upcoming season, virtually no one is giving the Gators a chance at redemption. Nonetheless, Greg McElroy holds a different opinion. Speaking on a recent episode of “Always College Football,” he reckoned that the team could go on to have a wonderful 2024 against all odds.

“Every single thing you read about the Florida Gators is about one of two things. One, how hot is the seat for Billy Napier, and two, how impossible their schedule is this year … Everyone is basically putting Florida in the ground, they’re burying them and they’re saying they have no chance here in 2024.”

“It is still the Florida Gators. I’m not picking them to go to the playoffs. I’m not sitting here and saying, ‘Hey, keep an eye on Florida, now this is a team that’s going to be sneaky, watch when they win nine games, I’m going to say I told you so.’ No, I’m not saying any of those things.”

McElroy equates Florida's chances to West Virginia's performance last season

Having recorded seven losses in all but one of the previous four seasons, not many had confidence in West Virginia ahead of the 2023 season. However, the Mountaineers went on to prove everyone wrong with a 9-4 season, crowning it with the Duke's Mayo Bowl.

McElroy compared Florida’s situation to that of the 2023 Mountaineers team, opining that the Gators could make something out of the upcoming season against the odds.

“What I think Florida is doing right now, they feel an awful lot like West Virginia last year,” he said. “And you’re going to say, ‘Well that’s not a good comparison.’”

“Everyone said West Virginia was done. They’re going to finish last in the Big 12. They’re going to have their coach, he’s going to be out, he’s done. Why are we even wasting time talking about Neal Brown in ’24, like West Virginia is dead? Florida feels very similar.”

The Gators have arguably the toughest schedule in the 2024 college football season. They open their season against in-state rival Miami in September and have tough games to play against the likes of Texas A&M, Tennessee, Georgia, Texas, LSU, Ole Miss, and Florida State.