The 2018 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Gators played their home games at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Florida. Florida played as a member of the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by first-year head coach Dan Mullen.

Florida, coming off a 4–7 season in 2017, began the year unranked. In the second game of the season, not only did the team lose to Kentucky for the first time since 1986, but they also lost to them at home for the first time since 1979, snapping a 31-game winning streak in the series. Florida won its next five games, including on the road against No. 23 Mississippi State and at home against No. 5 LSU, rising to ninth in the AP Poll. They then lost two games to No. 7 Georgia and Missouri and ended the conference regular season tied for second in the SEC East Division at 5–3. After closing the regular season by defeating rival Florida State, they were invited to the Peach Bowl, where they defeated No. 8 Michigan by a score of 41–15. The team finished with an overall record of 10–3, and in the season's final AP Poll, the team was ranked in a tie for seventh, the highest finish for the school since 2009.

The team was led on offense by redshirt sophomore quarterback Feleipe Franks, who finished with 2,457 passing yards, 24 passing touchdowns, and 7 rushing touchdowns. His 31 total touchdowns was tied for third in the Southeastern Conference. Running backs La'Mical Perine and Jordan Scarlett finished with 826 and 776 yards, respectively. Defensively, the team was led by defensive end Jachai Polite, who finished with 20 tackles for loss and was named first-team All-SEC.

Preseason Award watch lists Listed in the order that they were released Lott TrophyC. J. Gardner-JohnsonDBJRRimington TrophyT. J. McCoyCJRChuck Bednarik AwardDavid ReeseLBJRButkus AwardDavid ReeseLBJRBronko Nagurski TrophyCece JeffersonDESRDavid ReeseLBJROutland TrophyMartez IveyOLSRWuerffel TrophyFred JohnsonOLSRTed Hendricks AwardCece JeffersonDESRJabari ZunigaDEJREarl Campbell Tyler Rose AwardTyrie ClevelandWRJR

SEC media poll The SEC media poll was released on July 20, 2018, with the Gators predicted to finish third in the East Division.

Preseason All-SEC teams The Gators had eight players selected to the preseason all-SEC teams.

Offense

1st team

Martez Ivey – OL

3rd team

Jordan Scarlett – RB

Defense

1st team

CeCe Jefferson – DL

2nd team

C. J. Gardner-Johnson – DB

C. J. Henderson – DB

3rd team

David Reese – LB

Marco Wilson – DB

Specialists

3rd team

Kadarius Toney – all purpose player

Schedule

Rankings

Game summaries

Charleston Southern

Overall record Previous meeting Previous winner 1–0 September 5, 2009 Florida, 62–3

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Kentucky

Overall record Previous meeting Previous winner 51–17 September 23, 2017 Florida, 28–27

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Colorado State

Overall record Previous meeting Previous winner First meeting

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Tennessee

Overall record Previous meeting Previous winner 27–20 September 16, 2017 Florida, 26–20

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Mississippi State

Overall record Previous meeting Previous winner 33–19–2 October 16, 2010 Mississippi State, 10–7

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LSU

Overall record Previous meeting Previous winner 32–29–3 October 7, 2017 LSU, 17–16

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Vanderbilt

Overall record Previous meeting Previous winner 39–10–2 September 30, 2017 Florida, 38–24

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Georgia

Overall record Previous meeting Previous winner 43–50–2 (per Florida)43–51–2 (per Georgia) October 28, 2017 Georgia, 42–7

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Missouri

Overall record Previous meeting Previous winner 3–4 November 4, 2017 Missouri, 45–16

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South Carolina

Overall record Previous meeting Previous winner 26–9–3 November 11, 2017 South Carolina, 28–20

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Idaho

Overall record Previous meeting Previous winner First meeting

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Florida State

Overall record Previous meeting Previous winner 34–26–2 November 25, 2017 Florida State, 38–22

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Michigan (Peach Bowl)

Overall record Previous meeting Previous winner 0–4 September 2, 2017 Michigan, 33–17

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Personnel

Roster

2018 Florida Gators rosterQuarterbacks 5 Emory Jones – Freshman 11 Kyle Trask – Sophomore 13 Feleipe Franks – Sophomore

Running backs 20 Malik Davis – Sophomore 22 La'Mical Perine – Junior 24 Iverson Clement – Freshman 25 Jordan Scarlett – Junior 27 Dameon Pierce – Freshman

Wide receivers  8 Trevon Grimes – Sophomore  9 Dre Massey – Senior 10 Josh Hammond – Junior 12 Van Jefferson – Junior 15 Jacob Copeland – Freshman 16 Freddie Swain – Junior 18 Daquon Green – Sophomore 83 Rick Wells – Sophomore 89 Tyrie Cleveland – Junior

Tight ends 14 Lucas Krull – Sophomore 80 C'yontai Lewis – Senior 81 Dante Lang – Freshman 82 Moral Stephens – Senior 84 Kyle Pitts – Freshman 88 Kemore Gamble – Freshman

Offensive line 53 Kavaris Harkless – Senior 55 Noah Banks – Junior 56 Jean DeLance – Sophomore 59 T.J. McCoy – Junior 61 Brett Heggie – Sophomore 62 Griffin McDowell – Freshman 64 Tyler Jordan – Senior 65 Jawaan Taylor – Junior 66 Nick Buchanan – Junior 67 Christopher Bleich – Freshman 70 Tanner Rowell – Sophomore 71 Nick Villano – Junior 72 Stone Forsythe – Sophomore 73 Martez Ivey – Senior 74 Fred Johnson – Senior 75 T.J. Moore – Freshman 76 Richard Gouraige – Freshman Defensive line 17 Zachary Carter – Freshman 35 Malik Langham – Freshman 54 Khairi Clark – Senior 55 Kyree Campbell – Sophomore 56 Tedarrell Slaton – Sophomore 77 Antonneous Clayton Sr. – Junior 91 Marlon Dunlap Jr. – Junior 92 Jabari Zuniga – Junior 93 Elijah Conliffe – Sophomore 95 Adam Shuler – Graduate 96 CeCe Jefferson – Senior 98 Luke Ancrum – Junior 99 Jachai Polite – Junior

Linebackers 7 Jeremiah Moon – Sophomore 11 Vosean Joseph – Junior 28 Kylan Johnson – Junior 33 David Reese – Junior 34 Lacedrick Brunson – Freshman 40 Nick Smith – Freshman 41 James Houston – Freshman 44 Rayshad Jackson – Junior 51 Ventrell Miller – Freshman 58 Jahim Lawrence – Junior 90 Andrew Chatfield Jr. – Freshman

Defensive backs  2 Brad Stewart Jr. – Sophomore  3 Marco Wilson – Sophomore  4 David Reese – Freshman  5 C. J. Henderson – Sophomore  6 Brian Edwards – Sophomore 12 C.J. McWilliams – Sophomore 13 Donovan Stiner – Sophomore 21 Trey Dean – Freshman 23 C. J. Gardner-Johnson – Junior 26 John Huggins – Freshman 27 Quincy Lenton – Sophomore 29 Jeawon Taylor – Junior 31 Shawn Davis – Sophomore Punters 43 Tommy Townsend – Junior 86 Jacob Finn – Sophomore 97 Jon Gould – Junior

Placekickers 19 Evan McPherson – Freshman 71 Chris Howard – Freshman 98 Jorge Powell – Senior

Long snappers 41 Ryan Farr – Senior 48 Brett DioGuardi – Sophomore 49 Jacob Tilghman – Junior 50 Marco Ortiz – Freshman

Athletes  4 Kadarius Toney – Sophomore 17 Nick Sproles – Sophomore 19 Jack Ruskell – Freshman 25 Erik Askeland – Freshman 27 Joshua Tse – Freshman 30 Amari Burney – Freshman 33 Daniel Cross – Freshman 36 Robert Clay – Junior 37 Patrick Moorer – Freshman 37 Brandon Reddick – Graduate 38 Anthony Giglia – Senior 38 Nick Oelrich – Sophomore 39 Brady Walters – Junior 42 Jaylin Jackson – Freshman 42 Umstead Sanders – Junior 43 Glenn Jarriel – Junior 43 Nicolas Sutton – Sophomore 44 Garrett Conner – Junior 45 R.J. Raymond – Senior 46 Harry Gornto V – Junior 46 Will Thomas – Sophomore 47 Austin Perry – Freshman 47 Isaac Ricks – Freshman 52 Quaylin Crum – Freshman 57 Coleman Crozier – Freshman 59 Danny Weldon – Junior 60 Houston Underwood – Junior 63 James Washington - Freshman 85 Trey Thompson – Freshman 86 Andres Saldivar – Junior 87 Dennis Gross – Junior 93 Moses Gordon III – Junior Redshirt Injury

Coaching staff Name Position Joined staffDan Mullen Head coach 2018Todd Grantham Defensive coordinator 2018John Hevesy Co-offensive Coordinator / offensive line 2018Billy Gonzales Co-offensive Coordinator / Wide receivers 2018Greg Knox Running backs / Special teams coordinator 2018Sal Sunseri Defensive line 2018Ron English Safeties 2018Brian Johnson Quarterbacks 2018Larry Scott Tight ends 2018Charlton Warren Cornerbacks 2018Christian Robinson Linebackers 2018Nick Savage Director of strength and conditioning 2018

Recruits The Gators signed a total of 19 recruits.

Players drafted into the NFL

2 35 Jawaan Taylor OT Jacksonville Jaguars 3 68 Jachai Polite OLB New York Jets 4 105 C. J. Gardner-Johnson S New Orleans Saints 5 147 Vosean Joseph LB Buffalo Bills 5 154 Jordan Scarlett RB Carolina Panthers

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References