/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/7G762WS23ZBH3G3VEMFQDYKBWI.JPG "Florida Gators running back Lamical Perine (22) smashes into LSU Tigers safety John Battle (26) in the second quarter. (Bronte Wittpenn, Times)")
Now that the AAC has released its 2020 schedule, let’s take a big-picture look at the state’s football calendar. Here’s a quick viewing guide for this season. Plan your out-of-town trips accordingly.
Make sure you’re free on
/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/HCAUY7VWMFEFPHKDUHKKC3ZKDA.jpg "Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) reacts after scoring a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Florida State, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019, in Clemson, S.C. (AP Photo/Richard Shiro)")
Oct. 10. LSU will probably regress without Joe Brady and Joe Burrow, but the Tigers will still be a formidable rival when they come to Gainesville. That same day, Clemson visits Florida State. I’m not expecting the Seminoles to be able to hang with those Tigers yet, but the presumptive national title favorite coming to the state is still a big deal. This isn’t the deepest weekend on the calendar, but it still has two marquee matchups. Or two matchups with marquee names, at least.
Most intriguing weekend
/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/HCIUQ5HVQFDMDLSRNRSTMMPLSE.jpg "December 12, 2019: Willie Taggart is introduced at a press conference in Boca Raton, Florida as the Florida Atlantic Owls new head football coach.(Credit Image: © JC Ridley/CSM via ZUMA Wire)")
Sept. 26. Tennessee is no longer a shipwreck, so Florida’s trip to Knoxville won’t be a cakewalk. I have no idea what to expect from Miami or coach Manny Diaz. I also have no idea what to expect from Michigan State and new coach Mel Tucker. But one of them will get a nice victory in their meeting in East Lansing. And the matchup of Willie Taggart’s old team (USF) facing his new one (Florida Atlantic) in Boca Raton is juicy.
Schedule your fall wedding on
/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/FN4SAVVGWNDYTM4FULPFWPS3UM.JPG "MONICA HERNDON | Times
Florida Gators quarterback Feleipe Franks (13) watches the jumbo tron while the final play of the game against the Kentucky Wildcats is under reviewon September 8, 2018 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Fla. The Florida Gators lost 16 to 27.")
Sept. 12. Yeah, it’ll still be scorching, but you probably won’t miss much action, unless Kentucky can hang with (or upset) Florida again at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. The rest of the day has three Division I-AA opponents (Wagner at Miami, Bethune-Cookman at USF, Samford at FSU) and Florida International at UCF. Yawn.
Group of Five statement day
/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/5KC4FY2R4FDEFIK2T256SZNE5U.jpg "Boise State Broncos players greet fans after the Florida State Seminoles game against the Boise State Broncos at Doak Campbell Stadium on August 31, 2019 in Tallahassee, Florida. Florida State Seminoles lost to Boise State Broncos, 31 to 36.")
Sept. 19. I would not be surprised at all if Boise State beats FSU on the blue turf. Or if UAB knocks off Miami at Hard Rock Stadium. Or if UCF beats Georgia Tech in Atlanta.
Toughest November
/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/A4IB2HSGZBA3JMQIDXBV3QEKOI.jpg "New University of South Florida football coach Jeff Scott, left meets with players Darrian Felix, 20, a red shirt junior running back from Ft. Myers, center, and Cade Fortin, 20, a red shirt sophomore quarterback from Suwanee, GA., right, Thursday, January 16, 2020 during a team meeting at USF, Tampa.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/3KMXMNZYE5ATTCL2AYP224QPHU.png "Stay updated on Tampa Bay’s sports scene")
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Explore all your optionsUSF. The Bulls start the month at Memphis, which should again be a Group of Five heavyweight. Then USF goes to Houston, who won’t be as good without D’Eriq King but is still formidable. Then always-tricky Navy visits Raymond James Stadium before a Black Friday game against UCF. Oof.
Week 1 weirdness that might only interest me
/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/3QCA6GSJ3FCBBKALWKDZD4MECA.jpg "Miami head coach Manny Diaz reacts to a call during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Louisville, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)")
When the FSU-West Virginia opener in Atlanta was announced, it had a cool storyline of West Virginia native Jimbo Fisher facing his home-state team. Fisher, of course, is no longer coaching the ’Noles. Likewise, it made sense for the Gators to schedule I-AA Eastern Washington so coach Jim McElwain could face his alma mater. It doesn’t make as much sense now. USF’s trip to Texas was going to be the Charlie Strong Bowl … except ex-Texas coach is now an ex-USF coach, too. At least we get the Manny Diaz Bowl when Diaz’s Hurricanes host Temple, the school Diaz coached for 18 glorious days before leaving for Miami.
/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/tbt/7cebc9de-b4ff-4812-8b4d-68882cb41e3e.png "Matt Baker - Colleges and Recruiting Reporter")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/c6b9Kv6vizMhB51UVYUg-3ZQLhs=/1200x675/filters:focal(2335x1095:2345x1085)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/S3UUN53XQNBSTKELYMBH6LQ7TQ.jpg "College football Week 4 guide: FSU, Deion Sanders and UCF’s Big 12 debut")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/EQXF02elgs1V0QGvcMNt8OCT5BM=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/TSOTS2NSOPESBX3TNDY5RX7QPE.jpg "Florida Gators, FSU and Miami are all in the AP Top 25. Is the Big 3 back?")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/v1jt9izSHwmcAEziua-N7O2jZws=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/LVDYAITUENFR3HY7ZRPJMJYEFU "Can Florida Gators handle success after Billy Napier’s validating win?")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/6syqXGTDiXZNNJRC9wpokxSDRuI=/1200x675/filters:focal(1095x545:1105x535)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/STXCLH4SNAGFV3GLYVSA6WL74Q.jpg "Our AP Top 25 ballot: Where Florida State, Alabama and Colorado landed")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/ILYtsxxToqJw02ZZWTfZhNB-Qxo=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/3SN7GDSJPZMG3HFG6ZA5PVSKNE.jpg "3 Florida teams ranked as Gators move into AP Top 25")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/dh2prALX-ZXEPZbQCHp-vdm8FtY=/1200x675/filters:focal(3285x1425:3295x1415)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/TPCUEXTXPZACNEGBLTHMB5FTHQ.jpg "Florida State football: Why Seminoles are rising as Clemson slips")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/TV5z2y86wtZ4MUuRym6MiQHKzec=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/HXDYOZ4A5ZEVBP2FEZPTWIS7A4 "What if Deion Sanders had chosen USF football, not Colorado Buffaloes?")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/fQedR9doov3WysVg6yHKly14mXI=/1200x675/filters:focal(2815x1475:2825x1465)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/UGHDQZGJGNEQRGNFNIVIUQPHZ4.JPG "USF’s Alex Golesh has found his QB. What about his receivers?")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/OsSP_WUO__vVl4EjEFANBUEjvH0=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/IS4DDTOWKVEMXIVBEBMR4GCTUQ.JPG "USF posts record day against Rice, ends 13-game conference skid")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/PSakKjuGOO2t-XlUitFNYQObixQ=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/KDFROEZTPZGENNZCEPQM27R26E.jpg "USF gives Alabama a tougher test than Crimson Tide expected")