The supposed best team in college football, what many call one of the best teams ever, is about to begin one of the easiest schedules in the country.
I couldn't be more disappointed.
Really, Florida?
Charleston Southern, Troy, FIU and the annual matchup with Florida State.
I realize there is no incentive for the Gators to schedule a heavyweight non-conference game. Schedules are made years in advance. Running undefeated through a soft slate is rewarded in the current BCS system.
But UF could've done more. Just because it could. Just because it returns every defensive starter and is solid on offense despite a lack of depth at receiver.
You've got possibly the best college football player of all time, and the combined record of your non-conference opponents is 29-21 (.580)?
It's a shame, because Florida could make a statement.
To be the best, you need swagger. You need a take-on-all-comers attitude, even without any outside incentive.
For me, scheduling is one of my favorite aspects when I start a new dynasty in EA Sports' NCAA Football video game.
I strive to get the computer to rate my strength of schedule as an A or possibly even an A+. Certainly, I use some suicidal moves to get there - scheduling several top-10 non-conference opponents, including a few on the road.
But in my mind, I'm usually playing with a pretty good team, and I want the challenge of feeling like I'm the best. I want to be pushed week-in and week-out.
The Gators could take a page from that line of thinking and learn something from their heated rival in Athens.
Georgia, ranked No. 13 in the preseason polls, opens its season by playing at No. 9 Oklahoma State then comes home the next week to immediately start its Southeastern Conference schedule against South Carolina.
Two weeks later, UGA hosts Arizona State as the second half of a home-and-home series (the Bulldogs won 27-10 in Tempe, Ariz., in 2008). Georgia caps off its non-conference schedule with its in-state rival, Georgia Tech.
Obviously rivalry games are hit-and-miss as to their quality, but this year, the Bulldogs face a tough matchup playing at the 15th-ranked Yellow Jackets, whose triple-option offense ran all over the field last year, racking up 409 rushing yards in a 45-42 victory.
While Saturday's opener against Charleston Southern gives Florida a chance to ease into the fall, receiver David Nelson admits he wouldn't mind playing in a marquee game early in the year.
"When you play a team the caliber of Oklahoma State from different conferences - teams you don't ever get to play but you get to see on TV - it would be fun to play a team like that every once in a while," Nelson said.
It would ease one problem - trying to decide when to call off the dogs. Last year, Meyer took heat for kicking a late, meaningless field goal against Miami, a 26-3 win.
If it was up to Nelson, he would play the whole game Saturday, and not because he has a desire to run up the score on the Bucs.
When you're playing in one of your last seven games inside The Swamp, wouldn't you like to play more than a half?
There's a chance Nelson and plenty of other starters won't see any fourth-quarter playing time in three of the seven home games (Charleston Southern, Troy, FIU).
The solution is simple.
Don't leave it to the analysts. Don't leave it to people judging stats against subpar opponents.
Prove it where it should be proven.
Do it on the field.
