The toughest schedule in college football got tougher this week.

Before last Saturday's games, the Florida Gators were scheduled to play seven top 25 teams. Now it's eight.

Florida State and the University of South Florida, both unranked in the preseason, posted impressive upset victories in Week 1. The Seminoles shocked previous No. 8 Alabama 31-17 in Tallahassee and the Bulls pounded No. 25 Boise State 34-7 in Tampa.

FSU soared from nowhere to No. 14 in this week's poll — one behind Florida — while USF, the Gators' opponent Saturday in Gainesville, received enough votes to finish just outside the Top 25.

Gators coach Billy Napier this week recognized the implications of those results, but he still reduces the season ahead to three words: "Spot the ball."

"I think it (spot the ball) is just a reminder to the guys that you're going to see a narrative about the challenge of the schedule, but we all understand the reality is we're going to put the ball down," Napier said. "We're going to play those games. We're going to have our opportunity."

But Week 1 didn’t just reshuffle the polls, it reshaped the perception of Florida’s path forward and the daunting tasks facing Napier and his staff.

“There’s no question we’ll be tested every week," he said. "But these are the games you come to Florida to play in.”

Inching Toward the AP Top 10

Florida's 55-0 win over FCS school Long Island University elevated the Gators two spots in the AP poll, from No. 15 to No. 13 — the program's highest-ranking since Napier's second game in charge  in 2022. 

Now USF is coming to a sold-out Swamp on Saturday with plenty of momentum and -- respect from Napier.

"We're gonna need to be at our best,'' Napier said at his Monday news conference. "It's great that we sold out, that's 14 in a row, and this (USF) game will be at 4:15, and the elements will be part of the game, so it's important that we have the right mindset, an attitude towards playing at that time of the day.

"We're off to a good start with the players ... and I expect us to get better."

After USF, Florida's Weeks 3 through 6 are scary:

• Sept. 13: No. 3 LSU will be waiting in Death Valley for the Gators' Southeastern Conference opener.
• Sept. 20: at No. 5 Miami.
• Oct. 4: home against No. 7 Texas.
• and Oct. 11: at No. 19 Texas A&M.

Mississippi State and Kentucky, no pushovers themselves, are the relative breathers interrupting a remaining schedule of  No. 4 Georgia, No. 20 Ole Miss, No. 22 Tennessee, and the 14th-ranked Seminoles.

Gators sophomore running back Jadan Baugh, who rushed for 109 yards and one TD on nine carries against LIU, said the schedule gives them chances to improve each week as well.

"It's going to take time and it's going to be day by day," Baugh said. "First, it starts today. We have another day, another practice, an opportunity to put it on the field and spot the ball."

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