With a strong quarterback-running back duo set to return, the Florida Gators are going to be able to lean on their offensive weapons next season. For the Texas A&M Aggies, slowing down those weapons is going to be on top of their priority list.
In a perfect world, they'll be fresh off of a second straight win to begin the season, having knocked off Notre Dame and taken care of business against McNeese State. Standing in front of them and a 3-0 record, however, will be the Florida Gators.
Coach Billy Napier and company had their share of struggles last season, just like the Aggies, so both teams will enter the 2024-25 season looking to make things right. The College Football Playoff is set to expand to 12 teams as well, so the chances of that happening are increased, though winning games on the road, or in Florida's case, defending home turf are crucial to that effort.
The Aggies will be returning some strong names on defense and adding new ones, but when they take the field, they'll be tasked with slowing down some of Florida's best weapons. For the Aggies playing in "The Swamp," the difference could very well come on that defensive front.Graham Mertz, Quarterback
Mertz will be entering his fifth year of college football next season, and second with the Gators. Last year, he put up nearly 3,000 yards at a 73 percent completion rate. By the end of the year, he'd tallied 20 touchdowns and threw just three interceptions — an SEC best. Mertz's high completion percentage certainly spells trouble for the Aggies if he finds his groove, and with a full year and offseason to adjust, he's likely to come out of the gate firing.
Florida Gators quarterback Graham Mertz throws during morning practice at Sanders Practice Field in Gainesville, / Alan Youngblood / USA TODAY NETWORKWith the passing-heavy offense that Florida had a season ago, Johnson wasn't who it relied on most of the time, but that didn't make him any less of an offensive weapon. Last year, the junior tallied 817 yards on 152 carries for five touchdowns, which puts him in the top-10 among SEC rushers on the season.
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