Heading into its 2017 season opener vs. the Michigan Wolverines, the Florida Gators will carry with them a 27-game season-opening winning streak. However, when you look further into the streak, is it really all that notable?
Over the past three seasons, Florida has opened with teams that have finished their respective seasons a combined 5-29. Over the last 27 years, the combined record of Florida’s first opponents is just 131-157-1.
The Gators haven’t played a Power-5 school to open a season since 1992, when UF defeated what would be a 4-7 Kentucky team. The streak began just three years earlier after Florida defeated Ole Miss.
Of those 27 teams, just two finished that season with double-digit wins.
In comparison, Florida State has won its last seven season openers, which include victories over a then-ranked Ole Miss team in 2016 and Oklahoma State in 2014. The ’Noles will open 2017 against No. 1 Alabama.
Florida State will play Florida in Gainesville on November 25th.