With the release of schedules for USF Football and UCF Football today, the 2018 college football schedules in Florida for all seven FBS teams is now complete. And we're just 200 days away from kickoff... and only 198 for UCF!
But what are the best weekends? Where can you do a big college football doubleheader in Florida, and maybe get in multiple tailgates in a single weekend? What are the can't miss games across the state? We're here to answer all those questions!
Keep in mind ESPN will determine the times most of these games get played, and that won't be announced until much closer to kickoff, sometimes with as little notice as six days before. But the dates are now locked in stone, so you can begin to make your plans now!
USF Bulls Football
Saturday, Sept. 1 vs. Elon
Saturday, Sept. 8 vs. Georgia Tech
Saturday, Sept. 15 @ Illinois (in Chicago)
Saturday, Sept. 22 vs. ECU
Saturday, Oct. 6 @ UMass
Friday, Oct. 12 @ Tulsa
Saturday, Oct. 20 vs. UConn
Saturday, Oct. 27 @ Houston
Saturday, Nov. 3 vs. Tulane
Saturday, Nov. 10 @ Cincinnati
Saturday, Nov. 17 @ Temple
Friday, Nov. 23 vs. UCF
UCF Knights Football
Thursday, Aug. 30 @ UConn
Saturday, Sept. 8 vs. South Carolina State
Saturday, Sept. 15 @ North Carolina
Friday, Sept. 21 vs. FAU
Saturday, Sept. 29 vs. Pitt
Saturday, Oct. 13 @ Memphis
Saturday, Oct. 20 @ ECU
Thursday, Nov. 1 @ Temple
Saturday, Nov. 10 vs. Navy
Saturday, Nov. 17 vs. Cincinnati
Friday, Nov. 23 @ USF
Florida Gators Football
Saturday, Sept. 1 vs. Charleston Southern
Saturday, Sept. 8 vs. Kentucky
Saturday, Sept. 15 vs. Colorado State
Saturday, Sept. 22 @ Tennessee
Saturday, Sept. 29 @ Mississippi State
Saturday, Oct. 6 vs. LSU
Saturday, Oct. 13 @ Vanderbilt
Saturday, Oct. 27 - Georgia (Jacksonville)
Saturday, Nov. 3 vs. Mizzou
Saturday, Nov. 10 vs. South Carolina
Saturday, Nov. 17 vs. Idaho
Saturday, Nov. 24 @ FSU
Florida State Seminoles Football
Monday, Sept. 3 vs. Virginia Tech
Saturday, Sept. 8 vs. Samford
Saturday, Sept. 15 @ Syracuse
Saturday, Sept. 22 vs. Northern Illinois
Saturday, Sept. 29 @ Louisville
Saturday, Oct. 6 @ Miami
Saturday, Oct. 20 vs. Wake Foret
Saturday, Oct. 27 vs. Clemson
Saturday, Nov. 3 @ North Carolina State
Saturday, Nov. 10 @ Notre Dame
Saturday, Nov. 17 vs. Boston College
Saturday, Nov. 24 vs. Florida
Miami Hurricanes Football
Sunday, Sept. 2 - LSU (Arlington, TX)
Saturday, Sept. 8 vs. Savannah State
Saturday, Sept. 15 @ Toledo
Saturday, Sept. 22 vs. FIU
Thursday, Sept. 27 vs. North Carolina
Saturday, Oct. 6 vs. FSU
Saturday, Oct. 13 @ Virginia
Friday, Oct. 26 @ Boston College
Saturday, Nov. 3 vs. Duke
Saturday, Nov. 10 @ Georgia Tech
Saturday, Nov. 17 @ Virginia Tech
Saturday, Nov. 24 vs. Pitt
FAU Owls Football
Saturday, Sept. 1 @ Oklahoma
Saturday, Sept. 8 vs. Air Force
Saturday, Sept. 15 vs. Bethune-Cookman
Friday, Sept. 21 @ UCF
Saturday, Sept. 29 @ Middle Tennessee State
Saturday, Oct. 6 vs. Old Dominion
Saturday, Oct. 20 @ Marshall
Saturday, Oct. 27 vs. Louisiana Tech
Saturday, Nov. 3 @ FIU
Saturday, Nov. 10 vs. Western Kentucky
Saturday, Nov. 17 @ North Texas
Saturday, Nov. 24 vs. Charlotte
FIU Panthers Football
Saturday, Sept. 1 vs. Indiana
Saturday, Sept. 8 @ Old Dominion
Saturday, Sept. 15 vs. UMass
Saturday, Sept. 22 @ Miami
Saturday, Sept. 29 vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Saturday, Oct. 13 vs. Middle Tennessee State
Saturday, Oct. 20 vs. Rice
Saturday, Oct. 27 @ Western Kentucky
Saturday, Nov. 3 vs. FAU
Saturday, Nov. 10 @ Texas-San Antonio
Saturday, Nov. 17 @ Charlotte
Saturday, Nov. 24 Marshall
So what are the best weekends on the schedule for college football junkies?
Nov. 23-24. As per usual for Florida college football fans, start with the last regular season weekend. USF gets the Knights in Raymond James Stadium for their annual Black Friday battle, and then you can drive up I-75 for the Seminoles hosting the Gators. Of those four Florida teams on Rivalry Weekend, three will have new head coaches in 2018 (Josh Heupel at UCF, Willie Taggart at FSU, Dan Mullen at Florida), and the fourth is Charlie Strong, only in his second year with the Bulls.
Nov. 3. There's also likely to be a terrific doubleheader possibility on November 3rd as well, with the Hurricanes hosting Duke, and the Shula Bowl between FAU and FIU being played just nine miles up the street on the same day. The Owls under new coach Lane Kiffin won Conference USA last season, and Mark Richt got the Hurricanes in the national title picture until late in 2017. The U returns most of a stout defense from last season, and with freshman N'Kosi Perry making noise, he might have a quarterback for the future as well.
Oct 6. It's great, but it involves airfare. The annual FSU-Miami slugfest heads to Hard Rock Stadium, and the Gators host LSU. If you can find a flight out of Ocala or Gainesville to the 305, there's a chance LSU-UF might not be the 3:30 SEC game on CBS (that could be Alabama-Arkansas). If so, a noon kickoff could put both games in play if you wanted to do the ultimate college football fan in Florida doubleheader.
Sept. 1-3. Doubling as Labor Day weekend, the opening week offers a chance for the most hardcore college football fans in Florida to get back in the swing of the season with a bang. One could potentially see a noon kickoff for FIU hosting Indiana, or already be in the midwest for FAU taking on Oklahoma in what should be a shootout in Norman. From there it's a quick flight to Dallas for the Hurricanes vs. LSU in Arlington at AT&T Stadium, THEN head to Tallahassee for what is becoming FSU's annual Labor Day game, this time against Virginia Tech.
With each team's 15 allotted spring practices right around the corner, the college football schedule in Florida never really ends in this pigskin-crazed state. And in 2018 there are many teams expected to compete for conference titles, and maybe even national championships. Get your tickets and your friends ready, Labor Day Weekend will be here before you know it!
Can't get enough sports in Florida? Stay here at 813area, 407area, 305area, 561area, and all our other sites showing you the best of what's local in Florida here on MyArea Network!
