Countdown is on for the kickoff of college football 2025 in Florida on Thursday

FLORIDA — The long wait for the start of college football season is over for fans in Florida this week.

All of Florida’s major teams play over the weekend, and fans can watch at least one team from the state every day of the holiday weekend except Monday.

What You Need To Know

USF and UCF get the 2025 college football season in Florida started Thursday with their home games

Bethune-Cookman opens its season Friday vs. Florida International

Preseason No. 15 Florida, Florida A&M and Stetson open Saturday, and Florida State hosts preseason No. 8 Alabama

No. 10 Miami wraps up the state’s first weekend of gridiron play against No. 6 Notre Dame

USF kicks off the weekend for Florida teams with a 5:30 p.m. start Thursday at home against preseason No. 25 Boise State.

That start time just edged out UCF, which plays host to Jacksonville State at 7 p.m. Thursday.

The most intriguing games for most football fans in the state are Saturday, when Florida State will welcome in No. 8 Alabama, and Sunday, when the preseason No. 10 Miami Hurricanes will play host to preseason No. 6 Notre Dame at 7:30 p.m.

Bethune-Cookman fills the Friday slot, with a road game against Florida International at 7 p.m.

The traditional Saturday spot is filled with preseason No. 15 Florida at home against Long Island University at 7 p.m., Florida A&M playing Howard in Miami Gardens and Stetson welcoming in Webber International.

Overall, the Gators might have the most challenging schedule of the season. Based on preseason rankings, which can change significantly, Florida will face seven teams ranked in the preseason Top 25 — Texas, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Texas A&M, Mississippi and Tennessee. If the Gators can perform well against that gauntlet of teams, that should help them at the end of the season with the College Football Playoff Committee, which announced Wednesday it will place more emphasis on strength of schedule this year when determining which teams make the 12-team field.

FSU’s schedule is no slouch either. Including its opener against Alabama, the Seminoles have four games against teams in the preseason Top 25 — Miami, Clemson and Florida. USF plays three preseason Top 25 teams — Boise State, Florida and Miami.

At first glance, UCF’s first two opponents might seem to be easier, but it opens Thursday against Jacksonville State, which has a history of knocking off Power 4 teams. On Sept. 13, 2021, the Gamecocks hit a 59-yard field goal as time expired to stun FSU 20-17. That was no fluke, as Jacksonville State on Sept. 4, 2010 scored a touchdown and made a 2-point conversion to edge out Mississippi 49-48.

Considering the Knights come in with about 70 new players and coach Scott Frost is returning to the program for the first season since UCF defeated Auburn in the Peach Bowl on Jan. 1, 2018, the Knights could have their work cut out for them.

Spectrum News 13 will have much more on the start of the season for Florida’s teams at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, when it will air a 30-minute College Football Preview Show to take a sneak peek at what’s ahead for the state’s teams.

For now, here are the schedules for the 2025 season so you don’t miss any games you want to see.

University of Florida Gators

Aug. 30 — Long Island University at Florida, 7 p.m.
Sept. 6 — USF at Florida, 4:15 p.m.
Sept. 13 — Florida at LSU, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 20 — Florida at Miami, TBA
Oct. 4 — Texas at Florida, TBA
Oct. 11 — Florida at Texas A&M, TBA
Oct. 18 — Mississippi State at Florida, Start time will be between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m. This is Homecoming.
Nov. 1 — Georgia vs. Florida, 3:30 p.m., EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville
Nov. 8 — Florida at Kentucky, TBA
Nov. 15 — Florida at Mississippi, TBA
Nov. 22 — Tennessee at Florida, TBA
Nov. 29 — Florida State at Florida, TBA
- Most of the start times for Florida’s games have a flexible start time, either from 3:30-4:30 p.m. or 6-8 p.m.

Florida State Seminoles

Aug. 30 — Alabama at Florida State, 3:30 p.m.
Sept. 6 — East Texas A&M at FSU, noon
Sept. 20 — Kent State at FSU, TBA
Sept. 26 — FSU at Virginia, 7 p.m.
Oct. 4 — Miami at FSU, TBA
Oct. 11 — Pitt at FSU, TBA
Oct. 18 — FSU at Stanford, 10:30 p.m.
Nov. 1 — Wake Forest at FSU, TBA. This is Homecoming.
Nov. 8 — FSU at Clemson, TBA
Nov. 15 — Virginia Tech at FSU, TBA
Nov. 21 — FSU at N.C. State, 8 p.m.
Nov. 29 — FSU at Florida, TBA

Miami Hurricanes

Aug. 31 — Notre Dame at Miami, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 6 — Bethune-Cookman University at Miami, 7 p.m.
Sept. 13 — USF at Miami, 4:30 p.m.
Sept. 20 — Florida at Miami, TBA
Oct. 4 — Miami at Florida State, TBA
Oct. 17 — Louisville at Miami, 7 p.m.
Oct. 25 — Stanford at Miami, TBA
Nov. 1 — Miami at SMU, TBA
Nov. 8 — Syracuse at Miami, TBA. This is Homecoming
Nov. 15 — N.C. State at Miami, TBA
Nov. 22 — Miami at Virginia Tech, TBA
Nov. 29 — Miami at Pittsburgh, TBA

UCF Knights

Aug. 28 — Jacksonville State at UCF, 7 p.m.
Sept. 6 — North Carolina A&T at UCF, 7 p.m.
Sept. 20 — North Carolina at UCF, TBA
Sept. 27 — UCF at Kansas State, TBA
Oct. 4 — Kansas at UCF, TBA
Oct. 11 — UCF at Cincinnati, TBA
Oct. 18 — West Virginia at UCF, TBA. This is Homecoming
Nov. 1 — UCF at Baylor, TBA
Nov. 7 — Houston at UCF, TBA. This is the Space Game.
Nov. 15 — UCF at Texas Tech, TBA
Nov. 22 — Oklahoma State at UCF, TBA
Nov. 29 — UCF at BYU, TBA

USF Bulls

Aug. 28 — Boise State at USF, 5:30 p.m.
Sept. 6 — USF at Florida, 4:15 p.m.
Sept. 13 — USF at Miami, 4:30 p.m.
Sept. 20 — South Carolina State at USF, noon
Oct. 3 — Charlotte at USF, 7 p.m.
Oct. 10 — USF at North Texas, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 18 — Florida Atlantic at USF, TBA. This is Homecoming.
Oct. 25 — USF at Memphis, TBA
Nov. 6 — UTSA at USF, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 15 — USF at Navy, noon
Nov. 22 — USF at UAB, TBA
Nov. 29 — Rice at USF, TBA

Florida A&M Rattlers

Aug. 30 — Orange Blossom Classic: Howard vs. Florida A&M, 4 p.m. at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens
Sept. 6 — FAMU at Florida Atlantic, 6 p.m.
Sept. 13 — Albany State at FAMU, 7 p.m.
Sept. 27 — Alabama State at FAMU, 3 p.m.
Oct. 4 — Mississippi Valley State vs. FAMU, TBA, in Atlanta
Oct. 11 — North Carolina Central at FAMU, 3 p.m.
Oct. 18 — Alcorn State at FAMU, 4 p.m. This is Homecoming.
Oct. 25 — FAMU at Southern, TBA
Nov. 1 — Jackson State at FAMU, 7 p.m.
Nov. 8 — FAMU at Arkansas – Pine Bluff, TBA
Nov. 15 — FAMU at Alabama A&M, TBA
Nov. 22 — Florida Classic: Bethune-Cookman University vs. FAMU, TBA, at Camping World Stadium in Orlando

Bethune-Cookman University Wildcats

Aug. 29 — Bethune-Cookman University at Florida International University, 7 p.m.
Sept. 6 — B-CU at Miami, 7 p.m.
Sept. 13 — B-CU at South Carolina State University, 6 p.m.
Sept. 20 — Edward Waters University at B-CU, 3 p.m.
Sept. 27 — Alabama A&M at B-CU, 3 p.m.
Oct. 4 — B-CU at Alabama State, 3 p.m.
Oct. 11 — Southern University at B-CU, 3 p.m.
Oct. 25 — Arkansas – Pine Bluff at B-CU, 3 p.m. This is Homecoming.
Nov. 1 — Mississippi Valley State at B-CU. 3 p.m.
Nov. 8 — B-CU at Grambling State, 3 p.m.
Nov. 15 — B-CU at Jackson State, 1 p.m.
Nov. 22 — Florida Classic: B-CU vs. Florida A&M, TBA, at Camping World Stadium in Orlando
- All home games are at Daytona Beach Municipal Stadium.

Stetson University Hatters

Aug. 30 — Webber International at Stetson, 6 p.m.
Sept. 6 — Warner at Stetson, 6 p.m.
Sept. 13 — Stetson at Chattanooga, 6 p.m.
Sept. 20 — Harvard at Stetson, 1 p.m.
Sept. 27 — Stetson at Dayton, noon
Oct. 4 — Davidson at Stetson, 1 p.m.
Oct. 11 — Morehead State at Stetson, 1 p.m.
Oct. 18 — Stetson at Presbyterian, 1 p.m.
Oct. 25 — St. Thomas at Stetson, 1 p.m. This is Homecoming.
Nov. 8 — Stetson at Marist, 1 p.m.
Nov. 15 — Stetson at Valparaiso, 1 p.m.
Nov. 22 — San Diego at Stetson, 1 p.m.

Spectrum Sports Staff

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