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College Football Recruiting, Opinion, and Analysis

The Way Too Early 2024 Power Rankings for the Power 4 Schools in the Sunshine State

Can the Gators and Hurricanes get back to playing dominant football?

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Sep 9
Sep 9

By Tony Thomas

When you talk about talented football players across this great nation of ours, the State of Florida is always in the conversation and is a hotbed for recruiting. Here, we present the way-too-early 2024 power rankings for the Power 4 schools in the Sunshine State.

#1 Florida State Seminoles

2023 record: 13-1, ACC record: 9-0

The Florida State Seminoles were the victims of the greatest heist in college football history, being left out of the College Football Playoff after doing what they were supposed to do and handling their business on the field-going undefeated in the regular season. 

Fear not, Seminole fans. Florida State is not void of talent nor attitude in 2024.

Key Returnee: LB DJ Lundy (6’1”, 244 lbs.)

The defense got a boost in the offseason when LB DJ Lundy withdrew his name from the transfer portal. 

https://twitter.com/djlundy01/status/1745155546892689627

Lundy was 3rd on the team in tackles with 54. In addition, he added six tackles for loss, two sacks, and INT, and he broke up four passes.

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Key Portal Addition: QB DJ Uiagalelei (6’4”, 252 lbs., from Oregon State)

In one season at Oregon State, DJ Uiagalelei passed for 2,638 yards, 21 touchdowns, and just seven INTs (in 315 attempts), completing 57% of his passes. In addition, he added six rushing touchdowns, showing he can make plays with his legs. Uiagalelei went five straight weeks without throwing an INT while throwing 12 TDs over that stretch. 

While his accuracy needs improving, there is no coach in college football better at working with QBs and making them better than Mike Norvell.

Key High School Recruit: QB Luke Kromenhoek (6’4”, 185 lbs.)

As the #4 quarterback prospect in the country and Top 50 recruit, Luke Kromenhoek went 26-3 as a starter in two seasons as the starter at Benedictine Military Academy. During his senior year, Kromenhoek passed for 2,578 yards, 24 TDs, and only two INTs. In addition, he added 558 yards rushing and seven more scores. 

While he needs to add weight to his frame, Kromenhoek has good velocity on his throws and can thread the needle in tight coverage.

The war chants will be loud and proud as the Seminoles will be pissed off and have a tomahawk-size chip on their shoulder this fall.

#2 Miami Hurricanes

2023 record: 7-6, ACC record: 3-5

The Miami Hurricanes have not had a 10-win season since 2017, going 10-3 that season. Four of Miami’s losses this past season were by seven points or less. Will 2024 be the year for the Canes? We shall see. There is talent at the skill positions to help Canes reach that mark and beyond.

Key Returnee: WR Xavier Restrepo (5’10”, 198 lbs.)

Starting all 13 games for the Hurricanes in 2023, Xavier Restrepo caught 85 passes (single-season record) for 1,092 yards and six touchdowns on his way to 1st Team All-ACC honors. He posted five games of over 100 yards receiving, including a season-high 193 yards on eight catches and a TD in a 38-31 loss to Louisville.

Key Portal Prospect: QB Cam Ward (6’2”, 223 lbs., from Washington State)

Ranked #4 in the FBS with 311 passing yards per game, Cam Ward passed for 3,736 yards, 25 TDs, and seven INTs while completing 66% of his passes. In addition, Ward added eight rushing touchdowns. Ward gives head coach Mario Cristobal a game-changer at the most important position on the field.

Key High School Recruit: DL Justin Scott (6’4”, 310 lbs.)

The Canes have the #4 overall recruiting class in 2024 and the top class in the ACC. Justin Scott is the #3 DL nationally and the #16 overall recruit in the 2024 class. Playing RB as well as DL his senior year, Scott racked up 28 tackles, seven tackles for loss, two sacks, and four pass breakups.

#3 UCF Knights

2023 record: 6-7, Big XII record: 3-6

The UCF Knights stumbled a little in their first season of play in the Big XII, but three of their losses were by two points or less. The Knights did get a 45-3 win over the #15 Oklahoma State Cowboys. Gus Malzahn‘s team will have some playmakers to help improve on last season’s mark in 2024.

Key Returnee: RB RJ Harvey (5’9”, 205 lbs.)

RJ Harvey returning for the Knights is huge. Harvey rushed for 1,416 yards and 16 TDs, averaging six yards per carry and 108 yards per game. That was good enough for #10 in the FBS. In addition, he added 238 receiving yards. 

Harvey posted seven games of over 100 yards rushing, including 206 yards and three TDs in the 42-point drubbing of Oklahoma State.

Key Portal Prospect: QB KJ Jefferson (6’3”, 247 lbs., from Arkansas)

In 2023, KJ Jefferson passed for 2,107 yards, 19 TDs, and 8 INTs. In addition, Jefferson added 447 yards rushing and two scores. Jefferson is the career leader at Arkansas in passing yards with 7,911 and has thrown 67 TDs and 18 INTs in his collegiate career. With his size and mobility, Jefferson is the perfect quarterback to run Malzahn’s spread/RPO system.

Key High School Recruit: TE Kylan Fox (6’4”, 208 lbs.)

Kylan Fox is a 4-star recruit who also played some as an edge rusher in high school. As a senior, Fox caught 28 passes for 384 yards and seven TDs. Fox is an early enrollee and will participate in spring practice.

#4 Florida Gators

2023 record: 5-7, SEC record: 3-5

The Florida Gators stumbled to their third straight losing season in 2023, losing their final five games. Under Billy Napier, the Gators are 11-14 in two seasons. The Gators did get a win over a ranked opponent-a 29-16 win over #11 Tennessee. 

Florida will have a talented quarterback room in 2024, but will that be enough to get the Gators to 8 or 9 wins in 2024? We shall see. Is Napier on the hot seat? You better believe it.

Key Returnee: QB Graham Mertz (6’3”, 215 lbs.)

Almost cracking the 3,000-yard passing mark, Graham Mertz passed for 2,903 yards, 20 TDs, and only three INTs. He completed 72.9% of his passes, which was tops in the SEC. Mertz suffered a collarbone injury that ended his 2023 season prematurely. 

With 43 career starts to his credit, Mertz must continue his 2023 success this season and improve on his deep ball, pressuring the defense and pushing the field vertically.

Key Portal Prospect: WR Chimere Dike (6’1”, 200 lbs., from Wisconsin)

Chimere Dike comes to the Gators after catching 19 passes for 328 yards and one touchdown for the Badgers. In addition, he had a combined 357 yards on kickoff and punt returns. Dike was Mertz’s number one target in his last year in Madison, and the two should be able to rekindle their chemistry very quickly.

https://twitter.com/TSV__1/status/1698079287327539688

Key High School Recruit: QB DJ Lagway (6’2”, 225 lbs.)

DJ Lagway turned in a record season for Willis (TX) High School, accounting for 5,561 total yards (4,604 yards passing, 957 yards rushing) and 74 total TDs. He completed an impressive 72% of his passes. 

Lagway was rated as the #1 QB prospect in the 2024 class and was named the National Player of the Year by MaxPreps. Lagway set the Texas state record for touchdown passes in a season with 58, breaking the previous record of 56 held by former Alabama QB Greg McElroy. 

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