Bracketology 2024: 10 notable teams in danger of missing the NCAA Tournament

Florida

It’s year two for Todd Golden at Florida and he’s still got plenty of work ahead. Any coach of the Gators is going to be unfairly compared to Billy Donovan, though Golden is just trying to get Florida back to the Big Dance in any capacity. It’s no easy task these days considering the relative strength of the SEC.

A close loss to Virginia early in the season was a blown opportunity, but it certainly wasn’t the last. The Gators would drop games to Baylor and Wake Forest, but did get a nice double overtime win against Michigan in mid-December. The nonconference slate also included wins over Florida State and Pittsburgh, though those lacked the kind of pizzazz this resume needed.

League play began harshly, as the Gators nearly upset Kentucky before a dreadful performance against Ole Miss. Things have gone much better in recent weeks, despite a 19-point loss at Tennessee back on January 16th. Florida has won three straight games with great offensive play, surviving Georgia this past week and getting a nice win over Mississippi State a few days earlier.

Florida is 0-6 against Quad 1 teams and is undefeated against everyone else. Some of these wins sound better than they are and the Gators are almost desperate for a standout performance in this loaded league. Their next three games are all Quad 1 opportunities, making this something of a make or break time of year for the Gators, who could certainly solidify their standing with the Selection Committee with an upset or two.