More Kickoff Times Announced for Florida Gators Football Games

The kickoff times for three of the Florida Gators‘ matchups, including two away games, during its 2024 campaign have been released, the SEC, in conjunction with ESPN and SEC Network, announced Tuesday. 

Florida’s matchup at Mississippi State on Sept. 2 and at Texas on Nov. 9 will both kickoff at noon EST with television coverage on either ESPN or ABC. Additionally, the Gators’ home finale against Ole Miss has also been designated as a noon kickoff with television coverage on either ESPN or ABC. 

Final television designations will be announced at a later date. 

Florida last played Mississippi State in 2018, when the unranked Gators upset the No. 23-ranked Bulldogs 13-6 in then-head coach Dan Mullen’s return to Starkville, Miss. Quarterback Feleipe Franks threw for 219 yards, receiver Kadarius Toney threw a trick-play touchdown and Donovon Stiner sealed the win with a sack on fourth down with a minute left. 

Meanwhile, the Gators’ trip to Texas will mark the first time since 1940 that the two teams meet and the first time since 1939 that they play in Austin. 

Finally, the Gators last met the Rebels in 2020, when quarterback Kyle Trask threw for six touchdowns, four of which went to Kyle Pitts, in a 51-35 season-opening win. 

Tuesday’s slew of announcements make it seven of the Gators’ 12 regular season games to have finalized kickoff times. Florida’s home games against Miami (Aug. 31 at 3:30 p.m.), Samford (Sept. 7 at 7 p.m.) and Texas A&M (Sept. 14 at 3:30 p.m. ET) have all been previously announced. 

The Miami and Texas A&M games will both be on the new SEC on ABC, which will replace the SEC on CBS, and the Samford game will be streaming-only on ESPN+/SECN+.

Additionally, the Gators’ yearly matchup against Georgia in Jacksonville, Florida is set for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff with television coverage on ABC.  

Although not finalized, Florida’s home matchup against UCF (Oct. 5) has been given a night window start time between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Additionally, the home matchups against Kentucky (Oct. 19) and LSU (Nov. 16) as well as the away matchup against Tennessee (Oct. 12) have all been given a flex window between 3:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. 

The themes for the Gators’ seven home games were previously announced on May 23. Final kickoff times and TV designations will be announced at a later date.