Florida has lofty expectations for the 2020 season, including an SEC title and the program's first College Football Playoff appearance.

But the Gators must take care of their conference slate first, most notably their matchup with Georgia. It's a must-win game for UF after losing three straight in the rivalry.

Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart has signed the nation's top-ranked recruiting class the past three cycles, loading the roster with five-star talent. But given the departure of several UGA starters and a new offensive staff with coordinator Todd Monken and O-line coach Matt Luke, SEC Network analyst Peter Burns believes Florida can capitalize on those changes when the two teams meet in Jacksonville.

"If you lined them up just roster-wise, you'd probably say Georgia has the better roster than the Gators right now," Burns said Monday on ESPN Gainesville. "But that would make sense if you had spring ball and you had your traditional offseason where they could get (Wake Forest quarterback transfer) Jamie Newman involved and Todd Monken could get that offense rolling. Frankly, that's not going to be the case."

Newman and UGA's offensive players only have a six-week camp to learn Monken's system, while Gators coach Dan Mullen returns the SEC's top quarterback and his entire staff except Tim Brewster (who worked with him at Mississippi State). With COVID-19 causing teams to lose valuable time in the offseason for coaching and player development, Burns thinks Mullen's staff continuity is another factor that could take Florida far this fall.

"If we do play in September, I think it's going to help the fact that Mullen was able to keep most of his staff in Gainesville," Burns said. "Listen, I said it when he was over at State and I said it whenever he was a no-brainer hire in Gainesville: Dan Mullen is one of the top five coaches and top five brains in college football. And to know that he has that close-knit family in Gainesville is a difference-maker.

"In a different year, why can't the Gators compete for a national title and the College Football Playoff? I don't see where they couldn't, simply because I think this year the coaching staff and guys that can finish each other's sentences in those rooms and the camaraderie they have is as important as ever. I think Florida might be as strong of a group and close-knit environment right now coaching-wise than anybody not only in the SEC, but maybe in the country."