UNDATED (AP) — Florida made a massive jump in The Associated Press Top 25 and landed in the top 10 for the first time in five years. The Gators’ 24-point win over Mississippi on Saturday earned them a 13-rung promotion to No. 8. That's their highest ranking since 2020 and first top-10 appearance since 2021. Texas, Georgia and Notre Dame continued to hold the top three spots, Miami was a season-high No. 4 and Ohio State moved up two spots to No. 5. Indiana, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi and BYU completed the top 10. The Longhorns received 62 of 70 first-place votes.
UNDATED (AP) — Florida not only would be on the 12-team College Football Playoff bracket for the first time based on The Associated Press Top 25, the Gators would host a first-round game. First-year coach Jon Sumrall’s team zoomed up 13 spots to No. 8 in the poll. That would give the Gators the last home-field spot and the Southeastern Conference a total of six teams in the field. Texas, Georgia, Notre Dame and Miami would be the top four seeds and Ohio State, Indiana, Alabama and Florida would host first-round games.
UNDATED (AP) — Florida proved the oddsmakers right, and then some, and established itself as a real threat in the Southeastern Conference in Jon Sumrall’s first season. The No. 21 Gators got out to a two-touchdown lead against fourth-ranked Mississippi and responded each time the Rebels got close in the second half before pulling away for a 52-28 victory. Mississippi had a big comedown from its emotional win over Lane Kiffin and LSU. The Gators were at their high-scoring best in The Swamp and showed they were worthy of having been installed as betting favorites against their top-five opponent.
