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.
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Texas Tech linebacker Austin Romaine returned two interceptions for touchdowns for the No. 11 Red Raiders on consecutive passes thrown by different Sam Houston quarterbacks in the opening minute of the second quarter Saturday. Tech went on to a 49-14 win. It was only 7-0 before fellow linebacker Brock Gowlas leaped to deflect a pass thrown by Brett Holloway. Romaine then grabbed the ball out of the air and ran 15 yards for a touchdown. On the first play after the ensuing kickoff, Bearcats starting quarterback Landyn Locke was back in the game, and his pass on first down was picked off by Romaine for another score only 7 seconds later.
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.
