It was a game that went down to the wire, ending with Florida football emerging victoriously from the dust inside Williams-Brice Stadium against the South Carolina Gamecocks on Saturday, 41-39. Many expected it to be a close one and the two teams did not disappoint the fans.
The win was a big one for Billy Napier and Co. as it puts the program just one victory away from clinching a .500 regular-season record, while also easing some of the criticism many have had for the second-year skipper. However, the ‘Cocks were not exactly a top opponent which is why the triumph has not moved the needle much in the eyes of the national media.
All that said, the Orange and Blue saw a 27-vote improvement over last week’s US LBM Coaches Poll following the Week 7 win, now holding 29 votes and essentially ranked No. 28 in the nation. Florida is still outside the top 25 but is within striking distance if it can corral a couple more wins.
The Georgia Bulldogs remain ranked No. 1 and the Alabama Crimson Tide was the only other SEC team to make the top 10, tied at No. 8 with the Texas Longhorns — an improvement of two spots from last week. The Ole Miss Rebels (No. 12), Tennessee Volunteers (No. 15), LSU Tigers (No. 19) and Missouri Tigers (No. 20) round out the rest of the conference teams in the top 25.
The Kentucky Wildcats, who were previously ranked No. 23, dropped from the top 25 and received just nine votes.
The Gators have a bye this week ahead of the biggest game on the schedule against the Bulldogs. The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party will take place at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida, on Oct. 28, with a kickoff time of 3:30 p.m. EDT set. The game will be broadcast on CBS Sports.
The entire US LBM Coaches Poll after Week 7 is listed below.
| Rank | Team | Record | Points | Change |
| 1 | Georgia | 7-0 | 1,590 (58) | – |
| 2 | Michigan | 7-0 | 1,516 (4) | – |
| 3 | Ohio State | 6-0 | 1,429 (2) | – |
| 4 | Florida State | 6-0 | 1,390 | – |
| 5 | Washington | 6-0 | 1,325 | +1 |
| 6 | Penn State | 6-0 | 1,302 | -3 |
| 7 | Oklahoma | 6-0 | 1,260 (1) | – |
| 8 (tie) | Texas | 5-1 | 1,078 | +3 |
| 8 (tie) | Alabama | 6-1 | 1,078 | +2 |
| 10 | North Carolina | 6-0 | 1,038 | +2 |
| 11 | Oregon | 5-1 | 989 | -3 |
| 12 | Ole Miss | 5-1 | 849 | +1 |
| 13 | Oregon State | 6-1 | 809 | +1 |
| 14 | Utah | 5-1 | 704 | +2 |
| 15 | Tennessee | 5-1 | 663 | +2 |
| 16 | USC | 6-1 | 606 | -7 |
| 17 | Duke | 5-1 | 590 | +1 |
| 18 | Notre Dame | 6-2 | 572 | +3 |
| 19 | LSU | 5-2 | 482 | +1 |
| 20 | Missouri | 6-1 | 368 | +5 |
| 21 | Louisville | 6-1 | 309 | -6 |
| 22 | Air Force | 6-0 | 196 | +6 |
| 23 | Iowa | 6-1 | 192 | +6 |
| 24 | Tulane | 5-1 | 112 | +11 |
| 25 | UCLA | 4-2 | 70 | -3 |
Schools Dropped Out
No. 19 Washington State Cougars; No. 23 Kentucky Wildcats; No. 24 Kansas Jayhawks.
Others Receiving Votes
James Madison 67; Clemson 54; Florida 29; Fresno State 21; Washington State 20; Arizona 13; Wyoming 12; Oklahoma State 12; Miami (FL) 12; Maryland 11; Kentucky 9; Liberty 5; Kansas State 5; UNLV 4; Texas A&M 4; West Virginia 3; Memphis 1; Kansas 1.
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