Florida improving but not moving up in The Athletic’s SEC Vibe Check

Florida had the No. 8 team in the country on the ropes all of Saturday night, but a loss means no movement in the latest SEC vibe check from The Athletic.

Another week, another disrespectful ranking from The Athletic’s Seth Emerson, who puts together the almighty Vibe Check.

The Florida Gators check in at No. 14 for a third-straight week, which feels a bit unjustified, but at least they weren’t dropped to the bottom two following a close loss to… checks notes… the No. 8 team in the country.

“Sigh. Even as the Gators keep showing fight and improvement, they can’t close the deal,” Seth Emerson of The Athletic wrote. “As the game was winding down, you looked at Billy Napier and wondered: Dare we say, he could be starting to save his job? But then the ending, ultimately not going for two and the win and the offense going backward in overtime … again, sigh.”

Emerson is the guy who is so close to getting it but refuses to cross the finish line. His own words point out that Florida is improving, and while a loss does hurt the “vibe” in Gainesville, it’s a bit curious to keep the Gators in the No. 14 position for three weeks in a row.

Things are getting better for Florida football. A win over Kentucky — which ranks 12th overall on this list — should do the trick for the Gators. Even the Georgia beat guy can’t deny that.

Also, what’s up with 2-4 (0-3) Auburn staying a spot ahead of Florida? Are the vibes really that high on a bye week after a loss? Maybe with Jawjuh blinders on…

Week 7 SEC vibe check rankings

  1. Texas Longhorns (6-0, 2-0 SEC)
  2. Vanderbilt Commodores (4-2, 2-1)
  3. Texas A&M Aggies (5-1, 3-0)
  4. LSU Tigers (5-1, 1-0)
  5. Arkansas Razorbacks (4-2, 2-1)
  6. Tennessee Volunteers (5-1, 2-1)
  7. Alabama Crimson Tide (5-1, 2-1)
  8. Georgia Bulldogs (5-1, 3-1)
  9. Missouri Tigers (5-1, 1-1)
  10. Ole Miss Rebels (5-2, 1-2)
  11. South Carolina Gamecocks (3-3, 1-3)
  12. Kentucky Wildcats (3-3, 1-3)
  13. Auburn Tigers (2-4, 0-3)
  14. Florida Gators (3-3, 1-2)
  15. Mississippi State Bulldogs (1-5, 0-3)
  16. Oklahoma Sooners (4-2, 1-2)

Next up for Florida

The Gators return to Gainesville this week for a homecoming matchup with the Kentucky Wildcats. Kickoff is slated for 7:45 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.

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