The Florida Gators rose 11 spots in USA TODAY Sports’s latest re-rank of all FBS college football teams. They come in at No. 35, over 50 spots ahead of this week’s opponent, Vanderbilt. They are also 12 spots behind their in-state rival, Florida State.
The Gators had an up-and-down first half of the season. They came out of the gate swinging with an upset win over the defending Pac-12 champion Utah Utes in [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag]’s first game as Florida’s head coach. They went from unranked to No. 19 in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll after the victory.
They then lost to Kentucky and barely got a win over in-state rival USF, leaving them out of the top 25 entirely. Their close loss to Tennessee paired with their win over Eastern Washington caused expectations to stabilize.
Since their victory over Eastern Washington, the Gators have found their form. Despite losing to LSU and Georgia, the Gators have managed to find their offensive identity. They’re rushing attack is lethal with running backs [autotag]Montrell Johnson[/autotag] and [autotag]Trevor Etienne[/autotag] emerging as a two-headed monster, not to mention [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag]’s effectiveness on designed quarterback runs. The defense has also improved and has not allowed a touchdown in six quarters.
Florida’s 6-4 record has confirmed their bowl eligibility. They have an opportunity to finish 8-4 in Napier’s first season in charge. If they are going to finish 8-4, they’ll need to do so on the road, with last week’s win over South Carolina serving as the final home game of the season.
The Gators’ next game will be against Vanderbilt. That game will take place in Nashville this Saturday with kickoff scheduled for noon EST and the game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.
[mm-video type=video id=01ghs715n7b8e70r2t9q playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01ghs715n7b8e70r2t9q/01ghs715n7b8e70r2t9q-ce0f75823434506e9e83376edb29f7d0.jpg]
[lawrence-related id=95949,95944,95941,95930]
[listicle id=95902]
[listicle id=95889]
[listicle id=95896]
[listicle id=95824]
[vertical-gallery id=95761]
Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
Let us know your thoughts and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!