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The second week of college football is officially complete, bringing the Gator Nation closer to its opening weekend coming up at the end of the month. Until then, ACC and Big 12 action will have to suffice for Florida’s fans in the meantime.
At the top of the news, the first regular-season Amway Coaches Poll of 2020 reflects more turnover than usual from the preseason rankings, even though there haven’t yet been many upsets in the reduced schedule. Other than Clemson at the head of the pack, the rest of the top 10 is dominated by the SEC.
Here in Florida, images of fans not wearing masks at Florida State football’s home opener on Saturday draw criticism from the fans and media alike. It wasn’t the look college administrators and politicians probably wanted to see as the deadly coronavirus pandemic continues to disrupt lives.
Finally, Ohio State cornerback Shaun Wade announced in a tweet Monday morning that he was declaring for the NFL draft, opting out of a postponed football season in the Big Ten. Wade became the Buckeyes’ second player in four days to forgo a potential season this fall to begin training for the draft, following offensive lineman Wyatt Davis.
Around the Swamp
- Former top wide receiver recruit Justin Shorter eligible to play in 2020: Wide receiver transfer Justin Shorter was granted immediate eligibility to play for the Florida Gators in 2020 after transferring from Penn State in the offseason.
- USA TODAY Sports releases preseason 2020 college football predictions: While most of the staff picked Alabama or Georgia to win the league title, writer Eddie Timanus chose Florida.
- Who will claim the fourth spot in the College Football Playoff?: It almost certainly means one conference will land two teams in the playoff, but it could also mean a pathway for a Group of Five team, possibly the AAC champion, or a mid-tier Power Five program.
- Florida Gators football No. 7 in latest ESPN 2021 recruiting rankings: Both earning grades of 86 from the publication, Miami cornerback Jason Marshall, Jr. and Loganville, Georgia pro-style quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson are Florida’s highest-rated commits.
- WATCH: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium appears to be on fire, per Twitter video: The video was taken on Stadium Road just outside of the south end zone area with no intervention visibly underway at the time it was recorded. A few cars and pedestrians can also be seen passing by.
- Gators football gets in on the fun with Florida’s stadium fire: Throughout the ordeal, members of Florida’s athletics department engaged in a humorous commentary of the situation.
- WATCH: Former Gator CJ Henderson gets a pick in first career NFL game: The ninth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars intercepted veteran quarterback Phillip Rivers, now in his first season with the Indianapolis Colts, early in the second quarter as the Jaguars trailed 7-0.
- Florida Gators ranked 5th, SEC dominates top 10 in latest AP college football poll: The latest Associated Press college football poll was released for Week 2 on Sunday, with the Florida Gators sitting on the inner edge of the top-5 with the fifth spot in the rankings.
- Former Gator CJ Henderson has big day in Jacksonville debut: The rookie, starting on the outside in his first NFL game, finished with a total of five tackles, an interception and three passes deflected.
- Gators a popular College Football Playoff pick among ESPN writers: More ESPN writers had UF in the CFP than the Georgia Bulldogs, as only five predicted the Bulldogs to make it to the Final Four.
- ESPN’s Week 2 college football power rankings has Florida ranked fifth: The first full week of the 2020 college football season is in the books, and though only Power Five teams from the ACC and Big 12 competed, ESPN has released an updated power ranking of the top-25 teams competing this fall.
- Florida Gators move up two spots in latest Amway Coaches Poll: The latest Amway Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports was released on Sunday afternoon and after the second weekend of college football action, the rankings saw a bit of a shake-up.
It’s great to be a Florida Gator!
The rise continues. It’s great to be a Florida Gator!
2021: 6⃣
2020: 7️⃣
2019: 8️⃣
2018: 9️⃣https://t.co/9XSOzUMCW8#UFRising #BestColleges #GoGators pic.twitter.com/g6GuTI6bqH— FLORIDA (@UF) September 14, 2020
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