Three Florida football programs made Sports Illustrated’s preseason top 25, but the Gators aren’t the highest ranked one.
Florida has placed just outside the top ten in both the Coaches’ Poll and SP+ rankings, but Sports Illustrated senior writer Pat Forde has the Gators at No. 18 on his preseason top 25 list.
While Gators fans may find this ranking a bit low, Forde has confidence in the program, especially head coach Dan Mullen.
“This ranking is a direct reflection of faith in Dan Mullen, who isn’t just a program builder but a program sustainer,” according to Forde. “The Gators lost elite talent… but there shouldn’t be a precipitous drop-off. New QB Emory Jones has talent and got some seasoning last year; now he has to prove he’s ready for the full-time job against quality competition.”
Forde also expects the defense to improve this year. Early returns have been positive for the Gators but the loss of Jaydon Hill for the season will need to be worked around.
The top of Forde’s list plays out as expected with Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia, Clemson and Oklahoma taking the top five spots. While it may be in a different order, the Coaches’ Poll agrees that these are the top five teams heading into the season.
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The first surprise comes at sixth with Cincinatti, which makes it less surprising to see the Miami Hurricanes three spots above the Gators. The inclusion of UCF and Nevada also differs from major polls but doesn’t take value away from the rankings.
The Gators are set to play three games against other teams in the top 25: Alabama (Sept. 18), LSU (Oct. 16) and Georgia (Oct. 30).
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