As the college football season draws to a close, it has become increasingly clear that the Florida Gators will not finish ranked in the top 25 by either major poll. But The Athletic doesn’t limit itself to 25 spots and is ranking every FBS team in the country, including the Gators who currently sit at the No. 42 spot after an embarrassing loss to Vanderbilt.
Previously ranked No. 29 during the midseason update, Florida appeared to be on an upward trajectory after falling to Georgia. Wins over Texas A&M and South Carolina had the team on track to finish the season with a .500 record against the conference, but Saturday’s loss locked in a second-straight season of 3-5 football against the SEC.
In a world where top-10 finishes are expected, losing to Vanderbilt won’t cut it and the folks at The Athletic seem to agree. There is hope for a strong finish, though.
If Florida can beat Florida State (currently ranked No. 17 overall by The Athletic), then the Gators could finish the regular season somewhere in the top 35. Winning this year’s bowl game could even boost UF into the top 30.
But Billy Napier‘s group is at a point in the season where they can only afford to take it one game at a time, and the FSU rivalry game is in Tallahassee and on a Friday. A short week hurts both teams, but it might force the Gators to turn the page from the loss to Vanderbilt much quicker than they normally would.
On the other hand, a loss in the final week of the season may doom Florida to a finish somewhere around the No. 50 spot. Only time will tell which direction the team goes, but the Gators can’t really afford to phone it in after stumbling so severely.
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