Florida drops slightly in The Athletic’s latest FBS team rankings
The Florida Gators have dropped one spot in The Athletic’s post-conference championship games ranking of all 131 FBS college football teams. Previously, the Gators came in at No. 48 but fell to the No. 49 team in the nation in the most recent re-rank.
Florida ended the season with two road losses to Vanderbilt and Florida State, pushing their regular season record to 6-6. The reason the Gators rose one spot was probably because of their 29-26 season-opening win over the Utah Utes, who came in at No. 6 in The Athletic’s rankings. The win was the first game of the Billy Napier era and the 32nd consecutive season-opening win in a row — good for the longest active streak in the nation.
Despite the massive season-opening victory, the high 40s ranking makes sense. Entering the game at No. 42, the Gators’ loss to Florida State was a microcosm of their 2022 season. They started off hot and took a 24-21 lead into halftime but the third quarter saw the Orange and Blue allow the Seminoles to dominate.
The offense recorded multiple three-and-outs and allowed Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis to have multiple highlight reel plays. A fourth-quarter comeback wasn’t enough, and the Gators lost to their in-state rivals for the first time since 2017.
The Gators will finish their season with a depleted roster in their bowl game. Top players like Anthony Richardson and O’Cyrus Torrence have already announced their intention to declare for the NFL draft and will not be playing against the Oregon State Beavers in the Las Vegas Bowl. That game will be played on Dec. 17. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. EST, with the game being broadcast on ESPN.
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