Florida’s win over Ole Miss changed the tone around the program fast. What began the season with bowl-game expectations has shifted into something much bigger, with the Gators now showing up in College Football Playoff projections.
In some of those projections, Florida isn’t just in the field - it’s hosting a first-round game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. That lines up with the Gators’ new standing in the AP and Coaches Polls, where they’ve moved into the top 10 and suddenly belong in the playoff conversation.
One projected opponent would make for a rare meeting. Florida has not played many former Pac-12 teams or West Coast programs in general, which is why the home-and-home with Utah in 2022 and 2023 stood out so much.
Florida and Oregon have only met once, back in 1929. That game was played in Miami, with Charlie Bachman coaching the Gators.
Florida was still playing home games at Fleming Field at the time, and the SEC was still three years away from existing. Florida won that one 20-3 and finished the season 8-2.
That kind of postseason matchup would be unusual, but that’s often when these long-dormant pairings finally happen. Nearly a century has passed without Florida and Oregon crossing paths again, and this year could finally change that.
Another projection sends Florida against a team it has not faced in even longer: Indiana, the defending national champions. The Gators last played Indiana in 1916, in Bloomington, and that game ended in a 14-3 loss. Florida finished 0-5 that season, marking the first losing season in program history.
If that matchup comes together, it would be the first meeting between the programs in more than a century.
In Other News...
Florida May Have Made A Huge Impression On Elite WR Target
Easton Royals trip to Gainesville came at a good time for Florida, and the No. 1 thing the Gators could show him was the kind of offense that can sell itself. The five-star wide receiver was on campus for Floridas game against Ole Miss, a 52-28 win that gave him a front-row look at an attack that is putting up points and, just as importantly for a receiver, helping its quarterback develop.
Royal has already been committed to Texas, but he is still weighing his options with the Early Signing Period approaching, and Florida clearly left an impression. His interest in the Gators appears tied to the kind of production and quarterback growth he saw in person, with LSU also staying in the mix as the chase for one of the nations top pass catchers continues. [Read more 🡒]
Florida Heads Into Missouri With Undefeated Start Suddenly Under Pressure
Floridas undefeated start has earned it a spot among the early national talking points, but the mood around the program changes a little as it heads to No. 25 Missouri for an Oct. 3 matchup at Faurot Field. The No. 8 Gators are 4-0 after a 52-28 win over Ole Miss, a result that kept them rolling and added another layer of confidence to a schedule that now starts to sharpen.
Jon Sumralls injury updates offered a reminder that even a strong start comes with moving parts, especially this time of year when depth and availability can shape a road game as much as rankings do. Florida has already banked a few encouraging results, and the next stretch will tell a lot about whether this opening run is the beginning of something bigger or just a fast start that still has plenty to prove. [Read more 🡒]
Trinidad Chambliss Had Fans Talking After This Classy Postgame Moment
After Floridas 52-28 win over Ole Miss, one of the nights most talked-about moments came long after the final whistle. Trinidad Chambliss, who put together a strong outing of his own with 298 passing yards and three total touchdowns, stayed on the field and waited respectfully while Florida coach Jon Sumrall finished a live postgame interview before stepping in to offer a handshake and congratulations.
It was a small gesture, but the kind that tends to travel fast because it says something about a players presence beyond the box score. Ole Miss is 3-1 and heading into a bye week before turning its attention to Vanderbilt, and Chambliss has already drawn praise from coach Pete Golding for his leadership and character, which only made the postgame scene resonate even more with fans watching closely. [Read more 🡒]