The Florida Gators spent their bye week watching the SEC sort itself out, and the biggest takeaway was simple: the path ahead got a little clearer.
Florida sits at 3-2 in league play, good for a tie in the middle of a crowded SEC race, and the next stretch will tell the story. Georgia is up next, Kentucky is waiting on November 14th, and Vanderbilt follows after that. In between, the Gators have Oklahoma, which is parked right between the conference leaders and still very much in the mix.
At the top, Kentucky has turned into the league’s surprise standard-bearer at 5-1. The Wildcats own a half-game edge over Georgia after stacking wins over Texas A&M, South Carolina, LSU, Oklahoma, and Vanderbilt.
That record doesn’t buy them a soft landing, though. Their schedule tightens fast after the bye, with Tennessee on deck before Florida and Missouri.
Georgia also had the weekend off and remains right behind Kentucky at 4-1. The Bulldogs’ wins have come against Alabama, Vanderbilt, Oklahoma, and Arkansas, with their lone conference loss coming to Auburn last week. Florida, Ole Miss, Missouri, and South Carolina are still ahead for them.
Alabama is next in line at 4-2, thanks to an extra conference win over the group of teams tied behind them. The Crimson Tide have already rolled past Kentucky and South Carolina, but they also took back-to-back losses to Georgia and Tennessee before bouncing back against Texas A&M. LSU, Vanderbilt, and Auburn are still on their schedule.
Florida’s own SEC profile is a little messy, but it’s workable. The Gators’ losses have come against South Carolina and Missouri, and the Missouri result is starting to look more like a weird night than a defining one after the Tigers were blown out by Ole Miss and had also fallen to Mississippi State. Florida also has a useful edge over Ole Miss and Texas in the standings picture, having beaten both.
That Texas win mattered again on Saturday night. The Longhorns jumped out early against Ole Miss in Austin, then watched the Rebels storm all the way back to a 24-24 tie in the fourth quarter before Texas finished off a 34-27 win. With only four SEC games played, Texas still has a long road ahead against Mississippi State, at Missouri, at LSU, Arkansas, and Texas A&M.
Ole Miss now has Auburn and Georgia coming up in back-to-back weeks before a trip to Oklahoma and the Egg Bowl. The Rebels are part of the 3-2 traffic jam with Florida, LSU, and Tennessee.
Tennessee is in that same group after South Carolina’s 27-24 comeback win on Saturday. That result also pushed the Gamecocks to 2-3, and they’ve become one of the more dangerous teams in the league on a given Saturday.
Oklahoma is the other two-loss team in the conference, though the Sooners don’t look like a major title threat right now. Their losses have come against the two teams at the top, Kentucky and Georgia. They also beat Texas and knocked off Mississippi State 23-15 on Saturday.
And while South Carolina is sitting at 2-3, that record doesn’t make them harmless. They already own two quality wins, and their finish is loaded: at Oklahoma, vs. Texas A&M, at Arkansas, and then Georgia at home.
1 Kentucky Wildcats 5-1
2 Georgia Bulldogs 4-1
3 Alabama Crimson Tide 4-2
4 Florida Gators 3-2
5 Ole Miss Rebels 3-2
6 LSU Tigers 3-2
7 Tennessee Volunteers 3-2
8 Oklahoma Sooners 2-2
9 Missouri Tigers 2-2
10 Texas Longhorns 2-2
11 Mississippi State Bulldogs 2-3
12 Auburn Tigers 2-3
13 South Carolina Gamecocks 2-3
14 Arkansas Razorbacks 1-3
15 Texas A&M Aggies 1-4
16 Vanderbilt Commodores 0-5
In Other News...
Floridas Biggest Georgia Question Still Has Playoff Stakes
With Floridas trip to Georgia looming, Jon Sumrall still has a significant decision to make at quarterback. Freshman Tramell Jones Jr. and returning starter Philo are both available for the matchup, and Sumrall said he expects to have a starter in place by Wednesday, though he has not made anything official yet.
It is the kind of choice that reaches beyond one game, especially with playoff implications hanging over the stretch run. Both quarterbacks have posted similar completion percentages and each has been part of the offense this season, which makes the decision less about finding a clear emergency option and more about settling on the one that best fits the moment. [Read more 🡒]
Florida Still Has One Massive Question Heading Into Georgia
Florida still has its biggest offensive decision hanging over the buildup to Georgia, with Jon Sumrall declining to name a starting quarterback for the matchup with the No. 3 Bulldogs. Aaron Philo and Tramell Jones Jr. are both available, both practiced, and both remain in the mix as the Gators try to settle on the best option for one of the seasons most important games.
Sumrall said he needs both quarterbacks ready and may wait until after he reviews practice film before making the call. However the choice goes, Florida knows it will need steady play at the position and continued production from Jadan Baugh, who remains a key part of the offense heading into the showdown. [Read more 🡒]
Florida Is Hiding The One Decision Georgia Fans Care About
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Sumrall said he expects to settle on a starter by midweek, but he does not plan to stage a formal announcement, which only adds to the interest on the other side of this rivalry. Georgia fans will be watching closely to see whether Florida goes with the quarterback who returned from injury or sticks with the one who just steadied the offense when the Gators needed it most. [Read more 🡒]