Florida’s stay in the AP Top 25 looks over after two straight blowout losses, while Georgia is set to move back to No. 1 after winning at Alabama by a field goal.
The Gators at least avoid facing the No. 1 and No. 2 teams back-to-back in the rankings, but the damage is done. Even with Texas coming up next week and Georgia waiting on October 31, Florida is headed for the outside looking in.
At the top, the order starts to feel pretty clean. Georgia, Notre Dame, Miami, Ohio State and Indiana form the first five, and each one comes with a result or a bye that strengthens its place. Georgia jumps to No. 1 after the 20-17 win over Oklahoma, Notre Dame stays right behind it after the 58-7 rout of Stanford, Miami did not play, Ohio State handled Maryland 45-16 and Indiana edged Nebraska 20-17.
No one should have a problem with those five being where they are. The case here is that all five are locks for the CFP, and at least three of them will get a first-round bye in the 12-team bracket.
Texas is the biggest faller near the top after losing 27-24 to Oklahoma, and the Longhorns slide to No. 6.
BYU moves up to No. 7 after beating Iowa State 24-10, Ole Miss sits at No. 8 after the 52-17 win over Vanderbilt, and Alabama lands at No. 9 following the 20-17 loss to Georgia. Texas Tech stays at No. 10 despite not playing, while Utah comes in at No. 11 after a 41-24 win over Kansas.
Missouri, UCLA, Tennessee and USC round out that next cluster. Missouri beat Texas A&M 27-6, UCLA won a tight one at Oregon 17-15, Tennessee beat Arkansas 24-17 and USC topped Penn State 31-23.
Texas dropping out of the top five feels like the right call, and the Longhorns have not exactly looked dominant this season. Still, there’s a sense they can settle in after this.
Being unburdened by the No. 1 label could help. BYU, meanwhile, keeps climbing in a low-key way, and the Cougars’ Week 7 meeting with Notre Dame now stands as the biggest game in the country.
It also gives the Irish schedule an unexpected boost. Alabama slips a few spots after the close loss in Athens, but the Tide still look safe inside the top 10.
UCLA, though, is the week’s big mover after grinding out that road win over Oregon.
Further down the board, Iowa checks in at No. 16 after a 41-24 road win over Washington, Oklahoma State rises to No. 17 with a 42-28 victory over UCF, and Mississippi State stays at No. 18 without playing.
Kentucky reenters the poll at No. 19 after surviving LSU 35-34, with the Tigers falling to No. 20. Houston moves to No. 21 after beating Kansas State 35-16, Oregon drops to No. 22 after the loss to UCLA, Boise State lands at No. 23 after a 38-31 win over Fresno State, SMU remains at No. 24 without playing, and Wake Forest grabs No. 25 after a 38-14 win over NC State.
Iowa deserves credit for bouncing back from its loss to Ohio State by going on the road and beating a Washington team that was ranked in the preseason. Kentucky’s 35-34 win puts the Wildcats back in the poll, and Wake Forest sneaks in after stringing together a few strong performances.
Oregon, though, may have a tougher road back into the CFP bubble after a second loss. The Ducks do have a friendlier stretch coming, but they still have to go to Ohio State in November. LSU is hanging around the bubble as well, but the Tigers’ schedule ahead includes Alabama and Texas.
In Other News...
Floridas Ground Game Just Took Another Hit Against South Carolina
Floridas backfield took another hit against South Carolina when sophomore running back Duke Clark left in the second quarter with a left foot injury and did not return. The Gators had already been trying to piece together their ground game, and losing another runner in the middle of the afternoon only tightened the margin for error as the offense tried to find some rhythm.
Myles Graham provided a small bit of sideline encouragement, warming up before the third quarter and then returning dressed out, which suggested a possible return. Florida turned to other running backs after Clark went out, a reminder of how quickly the rotation can change when injuries start to stack up and how thin the margin has become for a unit that needs stability. [Read more 🡒]
Gators Have A Bigger Problem Than One Ugly Home Loss
Floridas home loss to South Carolina was ugly enough on its own, but the concern around this team goes beyond a single bad afternoon in Gainesville. The Gators showed some early life on defense by forcing a pair of quick three-and-outs, then lost control as the game wore on and let the Gamecocks pile up yards through the air and on the ground. Under Jon Sumrall, that kind of reversal is hard to ignore, especially in front of a home crowd expecting a sharper response.
The offense never did enough to compensate. Floridas run game was largely ineffective, which left Anthony Richardson taking more pressure than he could reasonably absorb, and the rhythm never really followed. Richardson finished with 227 passing yards, a touchdown and an interception, but the broader issue is that the Gators did not have answers once South Carolina settled in, and one rough loss is starting to look more like a symptom than an accident. [Read more 🡒]
Florida Just Made Easton Royal Feel Like A Real Possibility
Florida has been pushing hard for Easton Royal, and the latest sign of momentum came when recruiting analyst Steve Wiltfong projected the five-star wide receiver could end up flipping from Texas to the Gators. Royal remains committed to Texas for now, but Florida has stayed in the fight by keeping up the contact and getting him on campus multiple times, which has only added to the sense that this one is very much alive.
Royals interest in Florida has been clear for a while, and the Gators have worked to keep themselves squarely in the mix as the battle with Texas continues. For a program looking to stack elite talent on the perimeter, landing a player of Royals caliber would be a major win, but with both schools still actively chasing him, this recruitment looks like one that could run a while longer. [Read more 🡒]