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ESPN’s FPI ranks Florida No. 18 with a top-20 offense and defense

On3 imageby:Zach Abolverdi06/03/25

ZachAbolverdi

Florida-Gators-DJ-Lagway-Austin-Barber
Florida Gators offensive lineman Austin Barber (58) pulls in Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) as the Gators celebrated at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, November 16, 2024. The Gators defeated the Tigers 27-16. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]

ESPN released its first Football Power Index (FPI) ratings and projections for the 2025 season on Tuesday. The Florida Gators are ranked in the top 20.

Florida is ranked No. 18 nationally with an FPI of 14.3, which ranks 11th among SEC schools. The Gators have a projected win-loss record of 6.4-5.6.

In ESPN’s first FPI last offseason, Florida’s projected W-L record for 2024 was 5.9-6.1. UF finished with an 8-5, winning its final four games of the year.

The initial FPI last June also gave the Gators a 58.2% chance of winning six games and an 8.3% chance of making the College Football Playoffs. Both of those percentages have increased for Florida in ESPN’s 2025 preseason Football Power Index.

Per the FPI, the Gators have a 68.2% chance of winning six games, a 1.0% chance of winning the conference, an 14.5% chance of making the College Football Playoffs, a 1.6% chance of making the championship game and a 0.7% chance of winning the national title.

Florida ranks No. 19 in the FPI National Championship odds and also has top-20 preseason rankings in the FPI’s best projected offenses and defenses for 2025. UF has the nation’s No. 14 projected offense (7.0 FPI) and No. 16 projected defense (6.4 FPI).

The Gators are up 27 spots on offense, making them the second biggest offseason mover in the offensive unit rankings. Auburn’s projected FPI (6.8) is up 31 spots. Florida is one of 12 teams ranked in the top 16 for projected offense and defense.

The teams ranked ahead of UF in the overall Football Power index include SEC members Texas (1), Georgia (2), Alabama (3), Texas A&M (8), Tennessee (10), LSU (12), Ole Miss (13), Auburn (14) and Oklahoma (16) and in-state rival Miami (9). The Gators play seven of those teams in 2025.

Per ESPN, the FPI is a measure of team strength (in points per game relative to the national average) that is meant to be the best predictor of a team’s performance going forward. Projected results are based on 20,000 simulations of the 2025 season to track each team’s odds of winning its conference, making the playoff and advancing through to the national title.

Florida Gators schedule

DateOpponentLocation
Aug. 30Long Island UniversityGainesville, Florida
Sept. 6USFGainesville, Florida
Sept. 13LSUBaton Rouge, Louisiana
Sept. 20MiamiMiami, Florida
Sept. 27Bye
Oct. 4TexasGainesville, Florida
Oct. 11at Texas A&MCollege Station, Texas
Oct. 18Mississippi StateGainesville, Florida
Oct. 25Bye
Nov. 1GeorgiaJacksonville, Florida
Nov. 8at KentuckyLexington, Kentucky
Nov. 15at Ole MissOxford, Mississippi
Nov. 22TennesseeGainesville, Florida
Nov. 29Florida StateGainesville, Florida

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