Gators drop in AP Poll after loss to Kentucky
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Gators dropped in the Associated Press Top-25 poll following a 26-16 loss to the Kentucky Wildcats. Florida comes in ranked No. 18 in the new poll.
The Gators went from unranked in the preseason to No. 12 after a season-opening win over Utah.
It was the fourth biggest jump in school history in all AP polls. UF went from unranked to 8th in 1965. The Gators also went from unranked to 10th in 1965, and unranked to 10th in 1966. The AP Poll only included 20 teams from 1936 to 1960, 10 teams from 1961 to 1967, and 20 teams from 1968 to 1988 before the current format.
The SEC has eight teams ranked inside the top 25. No. 1 Georgia and No. 2 Alabama switched places this week. The Crimson Tide won a tight game on the road against Texas, while Georgia is 2-0 and has outscored its opponents 82-3. Kentucky (9), Arkansas (10), Tennessee (15), Florida (18), Ole Miss (20), and Texas A&M (24) round out the SEC teams in the poll.
Gators next matchup
Florida will host USF as the back end of a home-and-home contract. Florida traveled to Tampa last year, beating the Bulls 42-20 in 2021. Anthony Richardson shined that day. He completed three passes for 152 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed four times for 115 yards and another score.
Following a disappointing loss, the Gators have a lot of room to improve.
“I also think that much like life, the game of football can teach you. When there’s adversity in your life and in this game, as a competitor and as a person, you’ve got a choice to make,” Billy Napier said after the Kentucky loss. “You can choose character, or you can choose to compromise. I’m excited about the character of our team. I know how they’re going to respond. We’ll learn. We’ll learn from this experience, and we’re going to improve.”
Complete AP Top 25
| Rank | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | Georgia |
| 2 | Alabama |
| 3 | Ohio State |
| 4 | Michigan |
| 5 | Clemson |
| 6 | Oklahoma |
| 7 | USC |
| 8 | Oklahoma State |
| 9 | Kentucky |
| 10 | Arkansas |
| 11 | Michigan State |
| 12 | BYU |
| 13 | Miami |
| 14 | Utah |
| 15 | Tennessee |
| 16 | N.C State |
| 17 | Baylor |
| 18 | Florida |
| 19 | Wake Forest |
| 20 | Ole Miss |
| 21 | Texas |
| 22 | Penn State |
| 23 | Pitt |
| 24 | Texas A&M |
| 25 | Oregon |
![Florida Gators wide receiver Eugene Wilson III (3) hauls in a pass while taking balls from a throwing machine during University of Florida Gators’ Spring football practice at Sanders Practice Fields in Gainesville, FL on Thursday, March 28, 2024. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]](https://on3static.com/cdn-cgi/image/height=215,width=393,quality=90,fit=cover,gravity=0.5x0.5/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2024/08/01212103/Untitled-design-80.png)
![Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier walks during the first half at the Orange and Blue spring football game at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, April 13, 2024. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun]](https://on3static.com/cdn-cgi/image/height=215,width=393,quality=90,fit=cover,gravity=0.5x0.5/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2024/04/18141240/Untitled-design-72-2.png)
