Gators receive votes in AP Top 25 football poll
People are taking notice of the Florida Gators after they posted back-to-back wins over ranked teams. When the new AP Top 25 football poll was released Sunday afternoon, the Gators showed up in the “Others receiving votes” category with four points. That would put them 33rd, ironically one spot behind Louisiana, where Florida coach Billy Napier worked before the Gators hired him.
For Florida, it’s a small, yet somewhat significant step.
The Gators began the season 1-2. All five of their losses have come against teams currently ranked — and four of them are ranked in the Top 10. But lately, Florida is playing good ball — and winning.
The Gators are 6-5 after beating No. 9 Ole Miss at home Saturday, 24-17. They were a double-digit underdog. The previous week, Florida beat then-No. 22 LSU at home, 27-16. The win over the Rebels was the Gators’ highest-ranked SEC win as an unranked team since defeating No. 9 Georgia, 38-20, on Nov. 1, 2014.
Florida Gators coach Billy Napier got a huge win Saturday
“That first month of the year was a challenge in every facet. And I think young people, at that point they’ve got to decide who they want to be and what they’re about. I think this group of seniors, there’s very specific players in that group, very grateful for them,” Napier said Saturday. “We challenged the team we play today should reflect that group and the courage and the adversity that they’ve shown.
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“I think the whole message this week was earn the right to win. And I think that we have to earn the right to win throughout the week. And then ultimately when we get to the park, it’s not about yesterday, it’s not about tomorrow. It’s not about who’s on the other sideline. You’ve got to spot the ball and you’ve got to go earn the right to win.”
The Florida Gators were double-digit underdogs in three of their past four games. But now, it’s Florida’s turn to be a heavy favorite when the Gators play at Florida State next weekend to cap the regular season.
Per betting lines from FanDuel, Florida currently is a 13.5-point favorite (-110) against the Seminoles, whom the Gators face in Tallahassee, Fla., this coming Saturday on ESPN2. The money line for Florida as a double-digit favorite is -580 with FSU being at +420 as the underdog.
FSU is 2-9.
