Let's talk about Florida's insane jump in the AP Poll

Week Two of college football is full of overreactions, and the biggest of them all may have come from AP voters. Florida entered the season tied for 37th in the AP Poll, an understandable position considering Billy Napier is in his first year as the Gators’ head coach. On Saturday, the Gators upset No. 7 Utah in the Swamp, a victory that vaulted them all the way to No. 12 in the AP Poll. That’s a 25-spot jump, the biggest for an unranked team in the AP Poll since 2016. Contrast that to the Coaches Poll, where the Gators only rose to No. 19.

When you look at the breakdown, 15 AP voters had the Gators in their top TEN, with Matt Brown of The Athletic ranking them as high as No. 5. Keep in mind only two voters had Florida in their preseason Top 25. Beating a top-ten team in an opening game is impressive but does it merit that big a jump? Anthony Richardson was amazing, but if not for Amari Burney‘s interception in the end zone with 17 seconds left, Utah could have won the game. The Gators only outgained the Utes by five total yards and had two fewer first downs.

Here’s Brown’s justification for putting the Gators at No. 5.

If nobody truly deserves the spots from fourth through 10th yet, why not disregard preseason skepticism, based only on assumptions, and vote for the team that went out and won one of the perceived biggest games of Week 1? Voters were all over the map, with 14 others joining me in putting Florida in the top 10, according to College Poll Tracker. Ultimately, the Gators ended up No. 12 in the poll, receiving at least one vote at every spot on the ballot from No. 5 through No. 21.

Utah had a handful of key personnel losses — Devin Lloyd would have helped on Saturday night — but it felt like a known quantity as the defending Pac-12 champion with a physical identity and a returning starter at quarterback in Cam Rising. So it’s not a stretch to reward Florida for coming up with the big plays needed to fend off the Utes and notch a home upset in Billy Napier’s debut. Though the Gators flopped last year, it’s not like the roster lacks talent — especially if quarterback Anthony Richardson builds off a jaw-dropping athletic performance.

Matt Brown, The Athletic

If all of this sounds like sour grapes, let me assure you it’s not. The higher the ranking the better when Kentucky’s coming to town, in my opinion. A win over the No. 12 team on the road would look mighty fine on the Cats’ resume, and the inflated ranking will probably further motivate a team that feeds on bulletin board material. If I had an AP vote, I’d put Florida No. 1 this week.

Kentucky’s Range in the AP Poll

Kentucky stayed put in the AP Poll at No. 20 after the 37-13 win over Miami (OH). The Cats were ranked as high as ninth (Mike Barber) and seven voters had the Cats outside of the Top 25, including Matt Brown, who ranked Florida fifth. If you’re curious, Brown had nine “extreme picks” via College Poll Tracker, or picks five spots from the actual ranking.