It’s been eight years since the coaches and Associated Press Polls have thought this highly of the Florida Gators.
Following an opening game win over the Ole Miss Rebels the Gators were ranked No. 3 in both polls.
The 51-35 win on the road was enough to vault the Gators up three spots from No. 6 in both polls to No. 3 despite both polls reintroducing teams from the Big Ten and Big 12, who recently voted to have football this fall after previously canceling the season. Florida jumped Oklahoma, (lost to Kansas State), LSU (lost to Mississippi State), and Georgia, who had to bench a quarterback and make a comeback against Arkansas.
“Great win for us, coming out here. Obviously coming on the road, always tough to play on the road in the SEC. So many questions. You don’t know what you’re expecting. You don’t know what’s going to be happening with the atmosphere, early kickoff. It was just great to be out there playing football again,” Dan Mullen said after the win Saturday. “So great to be out there playing football again.”
The Clemson Tigers remained No. 1 with Alabama coming in at No. 2 after the Tide easily handled Missouri over the weekend. The SEC has eight teams in the top-25.
Florida hasn’t been ranked this high in either poll since October 21, 2012. That season the Gators opened up 7-0 with wins at Texas A&M, at Tennessee, at Vanderbilt and home wins over Kentucky and LSU at home. Florida even received one first place vote during their climb to No. 3 that season, the only school other than Alabama to receive a first place vote.
In an interesting note, Florida will open the home season this Saturday welcoming Will Muschamp and the South Carolina Gamecocks to Be Hill Griffin Stadium. Will Muschamp was Florida’s head coach in 2012 the last time Florida was ranked No. 3 in these polls.
Here are the complete polls
AP Top 25
1. Clemson (55)
2. Alabama (3)
3. Florida
4. Georgia
5. Notre Dame
6. Ohio State
7. Auburn
8. Miami
9. Texas
10. Penn State
11. UCF
12. North Carolina
13. Texas A&M
14. Oregon
15. Cincinnati
16. Mississippi State
17. Oklahoma State
18. Oklahoma
19. Wisconsin
20. LSU
21. Tennessee
22. BYU
23. Michigan
24. Pittsburgh
25. Memphis
Coaches Poll
1. Clemson (42)
2. Alabama (4)
3. Florida
4. Georgia
5. Notre Dame
6. Ohio State
7. Auburn
8. Miami
9. Texas
10. Penn State
11. North Carolina
12. UCF
13. Texas A&M
14. Mississippi State
15. Cincinnati
16. Oklahoma
17. LSU
18. Wisconsin
19. Oklahoma State
20. Tennessee
21. Michigan
22. BYU
23. Virginia Tech
24. Memphis
25. Pittsburgh