CFB27 new rankings confirms the test awaiting Brad White and the Florida defense

Over time, the EA Sports NCAA/College Football video game series has always billed itself as the closest a gamer can get to the college football experience without actually being on the field. If that's the case, then the Florida Gators defense has a tall order ahead of them.

Many of the early rankings for the upcoming video game (scheduled release date is July 9) are out and Florida will have four of the game's top ten offenses on the schedule. 

Texas, Ole Miss, Missouri and Oklahoma are all on the list and all on the Gators' upcoming slate. It's going to be a trial by fire for the Gators defense, with Ole Miss and Missouri coming on the schedule in consecutive weeks. Texas and Oklahoma are separated by a few weeks, but Georgia, which will be played in Atlanta this year, is sandwiched in between those games. Remember there are no breaks in the SEC schedule...ever.

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CFB 27 rankings have the Gators playing some of the best offenses in the country

The Gators defense did an exceptional job last season against Texas in Ron Roberts' scheme. They held the Longhorns to under 350 yards on offense and frustrated Arch Manning into two interceptions to pull off a 24-17 upset win at the Swamp. That, however, paled in comparison to what Brad White's defense did to the Longhorns when they went to Kentucky last year. The Wildcats held Texas to 179 yards and completely shut down the Longhorns' rushing attack (28 carries for 47 yards). If we're being honest, there's no real explanation for how Kentucky lost that game, outside of them being Kentucky. But if White's mastery of Texas' offense can be replicated at Florida, then the Gators will have a much better chance in Austin than many experts are giving them. 

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If there is one team that, historically, the Gators should feel good about playing at home, it's Ole Miss. The Gators and Rebels haven't been annual opponents in years, but it seems like every time an overhyped Ole Miss squad comes through Gainesville, it leaves after suffering a humiliating defeat. Back in 2015, the Rebels were No. 3 in the country, undefeated and a few weeks removed from a road win over Alabama, and they got whipped. Two years ago, Ole Miss was ranked in the top 10 and were basically a win away from making the 12-team playoff, but the Rebels came to the Swamp and got whipped. The meltdown Jaxson Dart suffered in Gainesville almost ruined his draft stock. 

This time, Ole Miss has Trinidad Chambliss, Kewan Lacy and the confidence of a group that went to the CFP semifinals last year. But, as history tells us, that confidence won't amount to much when the Rebels experience the first SEC game in the Swamp under the Jon Sumrall era.

So yeah, this schedule is tough, and these teams are great, but the Gators are well-equipped to prove the video game rankings might not translate to real life. 

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