![Florida infielder Madison Walker (24) rounds second after hitting a home run fduring a NCAA softball game at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, March 21, 2026. Florida won 5-2[Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_2646,h_1488/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/213/01kqw39p3h6r4r47brj7.jpg "Florida infielder Madison Walker (24) rounds second after hitting a home run fduring a NCAA softball game at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, March 21, 2026. Florida won 5-2[Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun]")
After Florida knocked off FSU last week, took game one against Georgia, and took a 7-2 lead in game two against Georgia, it felt like the Gators were a lock to earn a top-eight seed for the NCAA Tournament and would be in line to host a potential Super Regional with a berth to the WCWS at stake.
Then, Florida fell apart and ended up dropping back-to-back games for the first time all season.
The end result is human polls and computer rankings putting the Gators on opposite sides of being a Super Regional host. With the SEC Tournament set to get underway, Florida can’t afford to be a one-and-done team if it hopes to solidify its chances of hosting through Super Regionals.
Florida begins SEC Tournament on Thursday
The latest Softball America Top 25 poll dropped Florida to 12th after losing the series to Georgia. Now, in case one needs a reminder of the inconsistencies of these polls, FSU moved up in the poll despite losing to Florida, but was rewarded for sweeping 13-38 Boston College.
Do you humans, do you.
RPI, while not perfect, likes the Gators much better. Florida did drop after the losses to Georgia, but the Gators sit in 5th in RPI. The Gators are bolstered by 12 Quad 1 wins, tied for 6th, and have the 13th-best strength of schedule.Â
It all sets up uncertainty heading into the SEC Tournament. The Gators did finish with the No. 3 seed in the SEC, behind Alabama and Oklahoma, but ahead of Tennessee, Texas, and Texas A&M. Florida gets a double-bye in the tournament and will get play underway on Thursday against either Texas A&M, Missouri, or Auburn.
Assuming it is the No. 6 seed Aggies, the Gators aren’t really in a spot where they can absorb a third straight loss and feel good about earning a top eight seed once the NCAA Tournament beings. Since 2008, Florida has been a top-eight seed all but twice (2022 and 2023). Of the 15 times they have been a top-eight seed, only three of those postseasons didn’t finish with a trip to Oklahoma City (2012, 2016, and 2021).
Florida’s game on Thursday is in Lexington, KY, and is slated to start at 11 AM.
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