Florida’s SEC preseason ranking creates a clear path to surprise everyone

Following an eventful week at SEC Media Days, it is time for the annual tradition of the predicted order of finish within the conference. As a reminder, Florida was picked 6th last year, and we all know how that ended. It could be worse; LSU was picked 4th, and South Carolina was picked 5th.

So this year’s preseason poll has the Gators about where we would expect them to be picked. It also shapes up a fascinating opportunity for the Gators to be one of the dark-horse teams to unseed one of the preseason darlings.

Florida picked 9th in the SEC Preseason Poll

In the official SEC Preseason Media Poll, the Gators have been picked 9th out of 16 teams. Georgia leads the way, with Texas close behind for the 1st and 2nd slots in the poll.

Where the window of opportunity for Florida takes hold is looking at the rest of their schedule compared to where the SEC is slotted. For what it is worth, the Gators were picked ahead of Missouri, South Carolina, Auburn, Vanderbilt, and Kentucky. Beat those five teams and win their three non-conference games (FAU, Campbell, and FSU), and that would leave Florida with an 8-4 record in Jon Sumrall’s maiden voyage.

Not amazing, but it would provide building blocks for a real surge in 2027.

The two teams on this list that feel the most vulnerable, and who could boost Florida from a potential 8-4 season to a 10-2 year with a playoff berth, are Ole Miss and Oklahoma.

Ole Miss was picked 3rd in this poll, and it is fair to question whether they will live up to that billing now that Lane Kiffin has moved on. Yes, Trinidad Chambliss is still at QB, but the Rebels otherwise had a ton of roster turnover and had to build their new roster with first-time head coach Pete Golding. 

And let’s be honest, it’s fascinating that Ole Miss is in third when plenty of those same media members have ranked Golding himself fairly low when ranking the coaches specifically within the SEC.

Oklahoma is 7th, and they, too, feel like someone Florida could go out and beat. Roster construction-wise, both teams are going to feel pretty even, and that game is going to be at The Swamp. It would not be an insane upset if Florida beat the Sooners this year.

Yes, after a 4-8 season, it is a bit unbelievable to be dreaming of a 10-2 season. But Florida’s roster is good enough to pull it off. But when one looks at the SEC poll and starts dialing in on Florida’s actual schedule, it doesn’t hurt to dream in July.

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