Latest AP Top 25 is feeling better about the Gators

Florida’s 42-20 win over South Florida on Saturday was never in doubt, but some mistakes allowed the Bulls to keep it a lot closer than it should have been. It’s clear that the Gators have a lot to tighten up ahead of one of the biggest regular-season games in years as No. 1 Alabama comes to town on Saturday.

But UF will enter that matchup with a new ranking. With No. 9 Iowa State’s loss to Iowa on Saturday and No. 8 Notre Dame struggling with an opponent it shouldn’t have for the second week in a row, Florida jumped both the Cyclones and the Fighting Irish.

Now at No. 11 in the AP Top 25, Florida is still the fourth-highest ranked SEC team behind the Crimson Tide, No. 2 Georgia and No. 7 Texas A&M, who nearly dropped a game to Colorado on Saturday and lost quarterback Haynes King to an injury in the process. The Aggies dropped two spots from No. 5.

The Gators’ rise in the AP Poll could hit a brick wall against ‘Bama next week, but a victory in that game would almost certainly send the team surging into the top five.

Full Associated Press Top 25 Poll:

Dropped from the rankings:

No. 14 USC, No. 15 Texas, No. 21 Utah

Others receiving votes:

UCF 111, TCU 103, Liberty 52, Michigan State 44, USC 39, Indiana 34, LSU 31, Kansas State 30, Nevada 28, Oklahoma State 27, Texas 23, Maryland 14, Kentucky 13, Pittsburgh 13, Stanford 10, Utah 9, Boston College 8, Fresno State 2, Texas Tech 2, Toledo 2, Army 1

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