GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida debuted at No. 12 the Associated Press Top 25, marking the Gators’ biggest one-week leap since the prestigious poll moved to 25 teams.
Coach Billy Napier’s rebuild at Florida appears to be ahead of schedule following his team’s 29-26 come-from-behind win against No. 7 Utah, a 3-point favorite and reigning Pac-12 champion.
The Gators entered Napier’s first season unranked and selected to finish fourth in the SEC East. But Saturday’s victory against a top-10 team quickly changed the narrative.