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.
Florida hosts No. 20 Kentucky at 7 p.m. Saturday with a chance to further validate the program’s new direction under Napier.
Quarterback Anthony Richardson’s performance surely influenced some of the AP poll’s 63 voters, too. The redshirt sophomore making his first start in the Swamp totaled 274 yards, including 106 rushing and 3 TDs.
Richardson’s playmaking and poise give the Gators a chance to exceed expectations.
“If any team has a guy like Anthony on their team, they’re in a position to win,” tailback Montrell Johnson Jr. said.
The Gators’ move from unranked to No. 12 is the best since 2016 when Texas entered the poll at No. 11 and Wisconsin No. 10 after each began the season outside the Top 25.
Florida went from unranked to the top-10 in 1965 (No. 8) and 1966 (No. 10) when the AP poll featured just 20 teams. The Gators’ quarterback at the time was Steve Spurrier.
The coaches poll ranked the Gators No. 19.
