Florida Gators Ranked No. 8 in 2020 Preseason AP Top 25

For Florida, the expectations coming into this season are incredibly high, however, a jump in the presason rankings isn't there to show it. Last season, the Gators ranked No. 8 on the AP Top 25 in the preseason, finishing at No. 6, and this year it appears the trend will continue as they once again begin the year at No. 8.

When adjusted to not include programs from conferences that have opted out of the 2020 season, Florida stands at No. 6 in the AP Poll.

Entering his third season as head coach, Dan Mullen will have to lead the team to newer heights. Over the past two seasons, the Gators have won 10 and 11 games, respectively, creating another hurdle of reaching the College Football Playoffs will be a tough ask, especially considering the circumstances; a 10-game, conference-only schedule, however, they're certainly in one of the best positions to make the leap.

In 2020, the Gators will be returning redshirt senior quarterback Kyle Trask. While he is not completely entrenched as the full-time starting quarterback - redshirt sophomore Emory Jones has a solid shot at playing at some point -, returning your starting quarterback from the previous season already puts you at a leg up against some of the competition.

Within the SEC itself, three major teams - Alabama, LSU and Georgia - could all be playing with new signal-callers. Those transitions may not result in losses, however, against a team like the Gators, there could be more opportunities for its veteran defense to take advantage.

The Gators will have to build on their previous year to reach the expectations this poll, and others, have given them. The Gators are the fourth-ranked SEC team in the country, with Alabama (No. 3), Georgia (N0. 4), and LSU (No. 6) ahead of them. A total of seven SEC teams can be found in the Preseason Top 25.

Here is the full list of the AP Preseason Top 25. All programs were taken into account, regardless of if their conference has canceled their fall seasons amidst the coronavirus pandemic:

1. Clemson

2, Ohio State

3. Alabama

4. Georgia

5. Oklahoma

6. LSU

7. Penn State

8. Florida

9. Oregon

10. Notre Dame

11. Auburn

12. Wisconsin

13. Texas A&M

14. Texas

15. Oklahoma State

16. Michigan

17. USC

18. North Carolina

19 Minnesota

20. Cincinnati

21. UCF

22. Utah

23. Iowa State

24. Iowa

25. Tennessee