Florida Gators Debut at No. 13 in 2021 AP Top 25
Photo: Dan Mullen; Credit: University of Florida athletic association
The first Associated Press Top 25 poll has been released ahead of the 2021 college football season, and the Florida Gators have picked up right where they left off eight months ago.
Florida is ranked at the No. 13 spot in the poll, the same placement the Gators finished in at the end of the 2020 season.
As Florida prepares to replace numerous key contributors on both sides of the ball in 2021 - quarterback Kyle Trask, tight end Kyle Pitts, wide receiver Kadarius Toney, defensive lineman Kyree Campbell, cornerback Marco Wilson and others come to mind - it comes as little surprise to see the Gators outside of the top ten despite their frequent inclusion throughout the 2020 campaign.
That being said, the AP still has confidence in the Gators being a top 25 team given the talent that UF returns as well as expects to take on a larger role in 2021. That would include Emory Jones taking over as the team's starting quarterback, defensive line depth being reloaded with the transfers of Daquan Newkirk and Antonio Valentino, and more.
You can find the top 25 rankings in their entirety below, with previous rankings in parenthesis.
1. Alabama (1)
2. Oklahoma (6)
3. Clemson (3)
4. Ohio State (2)
5. Georgia (7)
6. Texas A&M (4)
7. Iowa State (9)
8. Cincinnati (8)
9. Notre Dame (5)
10. North Carolina (18)
11. Oregon (NR)
12. Wisconsin (NR)
13. Florida (13)
14. Miami (Fla.) (22)
15. Southern California (21)
16. LSU (NR)
17. Indiana (12)
18. Iowa (16)
19. Penn State (NR)
20. Washington (NR)
21. Texas (19)
22. Coastal Carolina (14)
23. Louisiana-Lafayette (15)
24. Utah (NR)
25. Arizona State (NR)
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