Gators Get First CFP Projections After Win Over Ole Miss

Picking up a top-five win did wonders for the aspirations of the Florida Gators. While they entered the season expected to play in a bowl game this season, they're now projected to reach the College Football Playoff.

In some instances, they're projected to be the hosts of first-round games at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Now that they're a top-10 team in the AP and Coaches Polls, it's only fitting that they're in that conversation. Here's what the projections say so far.

Home Playoff Games

vs. Oregon: CBS Sports

The Ducks are coming off a win on the road against the USC Trojans, 41-27. With the win, they moved up to No. 15 in the AP Poll. They'll lose quarterback Dante Moore for a time after he sustained a concussion on a scary hit in the game from USC linebacker Desman Stephens.

Fortunately, reports say that's the worst of it.

I'm not going to speculate at this time about what it means beyond that because there is so much we don't know. There's a lot of season left. We'll just focus on the usual things when looking at potential matchups.

If this matchup were to line up, it would be a rare one.

Florida hasn't played many former Pac-12 and West Coast schools in general. It was a big deal when they played a home-and-home series with Utah back in 2022 and 2023.

Florida played Oregon once, back in 1929. It was played in Miami. The head coach was Charlie Bachman, and they weren't at their current stadium yet on campus. They played their home games at an adjacent location called Fleming Field. Oh, and the SEC wouldn't exist for three more years.

Florida won that game 20-3 to finish the season 8-2.

Postseason action is typically when teams who rarely play each other go head-to-head. But it's crazy after nearly a century, nothing has lined up. Maybe this is the year.

Away Playoff Games

at Indiana: College Football News

Another projection has them taking on a team that the Gators haven't played in even longer. It's the defending national champions. Florida last played Indiana in 1916. It was in Bloomington. So, this technically wouldn't be a first for the Gators.

The Gators lost that game 14-3 to finish 0-5 that season. It was their first losing season in program history.

We like to think this would be a much better opponent for the Hoosiers this time around.

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