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Gators' Longshot Path to Playoff Revealed with First CFP Poll

The Florida Gators are ranked in the CFP Poll for the first time since the 2020 season.
Cam Parker|
The Florida Gators are ranked in the CFP Poll for the first time since the 2020 season.
The Florida Gators are ranked in the CFP Poll for the first time since the 2020 season. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Gators now have a better look at a longshot path for the College Football Playoff, with the CFP's first ranking for the 2026 season being released on Tuesday. The Gators came in at No. 24, 12 spots behind the final seed for the playoff.

Florida's ranking, however, marks its first appearance in the CFP Poll since 2020, when the Gators came in at No. 7 in the final poll after an 8-4 finish and an appearance in the Cotton Bowl. Florida previously came in at No. 25 in Sunday's AP Poll.

While Florida is a longshot to get back into playoff contention, there is a path. For starters, the Gators own wins over two current CFP top-10 teams in No. 7 Texas and No. 10 Ole Miss. Florida will have a chance for a third top-10 win when they face No. 6 Kentucky on Nov. 17.

That being said, losses to No. 2 Georgia, No. 18 Missouri and No. 21 South Carolina by an average of 18.3 points remain massive eyesores, but if the Gators handle business against its unranked opponents (Oklahoma, Vanderbilt, Florida State) and find a way to upset the Wildcats, the path to the CFP will reopen.

"With the games we have in front of us, you know the old adage, ‘You remember the games you play in November.’ These games are valuable," head coach Jon Sumrall said on Monday. "How you finish matters. And you look down this last stretch, we got three conference games and a rivalry game at the end."

Florida also could benefit from teams in front of them losing, especially this weekend. Ranked matchups to watch this week are No. 3 Utah vs. No. 9 BYU, No. 7 Texas vs. No. 18 Missouri, No. 5 Alabama vs. No. 14 LSU, No. 12 Ohio State vs. No. 23 Oregon, No. 6 Kentucky vs. No. 13 Tennessee, No. 1 Miami vs. No. 11 Notre Dame and No. 2 Georgia vs. No. 10 Ole Miss.

A win over Oklahoma on Saturday, plus multiple lower-ranked teams losing against higher-ranked opponents will be key if the Gators want to get back into playoff contention.

"It's a huge difference going 5-7 versus 9-3," defensive lineman Brendan Bett said. "So, the goal is we have a lot more ball to finish out strong. And (Emmanuel Oyebadejo) said, you never know what college football brings you, especially this year. It's been people losing all over and you never know where we can end up as long as we keep our heads up and finish strong."

The weekly CFP Poll, which now replaces the AP Poll as the main ranking system for the rest of the season, will be released every Tuesday until Sunday, Dec. 6, when the postseason poll is released that determines the CFP. The four Power Four conference champions and the highest-ranked Group of Six team make up the five guaranteed spots int he playoff, while the other seven spots will go to the next seven highest-ranked teams.

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Cam Parker
CAM PARKER

Cam Parker is a reporter covering the Florida Gators, Auburn Tigers and Clemson Tigers with a degree in journalism from the University of Florida. He also covers and broadcasts Alachua County high school sports with The Prep Zone and Mainstreet Daily News. When he isn't writing, he enjoys listening to '70s music such as The Band or Lynyrd Skynyrd, binge-watching shows and playing with his cat, Chester, and dog, Rufus.

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