State of Florida CFB Rankings Heading Into Week 6

There’s much to discuss about the college football programs for the Knights, Gators, Seminoles, Hurricanes, and Bulls.

This has been a topsy-turvy college football season. That’s not being denied. Still, trying to unlock the secrets to what makes each of the five primary college football programs inside the state of Florida tick is like asking for the winning Powerball numbers.

Which team(s) inside the state of Florida are getting it done, and which one's are on the rise?

Here goes…

1) Florida State Seminoles (4-1, 2-1 in the ACC)

Even after the loss to Wake Forest by the score of 31-21 to masterful signal caller Sam Hartman, the Noles are still the best team in Florida until otherwise proven. Why? They have shown the ability to win away from Doak Campbell Stadium, defeating LSU 24-23 in the New Orleans Caesars Superdome.

Additionally, FSU won 35-31 over Louisville on the road. That served as valuable data for the No. 2 team that was edged out on this list.

Here are a few more key points about what the Seminoles are doing well through their first five games of the 2022 season.

Although just the No. 41 scoring defense in the country, FSU has gone against some talented signal callers like LSU’s Jayden Daniels and Louisville’s Malik Cunningham. The Noles are allowing 21.2 points per game.

There’s also the point of FSU’s rushing attack, which is No. 24 in the land at 203.8 yards per game. That’s been the backbone of what FSU has accomplished en route to a 4-1 start to the season.

Lastly, it’s just being timely. Whether it’s been a key third down that’s been completed from emerging signal caller Jordan Travis, a pass deflection from a member of the defense, or a good job up front to open a running lane on third down for Treshaun Ward, FSU has found a way to make key plays.

Note: Travis has gone from a liability as a passer to one that has completed 65.9% of his passes, thrown for 1,226 yards, eight touchdowns and only one interception. Combined with the rushing ability of Travis, that’s a lethal combination.

Next up for FSU is a trip to Raleigh, N.C. to play the North Carolina State Wolfpack. Safe money bets on NC ST to pull off the home victory. The Wolf Pack are -3.5 in this game. Do not discount FSU from winning, however. They are going to be ticked about losing at home to Wake Forest.

2) UCF Knights (4-1, 1-0 in the AAC)

Remember the point above about FSU winning on the road against Louisville? Well, that’s UCF’s lone loss, at home, 20-14. Otherwise the Knights would be No. 1. They could still ascend to the top in short order.

If there was ever a team with a defense that truly bows up at the most important times, that would be the Knights. Giving up only 14.6 points per game, good for No. 13 in the nation, UCF’s defense defines the word clutch.

In fact, UCF held Georgia Tech from scoring on all five of its trips into the red zone two games ago. Against SMU with a big-time quarterback in Tanner Mordecai, the Mustangs went three of four in the red zone but kicked two field goals and scored the last touchdown with one second remaining in garbage time. That’s excellent defense.

That fact is testimonial evidence to making big plays when it matters most. On offense, the Knights are still a power football team first, but they are starting to hit their stride in the passing game as well.

Led by wide receivers Javon Baker and Ryan O’Keefe, quarterback John Rhys Plumlee has found two playmakers that he’s in full rhythm with now. The two receivers combined for 255 yards receiving and two touchdowns during the 41-19 victory over SMU.

Opposing defenses must also contend with a rushing attack that’s a three-headed monster of Isaiah Bowser, Johnny Richardson and RJ Harvey, not to forget Plumlee’s rushing ability either, to go along with a quick-strike passing game.

One last point to note: The Knights have been truly excellent with the special teams efforts during the past two games. Kickoffs, punts, coverage units, and returns have all aided UCF. During close games, special teams can be the deciding factor.

UCF is off this weekend and will play the “Space Game” against Temple on Oct. 13.

3) Florida Gators (3-2, 0-2 in the SEC)

In the introduction, the term topsy-turvy was utilized. The Gators are a prime reason why. That’s not surprising with a first-year head coach in Billy Napier at the helm. Almost all coaches taking over a turbulent program like Florida are going to hit some rocky spots. To that point, a couple of statistics to consider.

First, the Gators are just No. 60 in the nation in turnover margin. That includes six interceptions from talented quarterback Anthony Richardson. He’s simply not made enough quality decisions after the snap. He does get hot though.

Richardson lit up Tennessee for 453 yards and two touchdowns. He did have one of those pesky interceptions in that game as well. Defense is the bigger concern.

UF has not consistently performed well against opposing offenses beyond the Utah game to open the season, a 29-26 win. Kentucky was held to 70 yards rushing, but then USF went for 286 yards on the ground. That was followed up with Tennessee acquiring 227 yards of rushing offense the very next game.

Florida’s passing defense has been okay considering it went up against Tennessee’s vaunted aerial attack, but it still needs to go up another notch if the Gators want to avoid several more losses down the stretch of a difficult SEC schedule that includes LSU, Georgia and Texas A&M.

On that note, at least Richardson is not being coached by Jimbo Fisher of the Aggies. Brutal.

Next up for Florida is a home matchup with Missouri in which it’s favored by 11 points. Mizzou almost upset Georgia last week at home. It also choked on the road against Auburn the week before. What Missouri team shows up in The Swamp?

Florida better not take Missouri lightly…

4) Miami Hurricanes (2-2, 0-0 in the ACC)

After defeating Bethune-Cookman and Southern Miss, the Canes let opportunities at Texas A&M cost itself a potential program-changing win. Losing 45-31 to Middle Tennessee State at home the next week, however, cost UM fans to go bonkers.

They should have. Miami looked lethargic and uninterested. Meanwhile, MTSU was truly the more focused and determined team. In particular, Miami’s secondary was picked apart by giving up 408 yards and three touchdowns through the air, including a 98-yard score.

Miami is now the No. 95 passing defense in the nation despite intercepting five passes. The reason would be coverage busts and some untimely poor technique on deep balls. The Hurricanes do possess a quality rushing defense.

At No. 10 in the nation by allowing 85 yards per contest on the ground, Miami has something to hang its hat on. Just have to find a way to shore up the secondary, as it’s flat out underperformed.

It’s not like there is no talent with James Williams a part of a secondary that’s full of highly-recruited underclassmen. That point about experience might be the issue. Let’s see how the Hurricanes improve from this point forward against the pass. That’s important considering North Carolina’s high-flying passing game comes to play at Hard Rock Stadium for Miami’s next game.

UNC averages 319.6 yards through the air, No. 12 in the nation. Miami will be challenged to slow them down. The other side of the ball needs to help play keep away, something it struggled with of late.

Missed passes, protection issues, and even struggling to pound the football inside the two yard line against MTSU has hindered Miami’s offense. Can quarterback Tyler Van Dyke get rolling again after a horrible game against MTSU?

He had better, as North Carolina’s offense is not going to be easy to knock off. Van Dyke also needs the rushing attack to be more effective, and that begins with the offensive line opening more holes. For such an experienced group of players, it’s been up and down this season.

Miami is a 3.5-point favorite against North Carolina. Should it be? Here's an interesting take on why Miami is favored to win by the Vegas odds makers.

One fact that cannot be denied: North Carolina’s defense is awful by allowing 33.6 points per game, No. 112 in the nation. This could be a shootout that’s fun to watch and the team that wins having the football last.

5) USF Bulls (1-4, 0-1 in the AAC)

It’s been ugly. Again. A 2-10 record in 2021 has been followed by more lackluster performances to begin the 2022 season. There’s one game in particular that hurts.

USF came up short on the road at Florida in a game that it led in the fourth quarter. Imagine how USF would look if it just could have held on! Well, that did not happen.

The Bulls are just a mess on defense by allowing a ridiculous 38 points per game. That’s all the way down to No. 122 in the nation. After seeing how East Carolina just obliterated the USF defense, it’s hard to find wins.

Speaking of wins, the only time USF came out on top was a win over Howard, a FCS team, by the score of 42-20. So what do the Bulls do well?

At 169.6 yards rushing per game, the Bulls are No. 57 in the nation. Not great but solid. It’s the passing game that’s causing more issues as it is the No. 113 unit in the country.

Baylor quarterback transfer Gerry Bohanon has completed 55.6% of his passes, with only 822 yards, and has thrown three touchdowns and six interceptions. When a defense has struggled, compiling the issue with a bad passing attack that includes six interceptions is only causing the team to struggle more.

Unless something changes and does so quickly, it’s hard to see USF winning more than two or three games this season. Just too many errors that lead to issues.

Do not look now, but USF is an underdog during its next game on the road against Cincinnati by 28 points. 

---

2022 UCF Football Roster

2022 UCF Football Schedule

2023 UCF Commitment List

Keep up with UCF News! Check out, like, and subscribe to Inside The Knights on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram