Ranking Every Power 4 College Football Program in the State of Florida

Since the turn of the century, only one state has had three national championship College Football teams: the Sunshine State, Florida. The Miami Hurricanes won in 2001, the Florida Gators won in 2006 and 2008, and the Florida State Seminoles won in 2013.

While these Power 4 programs have extensive histories, where do they rank within America's 27th state ahead of the 2026 season?

No. 4: UCF Knights

To be fair, the UCF Knights just joined the Power 4 party ahead of the 2023 season. There's not a well-established donor base like Central Florida's three counterparts. Still, with Scott Frost back in charge, the Knights aren't even restoring the glory of their 2017/2018 run to become a claimed national champion.

UCF has an NIL/rev-share spend under $10 million, so it's not likely they'll do much in a crowded Big 12 that's ruled by a Texas Tech Red Raiders squad that outspent them by more than four times over. The Knights are at the bottom of Florida's totem pole in football until further notice.

No. 3: Florida State Seminoles

Mike Norvell has been forced into being FSU's lead play-caller following Gus Malzahn's retirement this past February. That probably doesn't bode well for a Noles offense that was hoping Auburn Tigers transfer quarterback Ashton Daniels' skillset would mesh with Malzahn's Wing T-heavy attack.

It's tough to project FSU being a contender in a deep ACC with Norvell and defensive coordinator Tony White coming into the season as lame ducks who haven't produced a winning season together in two tries.

No. 2: Florida Gators

Jon Sumrall figures to elevate the Florida Gators from the lows of the Billy Napier era. Whether or not UF is a true contender in the SEC is a different question, but this should be an eight- or nine-win squad in 2026.

Buster Faulkner should run an attack that looked like the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets' over the past few years, with Aaron Philo having a dynamic RB1 in Jaden Baugh, who will help him move the ball downfield, and a game-breaking WR1 in Micah Mays Jr. to make magic with downfield. If Sumrall's deep portal haul on the defensive side holds up, this team has a CFP bubble team ceiling.

No. 1: Miami Hurricanes

After an appearance in the CFP title game, the Miami Hurricanes replenished a roster with double-digit NFL draft-bound players with one of the most expensive transfer portal hauls, headlined by Duke Blue Devils transfer QB Darian Mensah.

After finishing last season with a +16.1 points per game margin and giving up a No. 5-ranked 14.8 points per game, Miami kept both coordinators and arguably improved from a talent perspective. This will be far and away the best team in Florida again this fall, with an ACC title and national championship push fully expected in Coral Gables and Miami Gardens.