USA TODAY Sports excludes Florida from top SEC playoff contenders

USA TODAY Sports published its 2026 preseason record projections, placing Florida outside the group of elite Southeastern Conference playoff contenders. While the publication lists Texas, Georgia, Oklahoma, Alabama, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, and LSU as top teams, the Gators were omitted from the elite tier. First-year head coach Jon Sumrall leads the program, which faces a challenging schedule including matchups against Texas and Georgia. ESPN's Football Power Index ranks Florida 17th with 6.7 estimated wins, while 247Sports places the team 12th in its talent rankings. Analysts suggest the team holds sufficient talent to impact conference standings despite the modest external expectations for the season. Florida plays four of the teams identified as SEC favorites, with games against Ole Miss and Oklahoma scheduled at home in Gainesville.

• 5:17 PMYahoo Sports — USA TODAY Sports leaves Florida outside SEC's top contenders in 2026