After what was one of the craziest college football seasons in recent history, the Florida Gators have finished 13th in the final AP Top 25 Poll. The season ended Monday night in Hard Rock Stadium with the Alabama Crimson Tide defeating the Ohio State Buckeyes by a score of 52-24. Nick Saban won his 7th National Title Game as a head coach, adding yet another reason as to why he is the best to ever do it. Sadly for Gator fans, Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide are not going away any time soon. Even with that being said, it is important for Gator fans to look back on the 2020 College Football season with hope. This Florida program should be able to compete against the Crimson Tide in the near future.
How the Gators Got Here
Despite the hard schedule difficulty, many people believed the Florida Gators were destined to have a fantastic season. The Gators were loaded on offense coming into the season, with the two Kyle’s leading the way. Throughout most of the season, it seemed like quarterback Kyle Trask would lead the Gators to a possible playoff birth. The Gators started the season off with a record of 8-1 by beating talented teams such as rival Georgia along the way. However, the Gators hit a roadblock against LSU in the final game of the regular season and never seemed to be able to recover, ultimately losing their last three games of the season and finishing with a record of 8-4. Overall, the Gators finished the season on a very low note. With that being said, head coach Dan Mullen still showed that this program is a contender.
Overall Takeaways
When looking at the Florida Gators overall 2020 resume, finishing 13th in the AP poll seems understandable. The ranking reflects how the Gators overall season went, as they played good football but just could not get the job done. If the Gators wish to finish higher in the rankings next year, they will need to greatly improve the defensive production. The Gators will also need a breakout season from quarterback Emory Jones, who should be the starter come fall time. Unfortunately for the Gators, the road to the playoff will only get tougher next year. Alabama, Georgia, and LSU will be some of the Gators most notable 2021 matchups. The Gators will need their young talent to step up if they wish to compete with these powerhouses. If the Gators can not execute in these games, then they will find themselves around the same ranking spot.
Where Will the Gators be Ranked to Start 2021?
One big question for the Gators will be where they start in the first 2021 preseason rankings. Although the Gators still have some talent coming back, do not expect them to be a preseason top 10 team. With the loss of the two Kyle’s on offense the Gators should be a fringe top 15 team. This may sound harsh, but with poor production from the defense last year there is still much uncertainty looming. Another problem the pollsters will take into consideration is how Florida finished the 2020 season. A poor finish to a season will cause a negative taste in a pollster’s mouth going the into next season. However, the Gators can use this as motivation for the actual 2021 season. The lower they are ranked, the less there is to lose. If the Gators can rebound next season, they will impress a lot of people.