Florida Gators Snubbed from Preseason AP Top 25, Land Just Outside at No. 27

With the 2026 college football season just under two weeks away, the Associated Press released its preseason Top 25 rankings on Monday, and the Florida Gators found themselves on the outside looking in.

Despite receiving 51 votes, the Gators were placed at the unofficial No. 27 position, just missing the cut for the top 25. The SEC dominated the poll, with 13 of its 16 member schools receiving mention and nine landing inside the top 25.

SEC Dominance in the Poll

Georgia leads the SEC at No. 3 overall, followed by Texas at No. 5, Texas A&M at No. 8, Ole Miss at No. 9, and Oklahoma at No. 10. LSU (No. 11), Alabama (No. 13), Tennessee (No. 20), and Missouri (No. 25) also secured spots in the rankings. Other SEC teams receiving votes include South Carolina (10 votes), Vanderbilt (8), and Auburn (3), alongside Florida.

Florida's position mirrors its standing in the US LBM Coaches Poll, where the Gators also landed at the de facto No. 27 spot with 147 votes.

The Gators will kick off their 2026 campaign on Saturday, Sept. 5, hosting FAU at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, followed by a home game against Campbell the next week. SEC play begins on the road against Auburn on Sept. 19.

Originally reported by yahoo.