Final 2025 SEC power rankings: 13 - Florida
Much like Auburn, there was a lot of excitement around the Gators in the preseason, and much like Auburn, that excitement ended up being profoundly unrequited. DJ Lagway and company were unable to accomplish very much in terms of wins despite possessing one of the most talented rosters in the conference, with the win over the Longhorns really being only the one of substance.
This year appeared to be a gambit by the Gators to delay the firing of Billy Napier and instead invest the would-be buyout into bringing in a lot of high-level players, hoping to give him one last chance in Gainesville. That obviously failed to pass muster, so they eventually decided enough was enough.
Things really went downhill at the end of the year, the win over Florida State notwithstanding. While the Gators looked good in some of their losses, Georgia being the chief example here, they looked completely listless in others.
Overall, especially compared to preseason expectations, this was a very subpar showing for the Gators, which is why they ended up so low on this list. Their future outlook is pretty bright— I think Sumrall was a great hire— but right now, this is a bad look.