Florida is ranked in top 10 of AP Top 25 to open season for first time since 2013.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The Florida Gators will storm the field Saturday night against the Miami Hurricanes as the No. 8 team in the country according to voters in the Associated Press Top 25 Preseason Poll.
Florida's position in the season-opening poll,
released early Monday afternoon, is its highest since 2013 when the Gators opened at No. 10. Meanwhile, the ranking is UF's highest ranking to start any season since 2010 when the Gators checked in at No. 4 in the AP Top 25 Preseason Poll.
The Gators kick off the 2019 campaign Saturday in Orlando against Miami at Camping World Stadium. As the Gators enter their second season under head coach
Dan Mullen, they will try to maintain the on-field momentum they built at the end of last season when they won their final four games.
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Florida closed the season with a 41-15 victory over Michigan in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl to finish 10-3 and tied with Georgia at No. 7 in the final AP Top 25. The Gators return 13 position players who started in the program's first win over the Wolverines, including fourth-year junior quarterback
Feleipe Franks.
The Gators are one of six SEC teams ranked the poll and the only Power 5 school from the state of Florida. Florida is ranked No. 8 in the
Preseason Amway Coaches Poll, which was released earlier this month.
