The Florida Gators made the most significant statement of Week 4, climbing all the way to eighth place in the latest US LBM Coaches Poll Top 25. The surge follows a decisive 52-28 victory over Mississippi at home, marking the program’s first top-10 appearance since September 2021.
Under new head coach Jon Sumrall, the Gators improved to 4-0 on the season-their best start since 2019. The team sealed the win against Mississippi by scoring touchdowns on five consecutive second-half drives, a performance that caught the attention of voters nationwide. The loss dropped Mississippi six positions down to 12th in the national rankings.
At the top of the ballot, Texas retained the No. 1 position after securing a hard-fought road victory against Tennessee. The Longhorns captured 45 out of 73 first-place votes. Meanwhile, the Volunteers fell three spots to land at No. 17.
Georgia maintained its hold on the No. 2 spot, securing 17 first-place votes after an overpowering 41-13 win over Oklahoma. Notre Dame stayed firm at No. 3 with three first-place votes following a comfortable win against Purdue.
Top 10 Highlights from the Week 4 Coaches Poll
- No. 1 Texas: Retained top ranking after defeating Tennessee.
- No. 2 Georgia: Stayed put following a dominant win against Oklahoma.
- No. 3 Notre Dame: Held steady after a strong performance over Purdue.
- No. 8 Florida: Vaulted into the top 10 for the first time in three years after beating Mississippi.
Other notable movements in the top tier included Miami nudging ahead of Indiana for the No. 4 spot, while Ohio State climbed to No. 6 and Alabama positioned itself at No. 7. The SEC continues to heavily influence the rankings, placing a total of nine teams within the top 25.
Looking ahead, the newly ranked Gators will travel to Columbia to face Missouri at Faurot Field on Saturday, Oct. 3. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET with a broadcast on ABC as Florida looks to defend its newly earned top-10 status.
