USA TODAY Sports projected the 12-team College Football Playoff field for the upcoming 2026 season in its too-early predictions.
Using current national championship odds as a roadmap to identify leading contenders before preseason camp, national college football columnist Blake Toppmeyer and senior sports columnist John Adams opted to leave Florida out of the picture.
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The prediction was headlined by perennial powers such as Ohio State, Notre Dame, and Oregon — four SEC teams are expected to compete for postseason berths, including Georgia and Texas. Factors fueling the pessimism around Florida include a lack of clarity at quarterback just months from the season, the ongoing installation of new offensive and defensive systems, and a 4-8 record in 2025.
Despite the momentum first-year head coach Jon Sumrall has generated since his arrival, Florida’s omission highlights the work the program still needs to do to gain national recognition. While missing the projected field may sting for Gator Nation, Florida remains viewed as a team capable of outperforming expectations if its revamped roster and coaching staff can gel quickly during a grueling nine-game SEC slate.
The Orange and Blue enter this pivotal season overlooked by national analysts and sportsbooks in the wake of an aggressive offseason revamp. A highly touted recruiting class and star transfer portal additions were not enough to convince pundits that the Gators are back, so Sumrall must translate the hype behind his arrival into wins in order to become college football’s playoff surprise in 2026.
USA TODAY’s 2026 CFP Predictions
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: USA TODAY Sports leaves Florida out of projected CFB Playoff field
