A massive road win over Auburn propelled the Florida Gators into the spotlight.
Fresh off a massive road win against Auburn, it comes as no surprise that the Florida Gators skyrocketed in ESPN's Power Rankings.
That said, arguably no one expected this team to be ranked No. 15 by the time Week 4 came around.
Here in 2026, that's exactly what happened. Florida entered Week 3 as the No. 22-ranked team, according to ESPN, but suddenly, they're a Top 15 program.
Andrea Adelson touched on how Florida got to this point, and what it's going to take for Jon Sumrall and Co. to stay in this conversation moving forward.
Florida soars to No. 15
"The Gators' offense travels well, but the defense still has some issues to work through following a 44-39 win over Auburn," Adelson wrote.
She continued, "The defense remains a work in progress, particularly the secondary... The biggest test of the season for that secondary looms Saturday against Ole Miss."
For Gators fans, Sept. 26 can't get here soon enough. This is a Florida team that has entered the AP Top 25 for the first time in the Sumrall era, and expectations are through the roof.
That said, this could be a very humbling Week 4 contest, or it could prove what this team knew all along, and that's that Florida is a true College Football Playoff contender.
Adelson praises Jadan Baugh
Running back Jadan Baugh isn't just the best player on this Florida roster; he's one of the best players in the entire nation.
Adelson touched on Baugh's ability to play "in a hostile environment," and that has more than prepared them for what's to come against the No. 4-ranked team in Ole Miss.
The Rebels are a great team, no doubt, and they're coming off an emotional win against their former head coach, Lane Kiffin.
On paper, Ole Miss has a clear advantage in quite a few areas, but this Florida offense is unbelievable. Getting into a shootout won't bode well for the Rebels, but the last thing Florida wants to do is be in a low-scoring affair.
Getting off to a hot start at home will mean everything in this one, and a win against a Top 5 opponent will catapult them even further up not just in ESPN's Power Rankings, but also in the AP Poll, and that's what truly matters at this point in the season.
Gators fans can't get too far ahead of themselves, but there's no doubt this is the best they've felt in quite some time, and rightfully so.
