For a second straight week, the eyes of the college football world were squarely set on the State of Florida. After Miami and FSU dominated the Week 1 headlines, it was USF’s turn in Week 2 to draw the nation’s gaze…at Florida’s expense. With the 2025 season still in its infancy, and many of these teams still scheduled to play each other, at least three teams from the Sunshine State appear to have legitimate College Football Playoff aspirations.
FBS Programs in the State of Florida: 7 (Florida Gators,
Florida Atlantic Owls, Florida International Panthers, Florida State Seminoles, Miami Hurricanes, UCF Knights, and USF Bulls)
No. 1 – Miami Hurricanes (2-0)
Week 2 Result: Win vs. Bethune-Cookman, 45-3
Poll Rankings: AP No. 5; Coaches No. 6
While FSU and USF also have early statement wins, Miami still has the best win against currently top 10 ranked Notre Dame. So, the Hurricanes hold the top spot until this all gets decided on the field. Miami spent Week 2 getting second and third stringers playing time in their annual demolition of an FCS team. Before being pulled, the first team offense went 5 for 5 on touchdown drives while the first team defense shut out the Wildcats. Most importantly, the Hurricanes exited the glorified scrimmage healthy and ready to resume stiffer competition.
Up Next: vs. No. 18 USF Bulls on Saturday, September 13th at 4:30pm on CW
No. 2 – Florida State Seminoles (2-0)
Week 2 Result: Win vs. East Texas A&M, 77-3
Poll Rankings: AP No. 10; Coaches No. 12
FSU holds the second spot thanks to their opening weekend victory over currently top 20 ranked Alabama, which is the second best win amongst the State of Florida teams. There was no letdown last week for the Seminoles who absolutely obliterated the East Texas A&M Lions. Florida State racked up 729 yards of total offense against their FCS sacrificial lamb. Hard to criticize anything about this game, but also hard to learn anything playing a team that went 3-9 in FCS last season. Only Kent State and a road trip to Virginia stand in the way of an undefeated Seminoles team when the Hurricanes come to Tallahassee on October 4th.
Up Next: vs. Kent State Golden Flashes on Saturday, September 13th at 3:30pm on ACCN
No. 3 – South Florida Bulls (2-0)
Week 2 Result: Win at Florida, 18-16
Poll Rankings: AP No. 18; Coaches No. 23
Beating Boise State at home and then Florida on the road is certainly impressive, but slightly less impressive than beating currently ranked Notre Dame or Alabama. As historic as it was for USF to walk out of The Swamp with a victory, the Bulls could launch their season into a whole other stratosphere with an upset at No. 5 Miami. To do so, the Bulls will have to avenge the 50-15 trouncing the Hurricanes laid on them last year in Tampa. Even if the Bulls fall short of a third-straight upset, Alex Golesh and Co. are firmly in the driver’s seat for a College Football Playoff bid should they win the American Conference.
Up Next: at No. 5 Miami Hurricanes on Saturday, September 13th at 4:30pm on CW
No. 4 – Florida Gators (1-1)
Week 2 Result: Loss vs. USF, 18-16
Poll Rankings: AP RV (No. 29); Coaches RV (No. 30)
The season is far from over for the Florida Gators, but things are already starting to fall off the tracks. USF was supposed to be one of the Gator’s ‘gimme’ games. Gator fans love to reference Notre Dame’s loss last year to Northern Illinois before running the table straight to the national title game. What’s different this year is that, unlike Notre Dame last year, Florida may not face an unranked team the rest of the season (only Mississippi St. and Kentucky are on the Gator’s schedule and presently unranked). In fact, there’s a strong probability that Florida has only two wins entering rivalry week against FSU – an ironic turn of events since Florida cemented FSU’s two-win season last year. For Billy Napier’s sake, the Gators better rebound this weekend in Baton Rouge.
Up Next: at No. 3 LSU Tigers on Saturday, September 13th at 7:30pm on ABC
No. 5 – UCF Knights (2-0)
Week 2 Result: Win vs. NC A&T, 68-7
Poll Rankings: Unranked
Scott Frost is 2-0, something he failed to accomplish at Nebraska (as a coach). While the Golden Knights smashed last week’s FCS competition, that won’t erase their exceptionally unimpressive 17-10 survival against 20.5 point underdog Jacksonville State – a game that UCF was losing 10-3 in the fourth quarter. Perhaps an FCS scrimmage was what UCF needed to prepare for Bill Belichick’s visit this weekend.
Up Next: vs. North Carolina Tarheels on Saturday, September 13th at 3:30pm on FOX
No. 6 – Florida Atlantic Owls (1-1)
Week 2 Result: Win vs. Florida A&M, 56-14
Poll Rankings: Unranked
Week 2 of the Zach Kittley era saw the Owls lay the wood on Florida A&M, which was a bounce back from being crushed by Maryland 39-7 in the Owls’ opening game. Kittley has a great offensive mind, and Lane Kiffin proved that you can build competitive teams in Boca Raton, but FAU is still a long ways away from returning to that standard. Fortunately, every week is a new opportunity to prove critics wrong, and a short trip to FIU could at least confirm that the Owls are on the right track.
Up Next: at FIU Panthers on Saturday, September 13th at 6:00pm on ESPN+
No. 7 – Florida International Panthers (1-1)
Week 2 Result: Loss at No. 2 Penn State, 34-0
Poll Rankings: Unranked
It’s a close call which is worse: FIU losing 34-0 to Penn State or FAU losing 39-7 to Maryland. Does it really matter? Both FAU and FIU are the punching bags of the state, but next weekend they get a chance to punch on each other a bit to decide who deserves to be at the bottom of these rankings. FIU is a slight 2.5 point favorite in this game, which as the home team means Vegas sees FIU and FAU as virtually equal. Will Pitbull Stadium give the Panthers the home field edge they need?
Up Next: vs. FAU Owls on Saturday, September 13th at 6:00pm on ESPN+
