Florida's postseason destination has changed following its loss to Oklahoma, with USA TODAY Sports projecting the Gators to head west for their bowl game.
The Gators (5-4) are projected to face Arizona in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 31, according to Erick Smith's latest bowl projections released Tuesday.
Florida was previously projected to face Louisville in the Gator Bowl, but Saturday's 23-7 loss to Oklahoma has complicated its postseason outlook. Smith now has Clemson facing Oklahoma in the Gator Bowl on Dec. 30, while Louisville is projected to meet Houston in the Pop-Tarts Bowl.
The Las Vegas Bowl features an SEC representative against a Pac-12-affiliated opponent, with legacy Pac-12 schools continuing to fulfill existing bowl agreements through
the 2026 season. Arizona, now a member of the Big 12, remains eligible for those arrangements.
Florida still needs one more victory to reach the six-win threshold typically required for bowl eligibility. Jon Sumrall's team has three regular-season games remaining, beginning with Saturday's road matchup against No. 13 Kentucky.
The Wildcats enter the contest at 7-2 after suffering a 34-6 loss to Tennessee last weekend. Florida will also face Tennessee and Florida State before the regular season concludes.
Although the Gators have not yet secured bowl eligibility, Smith's latest projections suggest Florida could still extend its postseason streak despite an inconsistent first season under Sumrall.
A trip to Las Vegas would represent a considerably different postseason destination from the Gator Bowl, where Florida was projected to play just one week ago.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida gets new bowl destination in latest USA TODAY projections
