Despite their upset victory over Texas, The Athletic's latest bowl projection left Florida outside the College Football Playoff picture.
The Gators' two wins over top-10 opponents were not enough to sway Scott Dochterman, who believes there is a contrast between the program's current standing and its playoff potential. The previous iteration of the prediction gave Florida a 53% chance of making the playoffs if Jon Sumrall's team could get to 9-3.
Dochterman emphasizes that the matchups reflect his expectations for the end of the season, rather than simply the standing after Week 8. He has Florida taking on SMU in the Gator Bowl on Dec. 30.
The Gators still have work to do in order to persuade the college football playoff committee that it belongs
in the field of 12. Pulling off a second consecutive upset against third-ranked Georgia this week would certainly strengthen UF's position, as the victory would likely vault them into or at least near the top 10.
College football saw chaos tear through the standings in recent weeks as fifteen ranked teams have lost, dramatically changing the postseason landscape. Only three FBS programs remain undefeated with five weeks remaining in the regular season.
Back-to-back conference losses to Missouri and South Carolina complicated the path for Florida, but a hefty upcoming schedule provides plenty of opportunities to improve their resume. The SEC remains well represented, as the outlet sees Georgia, Alabama, LSU and Kentucky making the bracket. Georgia leads the field and is projected as the No. 1 seed.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: The Athletic projects Florida's bowl game, opponent after Week 8 bye
