Gators go from unranked to No. 12 after Utah upset

The Florida Gators have gone from unranked to No. 12 in the country.

Florida saw the biggest jump in the first Associated Press top 25 poll of the regular season, released Tuesday.

It comes after the Gators upset then-No. 7 Utah 29-26 last Saturday in Gainesville.

The Utes (0-1) slipped six spots to No. 13 after the loss.

Florida's debut in the poll is the largest leap for an unranked team since the first regular-season poll of 2016, when Wisconsin landed at No. 10 and Texas at No. 10 after opening-week victories.

Florida head coach Billy Napier, center, leads the team onto the field before an NCAA college... — Florida head coach Billy Napier, center, leads the team onto the field before an NCAA college football game against Utah, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)(AP)

Georgia and Ohio State swapped spots at second and third, respectively, after the Bulldogs pounded then-No. 11 Oregon 49-3. The Bulldogs (1-0) received 17 first-place votes, while Oregon fell out of the rankings after the loss.

Ohio State (1-0) slipped to No. 3 with two first-place votes after outlasting then-No. 5 Notre Dame 21-10. Notre Dame fell three spots to No. 8.

Alabama remained No. 1, receiving 44 of 63 first-place votes.

Florida leapfrogged No. 15 Miami (1-0) to become the highest-ranked team in the state. The Hurricanes hammered Bethune-Cookman 70-13 in last weekend’s season opener.

Florida State and Central Florida are each receiving votes in this week’s AP poll. The Seminoles (2-0) upset LSU 24-23 last Sunday in New Orleans to get off to their best start since 2016, while the Knights (1-0) beat South Carolina State 56-10.

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