From Division Winners to Unranked

[BMF]

Everybody's favorite former GS writer:

Division winners to unranked? Gators getting no preseason love

https://www.seccountry.com/florida/division-winners-to-unranked-gators-getting-no-preseason-love

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida football team begins fall training camp Wednesday, exactly one month from the season opener against UMass.

When the Gators take Steve Spurrier Field on Sept. 3, they could be one of few reigning SEC division winners to start a year unranked. But with a total of 11 starters gone from 2015, it’s understandable why prognosticators have their doubts about UF.

“There are a lot of unknowns,” Florida coach Jim McElwain said at SEC Media Days. “And yet, it’s kind of part of the fun of it.”

McElwain won SEC Coach of the Year last season after his team won 10 games and played for the conference title for the first time since 2009. But UF will have to beat the odds — and preseason predictions — to make it back to Atlanta this year.

The Gators were picked to finish second in the Eastern division behind Tennessee, and only one media outlet (Athlon Sports) has them in the top 25. Phil Steele, Bleacher Report, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News and Lindy’s Sports all left Florida out of their preseason rankings.

Since the first SEC Championship Game in 1992, the conference champion has always been ranked the following year. Only four division winners on the losing end of the title game (Arkansas twice, Auburn, Mississippi State) entered the next season unranked in the AP poll, and it hasn’t happened since 2003.

UF would be the first defending SEC East champion to miss the top 25. The AP poll comes out later this month.

While the Gators can’t control where they start the season, they’ll determine how they finish. To exceed expectations, several new faces in the starting lineup will need to set up.

Florida has to replace its starting quarterback, running back, tight end, team-leading wide receiver, kicker and six of 11 starters on defense.

“It will be interesting to see how this year’s team responds,” McElwain said. “We lost some really, really fine players, and I’m excited for them to move on into the National Football League.

“I think we learned a lot of lessons (from 2015). And yet, we’ve got a bunch of new guys. In fact, I think the happiest people on our campus are the people that are going to sell programs, because there’s a whole bunch of new jerseys out there. That will be a lot of fun for people to figure out who they are.”

Week 1 rankings of reigning SEC division winners:

*Conference champion in bold, AP ranking in parenthesis

1993: Alabama (2), Florida (8)
1994: Florida (1), Alabama (11)
1995: Florida (5), Alabama (11)
1996: Florida (4), Arkansas (unranked)
1997: Florida (2), Alabama (16)
1998: Tennessee (10), Auburn (25)
1999: Tennessee (2), Mississippi State (unranked)
2000: Alabama (3), Florida (9)
2001: Florida (1), Auburn (unranked)
2002: Tennessee (2), LSU (14)
2003: Georgia (9), Arkansas (unranked)
2004: LSU (4), Georgia (3)
2005: Auburn (16), Tennessee (3)
2006: Georgia (15), LSU (8)
2007: Florida (6), Arkansas (20)
2008: LSU (7), Tennessee (18)
2009: Florida (1), Alabama (5)
2010: Alabama (1), Florida (4)
2011: Auburn (23), South Carolina (12)
2012: LSU (3), Georgia (6)
2013: Alabama (1), Georgia (5)
2014: Auburn (6), Missouri (24)
2015: Alabama (3), Missouri (24)

 

[gatormandan]

I could care less what we start out at as long as we do a rapid climb as we go forward...

 

[T REX]

If you look at the history of teams losing six starters on D and how they fair...it's probably not that good.

 

[T REX]

Some great reads here...

http://www.footballstudyhall.com/2015/9/4/9254347/a-better-way-to-measure-returning-experience

https://collegefootballmatrix.wordp...urning-starters-impact-solved-dont-bet-on-it/

 

[Gator Fever]

Also I think Phil Steele said we were one of the best 25 teams its just the schedule kept us out of his top 25 rankings.

 

[g8tr76]

Check this out:

http://campusinsiders.com/news/preseason-coaches-poll-prediction-08-01-2016

 

[Gator Fever]

Check this out:

http://campusinsiders.com/news/preseason-coaches-poll-prediction-08-01-2016

lol What is he smoking? Not talking about that ranking itself but him thinking that will be real close to the first Coach's poll is crazy imo. No way will we be that high and FSU that low.

 

[GatorStud]

Flying under the radar for our bombing run... that's a good thing for this new mix.

 

[NCOGator]

I would rather have the respect, but it will nice when we continue this streak and beat bUTtchug. I know we wont be unranked after that game...I mean they are supposed to win the east again.

 

[gatorkev85]

Not at all surprised, we looked like a mid major team our last 3 games and lost a bunch of starters. I suspect we will have to beat UT to finally be ranked and I'm very worried about that game. Everyone thinks it's already a W on the calendar but eventually they will beat us and I'm afraid that win finally comes for them this year. We should have lost last year but got lucky Debose made a great block to give Callaway the space to pull away. I think we can win but I'm not chalking it up as a W just ye .

 

[ChattanooGATOR]

Not at all surprised, we looked like a mid major team our last 3 games and lost a bunch of starters. I suspect we will have to beat UT to finally be ranked and I'm very worried about that game. Everyone thinks it's already a W on the calendar but eventually they will beat us and I'm afraid that win finally comes for them this year. We should have lost last year but got lucky Debose made a great block to give Callaway the space to pull away. I think we can win but I'm not chalking it up as a W just ye .

Debose was spectacular on that play.

 

[Lake Gator]

Debose was spectacular on that play.

Debose?

 

[lrtx1]

Debose?

Yes, hopefully he can be more consistent in the coming years.

 

[t-gator]

Debose definitely left it all on the field last year in the Tennessee game.

 

[Rentmoneygawd]

Not at all surprised, we looked like a mid major team our last 3 games and lost a bunch of starters. I suspect we will have to beat UT to finally be ranked and I'm very worried about that game. Everyone thinks it's already a W on the calendar but eventually they will beat us and I'm afraid that win finally comes for them this year. We should have lost last year but got lucky Debose made a great block to give Callaway the space to pull away. I think we can win but I'm not chalking it up as a W just ye .

 

[TheDouglas78]

Not at all surprised, we looked like a mid major team our last 3 games and lost a bunch of starters. I suspect we will have to beat UT to finally be ranked and I'm very worried about that game. Everyone thinks it's already a W on the calendar but eventually they will beat us and I'm afraid that win finally comes for them this year. We should have lost last year but got lucky Debose made a great block to give Callaway the space to pull away. I think we can win but I'm not chalking it up as a W just ye .

I know Debose has been killing for like a Decade now.

 

[Double Gator Dad]

I know Debose has been killing for like a Decade now.

Yes, but this will clearly be his breakout year

 

[Gatorphan]

I think it's spelled Dubose

 

[gators4224]

If you look at the history of teams losing six starters on D and how they fair...it's probably not that good.

We're also breaking in a brand new QB who has never played in a meaningful game before, and we lost our starting rb. I think part of us being unranked is from losing a good amount of starters last year, and having alot of unknown at QB, rb etc. We also finished the year badly which people take into account as well.

 

[TN G8tr]

Florida has to replace its starting quarterback, running back, tight end, team-leading wide receiver, kicker and six of 11 starters on defense.

QB- we should be better
TE- Very promising
RB- Should be no issues there
WR- Probably the best we've had in YEARS!
PK- We're dang sure better off.

Defense: Maybe a bit of a drop off but expect them to be a strength.