State of Florida Football

[Theologator]

For the first time in decades no Florida team is in the final AP top 25. (I don’t see any coming after the bowls.) That and our loss to UCF got me curious about the State of Florida football the last 10 years.

UF has been ranked in the top 25 6 times in the last 10 years, 3 times in the top 10, 3 top 25 and 2 top 10 in the last 5 years.

F$U has ranked in the top 25 5 times, including 3 top 10 with a NC in 2013, but has ended unranked the last 5 years.

scUM, the supposed other “big 3” has been ranked just twice in the last 10 years and once in the last 5 years.

UCF has been ranked 4 times, with 2 top 10s and ranked 3 times with 1 top 10 in the last 5 years.

UF, despite our troubles, is the clearly the best program in the state. USF is clearly 5th.

But who is #2 or #3 or #4 right now? I have a hard time believing F$U won’t bounce back to being at least decent, but scUM’s futility and typically empty stadium have slipped them behind UCF in my view.

Thoughts?

 

[CaribGator]

they're all gator bait

 

[gatorfan81]

Back in the day Bear Bryant labeled us a sleeping giant. The giant woke up in the 90's and fell back asleep in 2010. The giant is ready to wake up again.

 

[CGgater]

I'm guessing scUm will do pretty well with critobal recruiting south FL, but I'm really hoping the early efforts of Napier is a positive sign that he will be the dominant force in the state before f$u is able to rebound.

 

[aka]

I expect BN and staff to make better inroads to in state recruiting. I don't expect it to happen overnight, so I'm glad the staff is diverse and from different programs around the country so they can tap into many sources. For a change, I believe the effort will be there.

 

[Okeechobee Joe]

UF has the most potential of any of the Florida schools to win a national championship. FSU and Miami are down now but they can still be good programs. The USF program is clearly fifth among the big schools. Taking off the orange and blue glasses you've got to give UCF some credit for what that program has accomplished in the last five years.

Even for a state with the population of Florida and the quality of high school football in the state it will be hard for more than two or three programs at the most to have really good season in any given year. Right now there is not even one school that is dominant.

 

[CU-UF]

I like this "year end reflections" posts you go going on here.

Yes I think UF is slightly on top of everyone else. I still just don't see UCF or any other G5 Florida school at the same level as the power 3. All programs are middling right now, until they can start keeping talent and developing it on a consistent basis. But only UF, UM and FSU have the ability to quickly change its fortunes and win big within a season or two. UCF can talk all they want, but maybe, just maybe and a big maybe at that, in 20 years if the re-formed land of misfits called the Big 12 actually survives, they could develop a championship level program. UF, FSU and UM can have that in 2 years with the right coach and recruiting.

 

[rogdochar]

I dont know if we sign these kids or not but at least there is an energy of excitement being built about the program and recruits are taking notice.

It sure feels like the BN wave is tsunamifying more everday. Like the Nap-crew is erasing from recruits' mindsets that UF is downhill. I sure see that as some monumentally efficient CEO work.

 

[Theologator]

I'm guessing scUm will do pretty well with critobal recruiting south FL, but I'm really hoping the early efforts of Napier is a positive sign that he will be the dominant force in the state before f$u is able to rebound.

They hope Cristobal will keep the best recruits home, but that was the expectation for Diaz too - with Ed Reed prowling the sidelines to remind everyone of their cocaine, cash and steroid-fueled glory days. And Richt - the homecoming of the wise and capable alumnus…oops.

I’m with you - that BN’s committed, systemic and purposeful approach will draw top state recruits to the top university with the latest facilities etc. But the real competition for Florida recruits is Bama, UGA, tOSU, Clempson & now aTm. That’s why no Florida team is ranked today. That’s unconscionable and because every one of those programs committed to it years ago while we hired guys who thought they could wing it.

 

[Theologator]

I like this "year end reflections" posts you go going on here.

Yes I think UF is slightly on top of everyone else. I still just don't see UCF or any other G5 Florida school at the same level as the power 3. All programs are middling right now, until they can start keeping talent and developing it on a consistent basis. But only UF, UM and FSU have the ability to quickly change its fortunes and win big within a season or two. UCF can talk all they want, but maybe, just maybe and a big maybe at that, in 20 years if the re-formed land of misfits called the Big 12 actually survives, they could develop a championship level program. UF, FSU and UM can have that in 2 years with the right coach and recruiting.

The fundamentals are there for UF & F$U, but I’m less sure of that with scUM. I was surprised to find they hadn’t had a top ten in 10 years. Their last one was in 2003.

UCF is on a steady rise. Their fundamentals won’t change until some mega-successful .com alumnus underwrites it like Phil Knight did at Oregon or T. Boone Pickens did at Ok. State or the Florida legislature did for F$U. But it looks like they’ve gotten into the big boy pool, if just barely. They couldn’t compete in the SEC but they are on par with middling ACC programs, and maybe passing scUM.

 

[Silverback Gator]

The fundamentals are there for UF & F$U, but I’m less sure of that with scUM. I was surprised to find they hadn’t had a top ten in 10 years. Their last one was in 2003.

Maybe even Cristobal fails there or if the billionaire attorney(?) builds the facilities then in a few years they emerge? Even on that time table they still stand to be playing catch up to UF if everything goes as planned. I really hope Cristobal fails and the booster decides he really doesn't want to spend the money.

 

[NOLAGATOR]

I said this before...UCF will be the one to watch.

70,000 Students
Joining Big 12...P5
Some of my Gator Friends who have kids...who are at UCF...Have become fans
Texas was THE School in the state...not any more.


Napier should change UF...but UCF may be on the rise for #2

 

[t-gator]

The big12 isn't gonna be power 5 when Texas and Oklahoma leave. Ucf will always be a group5 school.

 

[NavetG8r]

UF will always be the flagship university. The Noles and Canes will have their moments too. UCF as others have already pointed out, is going to the big 12 which is hardly even a power 5 conference anymore after Texas and Oklahoma leave for the SEC. I think they have promise to become one of those teams like Utah that is usually very good, but not really competitive on the power 5 national championship level. Or kind of like Cincinnati who found themselves in the playoffs this year, but will likely be exposed by Bama as just not having enough talent to compete with the very best of the best. UF has the advantage of being in a recruiting hotbed state and as long as we have a competent head coach, should never ever be in the position we currently find ourselves. It's a royal failure of epic proportions by the last few staffs. Poor recruiting put us where we are, but a competent HC that understands the recruiting game and it's importance can easily turn things around within a very few years.

 

[NOLAGATOR]

UF will always be the flagship university. The Noles and Canes will have their moments too. UCF as others have already pointed out, is going to the big 12 which is hardly even a power 5 conference anymore after Texas and Oklahoma leave for the SEC. I think they have promise to become one of those teams like Utah that is usually very good, but not really competitive on the power 5 national championship level. Or kind of like Cincinnati who found themselves in the playoffs this year, but will likely be exposed by Bama as just not having enough talent to compete with the very best of the best. UF has the advantage of being in a recruiting hotbed state and as long as we have a competent head coach, should never ever be in the position we currently find ourselves. It's a royal failure of epic proportions by the last few staffs. Poor recruiting put us where we are, but a competent HC that understands the recruiting game and it's importance can easily turn things around within a very few years.

Keep telling yourself that.

 

[URGatorBait]

Keep telling yourself that.

what about his post do you take issue with?

 

[NOLAGATOR]

what about his post do you take issue with?

UCF won't be a P5 school.

 

[URGatorBait]

UCF won't be a P5 school.

I mean, technically, they will be.
Even if the conference level is just a glorified G5 type talent.

 

[CU-UF]

UCF won't be a P5 school.

Put it another way, UCF will not be a program that can win a national championship (legitimately) at least for the next 20 years and that is a big IF. Right or wrong, the game is stacked to the programs that were the early entrants, so while UCF may pretend they are in a P5 conference, and pretend that winning a bowl game that has no consequence means something. They will never sniff that air. Sure, they can field a competitive team that plays hard and you have to prepare for, but ultimately they can only hope for 4th best in the state because they legitimately have no shot at a natty. UF, FSU and UM all do in short order.

 

[NOLAGATOR]

Put it another way, UCF will not be a program that can win a national championship (legitimately) at least for the next 20 years and that is a big IF. Right or wrong, the game is stacked to the programs that were the early entrants, so while UCF may pretend they are in a P5 conference, and pretend that winning a bowl game that has no consequence means something. They will never sniff that air. Sure, they can field a competitive team that plays hard and you have to prepare for, but ultimately they can only hope for 4th best in the state because they legitimately have no shot at a natty. UF, FSU and UM all do in short order.

Florida has enough talent that UCF will be able to compete...and I think ahead of U and FSU.

With 70,000 students they'll have support.

I also believe there will be a push to bring the few Top Schools into the P5 that are in other non-P5 Conferences.