Florida enters ESPN's CFP predictions after beating Ole Miss

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The Florida Gators entered the 2026 college football season simply looking to restore glory to the Orange and Blue. Now four games into the schedule, Jon Sumrall's squad is poised to make the program's first-ever College Football Playoff appearance after beating Ole Miss in the Swamp.

Following the conclusion of Week 4's gridiron grind, ESPN's Heather Dinich published her updated projections for this year's College Football Playoff, with Florida earning a No. 8 seed in her bracket. That puts Sumrall and Co. between No. 7-seeded Indiana and No. 9-seeded Ole Miss in the CFP picture.

Regarding why Florida deserves its position in the projections, Dinich offers the following explanation:

"The selection committee would honor the head-to-head win against Ole Miss, which would still be one of its top-12 teams. The group would also reward the Gators for a road win against Auburn, which is a 3-1 opponent with a season-opening win against Baylor (yes, the committee even considers opponents' opponents)," she notes.

"Florida running back Jadan Baugh also catapulted himself into the Heisman conversation with 162 yards and three touchdowns, while the Gators looked like one of the most balanced offenses in the top 12. Florida is also one of the top teams in the country in ESPN's Strength of Record metric."

As for why the Gators could be lower:

"It depends on how far the Rebels fall after the loss, which could be significant considering how poorly the defense has played for most of the month. The committee wouldn't drop the Gators below Ole Miss, but where the Rebels are ultimately ranked reveals how impressed the committee members were with the home win against them."

Dinch goes on to offer other points in Florida's favor:

"ESPN's FPI gives the Gators at least a 50% chance to win each of its remaining games except two — Oct. 17 at Texas and Oct. 31 vs. Georgia. Even if the Gators lose both of those games — especially if they're close — they'll have a good shot at a CFP bid in coach Jon Sumrall's first season. The committee will continue to honor the head-to-head result over Ole Miss as long as the records are comparable."

On that note, she believes that the Gators' toughest remaining test comes on Oct. 17 at Texas.

"It's a true road game right before facing Georgia at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, the next-closest thing to a home game for the Bulldogs."

College Football Playoff projections after Week 4

  1. Texas Longhorns (4-0)
  2. Ohio State Buckeyes (3-1)
  3. Georgia Bulldogs (4-0)
  4. Miami Hurricanes (4-0)
  5. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (4-0)
  6. Alabama Crimson Tide (4-0)
  7. Indiana Hoosiers (4-0)
  8. Florida Gators (4-0)
  9. Ole Miss Rebels (3-1)
  10. LSU Tigers (3-1)
  11. BYU Cougars (3-0)
  12. Oregon Ducks (3-1)

College Football Playoff bracket

First-round byes

  • No. 1 Texas (SEC champ)
  • No. 2 Ohio State (Big Ten champ)
  • No. 3 Georgia
  • No. 4 Miami (ACC champ)

First-round games

On campus, Dec. 18 and 19

  • No. 12 Boise State (highest Group of 6) at No. 5 Notre Dame
  • No. 11 BYU (Big 12 champ) at No. 6 Alabama
  • No. 10 LSU at No. 7 Indiana
  • No. 9 Ole Miss at No. 8 Florida

Quarterfinal games

Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 30, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic and Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential on Jan. 1.

  • No. 12 Boise State/No. 5 Notre Dame winner vs. No. 4 Miami
  • No. 11 BYU/No. 6 Alabama winner vs. No. 3 Georgia
  • No. 10 LSU/No. 7 Indiana winner vs. No. 2 Ohio State
  • No. 9 Ole Miss/No. 8 Florida winner vs. No. 1 Texas

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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida enters ESPN's CFP predictions after beating Ole Miss

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