Florida stays put in SEC vibe rankings after Week 10 loss to Georgia
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
Despite losing a winnable game against rival Georgia on Saturday, the Florida Gators held steady in The Athletic's SEC vibe rankings at the conclusion of Week 10.
The loss may have felt crushing to some Florida fans who expected Billy Napier's dismissal to suddenly change all that was wrong with the team, but the Gators indeed took a step forward as a program under their new coach. Seth Emerson, who publishes the weekly vibe ranking for The Athletic, once again nails the underlying emotions of the fan base in Gainesville.
"The Gators playing well in the first game after firing Billy Napier was easy to see coming: Napier’s job status hung over the team so long that it had to be a release for it to finally be over. Plus, Billy Gonzales made wide receiver Eugene Wilson III a focal point, which was smart. Add in that LSU’s antics make getting (Lane) Kiffin — or a coach better than what LSU gets — more likely, and the vibes are up."
For those not following the LSU coaching search, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry inserted himself into the job hunt, leading to athletic director Scott Woodward and the university parting ways.
"Your governor stepped in, said stupid things, forced out the athletic director, and made this look like a situation no sensible coach should want to join," said Emerson.
That's good news for Florida, assuming the Gators continue to pursue Kiffin. Why he would want to leave a stable situation in Mississippi is still unanswered, however. Sure, the Florida job is nationally perceived as the so-called better job, but an anxious fanbase and a decade of decreasing relevancy in the SEC chip away at the idea.
Florida has a chance to break into the top 10 next week. A win over Kentucky really doesn't inspire that much hope — the Wildcats have been awful this year — but a blowout win could do the trick. If Gonzales' ways are in fact better than Napier's, the momentum shouldn't swing Kentucky's way all afternoon. On the other hand, a close win or loss might bring the vibes down.
Week 10 SEC vibes rankings — The Athletic
| Ranking | Team | Record | Week 3 Result | Change |
| 1 | Texas A&M Aggies | 8-0 (5-0) | BYE | +2 |
| 2 | Alabama Crimson Tide | 7-1 (5-0) | BYE | +2 |
| 3 | Ole Miss Rebels | 8-1 (5-1) | 30-14 W vs. South Carolina | -1 |
| 4 | Georgia Bulldogs | 7-1 (5-1) | 24-20 W vs. Florida | +1 |
| 5 | Texas Longhorns | 7-2 (4-1) | 34-31 W vs. Vanderbilt | +3 |
| 6 | Vanderbilt Commodores | 7-2 (3-2) | 34-31 L at Texas | -5 |
| 7 | Oklahoma Sooners | 7-2 (3-2) | 33-27 W at Tennessee | +2 |
| 8 | Mississippi State Bulldogs | 5-4 (1-4) | 45-42 W at Arkansas | +2 |
| 9 | Missouri Tigers | 6-2 (2-2) | BYE | -3 |
| 10 | Tennessee Volunteers | 6-3 (3-3) | 33-27 L vs. Oklahoma | -3 |
| 11 | Florida Gators | 3-5 (2-3) | 24-20 L vs. Georgia | — |
| 12 | South Carolina Gamecocks | 3-6 (1-6) | 30-14 L at Ole Miss | +1 |
| 13 | Arkansas Razorbacks | 2-7 (0-5) | 45-42 L vs. Mississippi State | — |
| 14 | Kentucky Wildcats | 3-5 (1-5) | 10-3 W at Auburn | +2 |
| 15 | Auburn Tigers | 4-5 (1-5) | 10-3 L vs. Kentucky | -3 |
| 16 | LSU Tigers | 5-3 (2-3) | BYE | -1 |
Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida Gators football SEC vibe rankings The Athletic Week 10
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos