Florida takes over top spot in SEC vibes rankings after Week 4
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
Florida has officially reached the top of The Athletic’s SEC vibes rankings.
The Gators moved up from No. 2 to No. 1 after a 52-28 win over Ole Miss, continuing a rapid climb that began once conference play started. Florida sat at No. 10 after beating Campbell in Week 2, jumped eight spots following its road win at Auburn and now owns the best vibes in the SEC after handling the previously unbeaten Rebels.
Seth Emerson, a senior college football writer for The Athletic who has covered the SEC since 2002, pointed to the massive difference between Florida’s offense this season and a year ago. The Gators have scored 96 points through their first two SEC games after managing just 141 across eight conference games last season.
“Florida did have running back Jadan Baugh last year, too,” Emerson wrote. “So if you’re a Gator fan and want to build immediate statues for first-year coach Jon Sumrall, offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner and quarterback Aaron Philo, well, go ahead, enjoy the ride.”
Florida's undefeated record is no longer the product of an easy opening schedule. Two weeks ago, Emerson correctly pointed out that wins over FAU and Campbell told us very little and identified Auburn as Sumrall’s first real test. Florida responded by scoring 44 points at Jordan-Hare Stadium, then followed with 52 against an Ole Miss team that occupied the top spot in these rankings last week — not to mention the same Rebels team Lane Kiffin and LSU couldn’t beat a week earlier.
The offense deserves most of the attention, but Florida has also found different ways to win within games. Baugh remains one of the country’s most productive running backs, while Duke Clark has emerged as another legitimate backfield option. Philo doesn't need to dominate through the air to keep the offense moving.
Larger tests lie ahead. No. 25 Missouri gets Florida at home this weekend, while Georgia and Texas remain further down the schedule. But these are vibes rankings, not College Football Playoff projections. And right now, nobody in the SEC is feeling better than Florida.
The Athletic's Week 4 SEC vibes rankings
| RK | TEAM | REC | LAST | CH |
| 1 | Florida | 4-0 (2-0) | 52-28 W vs. Ole Miss | +1 |
| 2 | Mississippi State | 4-0 (2-0) | 31-24 W vs. Missouri | +1 |
| 3 | Texas | 4-0 (1-0) | 20-17 W at Tennessee | +3 |
| 4 | Alabama | 4-0 (2-0) | 49-18 W vs. South Carolina | +5 |
| 5 | Georgia | 4-0 (2-0) | 41-13 W vs. Oklahoma | +2 |
| 6 | LSU | 3-1 (1-1) | 35-6 W vs. Texas A&M | +4 |
| 7 | Missouri | 3-1 (0-1) | 31-24 L at Mississippi State | +4 |
| 8 | Ole Miss | 3-1 (1-1) | 52-28 L at Florida | -7 |
| 9 | Kentucky | 3-1 (1-1) | 45-21 W vs. South Alabama | -5 |
| 10 | Vanderbilt | 3-1 (0-1) | 21-15 L at Auburn | -5 |
| 11 | Tennessee | 3-1 (0-1) | 20-17 L vs. Texas | -3 |
| 12 | Auburn | 3-1 (1-1) | 21-15 W vs. Vanderbilt | — |
| 13 | Texas A&M | 2-2 (0-2) | 35-6 L at LSU | — |
| 14 | Oklahoma | 2-2 (0-1) | 41-13 L at Georgia | — |
| 15 | Arkansas | 2-2 (0-1) | 34-6 W vs. Tulsa | +1 |
| 16 | South Carolina | 2-2 (0-2) | 49-18 L at Alabama | — |
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 takes over top spot in SEC vibes rankings after Week 4
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos