Florida, Florida State And Miami Are In The Top 15 For First Time Since 2006

Between 1983 and 2001, the three most prestigious college football programs in Florida won a combined eight national titles, accounting for 42% of the championships during that time period. Most years back then, Florida, Florida State and Miami were among the top teams in the Associated Press poll. But for much of the past 20 years, at least one of those programs has had down seasons where they weren’t on the national radar.

Now, for the first time since the 2006 preseason AP poll, the three programs are each ranked in the top 15 after winning their season openers. Miami is No. 5, while Florida is No. 13 and Florida State is No. 14.

FSU is the most unlikely of the trio to be in this position. Coming off a 2-10 season, the Seminoles were unranked in the AP preseason poll, to no one’s surprise. After all, they lost seven of their final eight games last year, with the only victory coming against Charleston Southern, a Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) program that finished 1-11. It was a far cry from 2023 when the Seminoles went 13-0 in the regular season before losing in the Orange Bowl while playing without starting quarterback Jordan Travis, who sustained a gruesome knee injury that November that ultimately forced him to retire.

After last season, FSU coach Mike Norvell revamped his staff, hiring offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn and defensive coordinator Tony White. The Seminoles also added 23 transfers, including eight players who are now starting on offense and four players who are starting on defense.

FSU started the season last Saturday with a stunning 31-17 home victory over then-No. 8 Alabama. The Crimson Tide had a touchdown on their first possession, but the Seminoles scored the next 24 points. Alabama got to within 24-17 with 11 minutes remaining before Florida State running back Gavin Sawchuk scored on a 14-yard run to score the game’s final touchdown.

Sawchuk, a transfer from Oklahoma, had six carries for 28 yards, while quarterback Tommy Castellanos, a Boston College transfer, went 9 of 14 for 152 yards and ran 16 times for 86 yards and a touchdown. Transfers caught six of Castellanos’ nine completions: receiver Duce Robinson (USC) and tight end Randy Pittman Jr. (Central Florida) had two receptions apiece, while Sawchuk and receiver Squirrel White (Tennessee) each had a catch.

Miami, ranked No. 10 in the preseason AP poll, also had an impressive victory in Week 1 and received contributions from several transfers. The Hurricanes defeated then-No. 6 Notre Dame, 27-24, thanks to a 47-yard field goal from transfer Carter Davis (Florida Atlantic) with 1:04 remaining.

Carson Beck, Georgia’s starting quarterback the past two seasons, went 20 of 31 for 205 yards and two touchdowns, while running back Marty Brown (a North Dakota State) transfer had 15 carries for 54 yards and a touchdown. CJ Daniels, an LSU transfer, had five receptions for 46 yards and a sensational one-handed touchdown catch late in the first half.

Meanwhile, Florida had a much easier Week 1 opponent. The Gators cruised to a 55-0 victory over Long Island University, an FCS program that went 4-8 last season. DJ Lagway, a Heisman Trophy candidate coming off multiple injuries, went 15 of 18 for 120 yards and three touchdowns. He sat out the second half because UF was already ahead 38-0 at halftime.

Florida faces a more difficult task on Saturday at home against South Florida, which is coming off a 34-7 upset victory over then-No. 25 Boise State, a program that qualified for the College Football Playoff last season. The Gators then have a brutal stretch for their next four games, facing No. 3 LSU, No. 5 Miami and No. 19 Texas A&M on the road and No. 7 Texas at home.

By mid-October, there will be plenty of evidence as to where Florida sits among the elite Southeastern Conference programs. Meanwhile, Miami follows up its Sept. 20 home game against Florida with an Oct. 4 matchup at Florida State, while Florida hosts Florida State in the regular season finale for both teams on Nov. 29.

Yes, this is certainly not the same as the 1980s or 1990s when the state of Florida ruled college football. Miami won five national titles from 1983 through 2001 and finished second in the final AP poll three other times during that stretch. Florida State finished among the top five in the final AP poll each year from 1987 through 2000, including winning the championship in 1993 and 1999. And Florida placed in the top 10 eight times during coach Steve Spurrier’s tenure from 1990 through 2001, including winning the 1996 national title.

Over the past 20 years, the teams have had some outstanding seasons, most notably with Florida winning national titles in 2006 and 2008 and Florida State winning it all in 2013. But they have never been this highly ranked at the same time. Yes, it’s only early September, and much could change in the next few weeks. Still, for now at least, the three programs are back where they think they belong.