The Gators had a fun time celebrating on the field after their victory Saturday over South Carolina. (Photo: Tim Casey/UAA Communications)
Mullen: New Year's Six Bowl Would be 'Huge' for Gators
Wednesday, November 14, 2018 | Football, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida's comeback win over South Carolina fired up quarterback Feleipe Franks, prompted head coach Dan Mullen to take a victory lap and kept alive the Gators' bid to win 10 games in Mullen's first season.
Equally important, the Gators (7-3, 5-3 SEC) moved up a pair of spots in the College Football Playoff rankings Tuesday night to No. 13.
Why is that significant? The top 12 teams in the CFP rankings at the end of the regular season are projected for the coveted New Year's Six bowl games.
The Gators climbed into contention with their 35-31 win against the Gamecocks, overcoming a 31-14 deficit late in the second half. Meanwhile, SEC East foe Kentucky was upset by Tennessee and N.C. State lost to Wake Forest.
Of course, to stay in contention the Gators will need to beat Idaho on Saturday and then win at Florida State in the regular-season finale. If the Gators can do that, their chances of playing on New Year's Day increase significantly.
"To be right there, we got to find a way to win the next two weeks and keep that a possibility for us and keep us in that discussion to be one of the top 12 teams in America,'' Mullen said Wednesday during his appearance on the SEC media conference call. "Everyone wants to be in the top four to get to the playoffs. If you're not going to make that, you have the opportunity to go to one of the New Year's Six bowls, it's the next best thing and it kind of signifies a great season."
Coming off a 4-7 season, Florida already has three more wins than a year ago and can double their win total from 2017 with a win on Saturday over the Vandals (4-6, 3-5). The Gators played in a bowl game 22 consecutive seasons prior to finishing 4-8 in 2013. They missed out on a bowl for the second time in five years a season ago but became bowl eligible in Mullen's first season with a 37-27 road win at Vanderbilt on Oct. 27.
Florida is the highest-ranked three-loss team in this week's CFP poll, with 7-3 Penn State ranked 14th and 7-3 Texas at 15th.
A New Year's Six bowl trip would be a splashy way to end Mullen's first season. The most likely destination should the Gators win out would be the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl or PlayStation Fiesta Bowl.
"I think it'd be huge, obviously," he said. "There's an awful lot of football to be played. All we can do is try to take care of our business this week and next week. And then it's kind of out of our hands at that point. Obviously, that's a huge honor."
Equally important, the Gators (7-3, 5-3 SEC) moved up a pair of spots in the College Football Playoff rankings Tuesday night to No. 13.
Why is that significant? The top 12 teams in the CFP rankings at the end of the regular season are projected for the coveted New Year's Six bowl games.
The Gators climbed into contention with their 35-31 win against the Gamecocks, overcoming a 31-14 deficit late in the second half. Meanwhile, SEC East foe Kentucky was upset by Tennessee and N.C. State lost to Wake Forest.
The race for the final New Year's Six bowl berth has gotten messy thanks to NC State's loss to Wake Forest.
— Yahoo Sports College Football (@YahooSportsCFB) November 14, 2018
Bowl projections: https://t.co/xWZWJzO7sK
Of course, to stay in contention the Gators will need to beat Idaho on Saturday and then win at Florida State in the regular-season finale. If the Gators can do that, their chances of playing on New Year's Day increase significantly.
"To be right there, we got to find a way to win the next two weeks and keep that a possibility for us and keep us in that discussion to be one of the top 12 teams in America,'' Mullen said Wednesday during his appearance on the SEC media conference call. "Everyone wants to be in the top four to get to the playoffs. If you're not going to make that, you have the opportunity to go to one of the New Year's Six bowls, it's the next best thing and it kind of signifies a great season."
Coming off a 4-7 season, Florida already has three more wins than a year ago and can double their win total from 2017 with a win on Saturday over the Vandals (4-6, 3-5). The Gators played in a bowl game 22 consecutive seasons prior to finishing 4-8 in 2013. They missed out on a bowl for the second time in five years a season ago but became bowl eligible in Mullen's first season with a 37-27 road win at Vanderbilt on Oct. 27.
Florida is the highest-ranked three-loss team in this week's CFP poll, with 7-3 Penn State ranked 14th and 7-3 Texas at 15th.
A New Year's Six bowl trip would be a splashy way to end Mullen's first season. The most likely destination should the Gators win out would be the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl or PlayStation Fiesta Bowl.
"I think it'd be huge, obviously," he said. "There's an awful lot of football to be played. All we can do is try to take care of our business this week and next week. And then it's kind of out of our hands at that point. Obviously, that's a huge honor."
Players Mentioned
QB
/ FootballRoad to Gameday: Florida Football
Thursday, April 30
Road to Gameday: Florida Football Spring Game (Season 2)
Wednesday, April 29
Jon Sumrall Postgame Press Conference 4-11-26
Saturday, April 11
Buster Faulkner Postgame Press Conference 4-11-26
Saturday, April 11
