Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Gators don't play until their season opener Sept. 26 at Ole Miss, but when they do, they will be ranked their highest in the AP Top 25 since 2012 if they hold their ground.

Florida moved up three spots to No. 5 in the latest poll, released Sunday afternoon. The Gators were ranked eighth in the AP Preseason Top 25.
 

POLL ALERT: Clemson stays at No. 1 as 10 new teams join an AP Top 25 stripped of schools not scheduled to play this fall; Louisiana-Lafayette and Appalachian St among those in.

Full poll: https://t.co/7dTTUiB0CJ

More coverage: https://t.co/2qlqqZS1qM pic.twitter.com/65RmZimTY8

— AP Top 25 (@AP_Top25) September 13, 2020

With the AP dropping teams not playing this season in its first poll of the regular season, the Gators made a significant jump after Big Ten schools Ohio State and Penn State dropped out of the poll. Florida also jumped a spot ahead of No. 6 LSU.

The No. 5 ranking is the Gators' highest since they reached No. 3 in 2012. Clemson, Alabama, Oklahoma and Georgia are the four teams ahead of Florida.

Meanwhile, the University Athletic Association reported no structural damage to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium following a fire on the third level Saturday afternoon.
 

The fire at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium was from a maintenance tractor. The fire is now out and there is no structural damage to the facility. https://t.co/SdWqxrpnld

— Florida Gators (@FloridaGators) September 12, 2020

The Gators play their first home game of the season Oct. 3 against South Carolina, led by fifth-year head coach Will Muschamp. Coincidentally, Muschamp was in his second season as Florida's head coach in 2012 when the Gators were last ranked in the top five.

The Gators check in at sixth in the latest Amway Coaches Poll.