2025 Florida Football Predictions: Gators Ranked 21st in RJ Young's Ultimate 136

By RJ Young
Updated Aug. 10, 2025 9:51 p.m. ET

This isn't your average college football ranking.

My Ultimate 136 is a set of rankings that is fluid, but it's my job to look ahead and make a claim for all FBS teams based on what I know and why I know it. Here are the three pressing questions I started by asking when putting together this list:

  • Who do I think is good?
  • Why do I think they're good?
  • What are the chances they will finish above or below my expectations?

Here is a look at where Florida lands in my Ultimate 136.

Florida Gators ranking: 21
Last year’s ranking: 43
Top player: QB DJ Lagway: Went 6-1 as a starter last season, tying Chris Leak for the most wins as a true freshman QB in Florida history; led all FBS true freshmen with a 154.9 passer rating (min. 150 attempts).

[Florida's 2025 schedule]



RJ's take: It's really simple for the Gators. If they play the entire 2025 season like they played the last three games of 2024 to mount an eight-win season with two top 25 and SEC mascots to taxidermy and nail to the wall, then Florida can and should win 10 games for the first time in the Billy Napier era. Remember, there were two ranked wins at the end of their schedule and the Gators damn near knocked off Georgia in "The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party."

Lagway, all 6-foot-3, 239 pounds of him, ought to be ready to drive a fast car down the straights of its non-conference schedule and can be tossed into corners for the wheel-to-wheel combat that is the SEC slate. The Gators went 6-0 when Lagway started and finished each game.

Early on the throttle, late on the brakes and steal their racing line, Florida. Let me see what you can do with this car.

[Check out RJ Young's Ultimate 136 College Football Rankings here]

Florida Win Total Odds: Over 7.5 (+106) Under 7.5 (-130)

Have an issue with my rankings? Think your alma mater is too low, or your school's rival is too high? Get at me on X, @RJ_Young, and I'll select my favorite tweets and respond to them in a future article.

RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports. Follow him at @RJ_Young.