Everyone acting like Florida is a fringe top-25 team at best in these early playoff projections is missing what actually changed this offseason. The Gators just paid Sumrall's assistants $11.2M combined, that's top 5 nationally in assistant pool. Meanwhile the roster turnover from the portal has been surgical, not reckless. Compare that to Oklahoma State bringing in 50 new faces or Colorado's 43-man portal class. Florida targeted specific needs and addressed them quietly.
The real argument for Florida in the playoff conversation starts with the schedule. The Gators avoid Georgia and Alabama in cross-division play this year. The home slate sets up favorably. And the defensive improvement under Sumrall's system is going to be immediate based on what he did at previous stops. Florida was 87th nationally in red zone TD rate last season, that alone cost them three games. Even marginal improvement there flips the record.
Nobody wants to admit it but the SEC is wide open behind Georgia. Texas lost their QB. Alabama is still figuring out the portal OL. LSU has questions everywhere. Florida has the assistant salary commit, a manageable schedule, and a defense that should jump 30+ spots in SP+ just from scheme change alone. The projections sleeping on this team are going to look foolish by October.