Can someone explain why Florida is being completely left out of the playoff projection conversation this offseason? The Gators finished last season with a top 25 SP+ defense and return the core of a secondary that ranked 16th in passing success rate allowed. Meanwhile, the offense that was 87th in red zone TD percentage has had an entire offseason to address the single biggest issue that cost them at least two conference games. The narrative seems to be that the SEC is a three-team race between Georgia, Texas, and Alabama, but Florida quietly has the pieces to make a run if the QB situation stabilizes. The portal addition at running back gives them a backfield that projects to top 30 in yards per carry, and the offensive line returns three starters from a unit that allowed only 22 sacks last season, good for 28th nationally. People forget that this team was competitive in every game except one last year. The gap between Florida and the playoff field is not as wide as the recruiting rankings suggest. The Gators sit at No. 24 in the 2027 class but that does not reflect the talent already on campus from the previous two cycles. The defensive front has a havoc rate that ranked 34th in the country and the linebacker room is deeper than it has been in three years. With the expanded playoff field, a 10-win season puts you in the conversation. Florida has the schedule to get there if they can convert red zone trips into touchdowns instead of field goals. The analytics say this is a top 20 roster with top 15 coaching stability. Why is nobody projecting the Gators as a playoff dark horse?