College Football Playoff 2020: Projected top 4 after Week 2

4. Florida Gators

The College Football Playoff committee is not afraid to put two teams in the same conference in the same final four. In 2017, the committee put the Georgia Bulldogs, the SEC Champions, and the Alabama Crimson Tide, who didn’t win their division, in the playoff. As a result, the Tide defeated the Bulldogs 26-23 in overtime of the national title game.

This is a different situation because most football experts would believe the committee put a potential one-loss Power Five team who didn’t win their conference in the playoff than a Group of Five champion. There is a split prediction of whether Florida or Georgia will win the SEC East.

Florida could lose to Alabama in the SEC title in a close game and could potentially make the playoff. Even if the Gators lose to the Bulldogs in the regular season, it would mean that Georgia would have to play Alabama twice in one season. Unless the Bulldogs beat the likely-favored Tide, the Gators would be sitting there with one loss.

The Gators have a ton of starters returning to both sides of the ball with six on offense and five on defense. Kyle Trask is one of the most talented progressive quarterbacks the Gators have started in a long time. After taking over as the injured Feleipe Franks early in the season, he threw for 2,941 yards, 25 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

The Gators will always have defensive starters step in and become one of the SEC’s most consistent unit. Last season, Florida was ranked seventh in the nation in points allowed per game (15.5). They are more balanced on both sides of the ball than the Bulldogs, who have experience in the playoff.

Like Alabama, the Gators will start their 2020 season on Sept. 26 when they have to travel to Oxford to take on Ole Miss. They do have tough matchups at No. 10 Texas A&M and then a home matchup against the defending champions in the No. 6 LSU Tigers. They do avoid having to face No. 2 Alabama or No. 8 Auburn in the regular season.

They will have to avoid any upsets or two losses as other tough Power Five teams are looking for that fourth playoff spot.