Florida is moving up in the race for March.
Following a monumental Quad-I road victory over the No. 10 Kentucky Wildcats a week ago, the Gators realized a jump in ESPN’s updated bracketology projections , elevating from the First Four Out category and No. 72 team, per Joe Lunardi’s Jan. 30 report, to the Last Four In at No. 65 on Tuesday.
Lunardi teased a potential jump in UF’s standing prior to the midweek clash with Kentucky.
“The first four out Gators have a huge opportunity to post their first Q1 win in seven tries as well as leap into the field with right results elsewhere,” he said at the time.
Accordingly, Florida climbed with the win but still sat on the outside looking in on Friday, slotted as the First Team Out.
Luckily for the Gators, favorable results elsewhere, paired with a narrow loss on the road to another team on the bubble, Texas A&M, proved enough for Florida to climb the ladder into the field to begin the crucial month of February.
The Gators had taken care of the opponents they’re expected to — sitting at a perfect 14-0 against Quad II, III and IV opponents — but a coveted Quad I win eluded them prior to Wednesday’s clash with the ‘Cats.