ESPN moves Florida up in bowl projections after Texas upset

Florida's surprising victory over Texas has significantly improved the Gators' postseason prospects according to ESPN's latest bowl projections. ESPN analysts Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach both predict Florida to host an in-state bowl following their 27-24 comeback win against then-No. 7 Texas. Bonagura envisions a matchup between Florida and Pittsburgh in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, while Schlabach foresees a Florida-Nebraska game in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

Bonagura's projected Pitt opponent would take place on December 30th at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, with a kickoff at 11:30 a.m. ET on ESPN. On the other hand, Schlabach's Florida-Nebraska game would be held the following day at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, with a 12:00 p.m. kickoff on ESPN. Both projections represent a shift from ESPN's outlook at the beginning of Week 7.

Bonagura had previously projected Florida to face South Florida in the Gasparilla Bowl, while Schlabach had them playing Baylor in the Liberty Bowl. Florida's win has propelled them to a 5-2 overall record and 3-2 in SEC play, ending a two-game losing streak. The Gators are now one victory away from bowl eligibility and have five regular season games remaining.

ESPN's most recent projections illustrate the rapid elevation of Florida's postseason outlook after securing one of the season's most pivotal wins. This shift has moved the Gators from lower-tier bowl projections into potential matchups with Pitt and Nebraska in Jacksonville and Tampa.