GAINESVILLE — Florida coach Jon Sumrall is giving the Gators a reason to believe — even if the odds remain long.

While a College Football Playoff berth might be a long shot, Sumrall isn’t ready to rule out the possibilities.

Florida would need considerable help elsewhere. But two Top 10 victories, with a third possible, could put the Gators in an intriguing position if they can deliver a perfect November in an increasingly unpredictable college football season.

Humbled and exposed in a one-sided loss to Georgia, Sumrall reminded his team that plenty remains at stake this season.

Four winnable games remain for No. 25 Florida (5-3, 3-3 SEC), beginning with Saturday’s visit from a struggling Oklahoma team (4-4, 2-3). If the Gators can go 4-0 — including a road win at No. 8 Kentucky on Nov. 14 — they would close with significant momentum and change the outlook for Sumrall’s first year in Gainesville.

“We have a lot to play for,” he said Monday. “I’m not saying we’re there yet, but if we find a way to just go 1-0 every week for the next four weeks, and you look up, who knows where you stand at that point in the chaos we’re all in, in college football right now.

“If you could find your way to 9-3 at the end, there’s a lot of possibilities that can happen with what else is going on in the world.”

Beyond the best-case scenarios and what might happen elsewhere, an undefeated November would give Florida its first winning record since 2020 and at least nine victories for the first time since the 2019 Gators finished 11-2.

“You know the old adage, ‘You remember the games you play in November,’” Sumrall said. “These games are valuable. How you finish matters. We need to finish strong to create some positive momentum as we go into the offseason, to the future, to recruiting, et cetera.”

To finish with a flourish, Florida must reestablish some offensive rhythm, build on two encouraging defensive performances and clean up its penalty problems. The Gators average an SEC-high 75 penalty yards per game.

Against Georgia, uncertainty at quarterback led to chaos as Aaron Philo and Tramell Jones Jr. each committed two turnovers, the first three leading to 17 points as the Bulldogs built an insurmountable 24-0 halftime lead in an eventual 27-8 win.

After starting Philo before replacing him with Jones after three series. Sumrall wasn’t ready to name a starting quarterback Monday, but made clear that the supporting cast must perform better against an experienced Oklahoma defense. The Sooners collapsed during a 42-25 loss to South Carolina this past Saturday at home, but held Texas, Kentucky and Mississippi to a combined 60 points during the previous three games.

Meanwhile, the Gators’ defense built off a breakout performance during an upset at Texas with a solid showing against Georgia. After building a big lead, the Bulldogs’ run game wore down the Gators and finished with 217 yards.

Still, Florida’s defense appears to be making significant progress. Through six games, the Gators had allowed an average of 390 yards per game, the most in the SEC. They have surrendered just 278 yards to Texas and 318 to Georgia in their past two outings.

“We’re playing way more confident, way more aggressive, we have a better understanding of the scheme,” defensive end Emmanuel Oyebadejo said. “We can definitely improve … and just clean up some small mistakes that we’re making. I feel like we definitely have a good foundation for the rest of the season.”

After beating Ole Miss on Sept. 26 and rising to No. 8 in the national rankings, the Gators were well ahead of schedule in Year One under Sumrall. A 1-3 October quickly recalibrated expectations.

Now, Florida’s final month will help determine his program’s direction entering Sumrall’s first full offseason in Gainesville.

“After you go into a game that maybe is as hyped up as last week’s was, sometimes you worry about how much gas is in the tank emotionally,” Sumrall said. “I have to help them understand, ‘Guys, man, you signed up for the whole year.’ We have to finish this thing the right way.”

Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com

Up next

What: Oklahoma (4-4, 2-3 SEC) at Florida (5-3, 3-3)

When: 7:45 p.m., Saturday

Where:Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Atlanta

TV: SEC Network

Favorite: Florida by 8 points

Source: Yahoo Sports