OFFER: Purchase a monthly subscription, receive two additional months for FREE!

Dan Mullen and the Gators will kick off the 2020 season as the eighth-ranked program in the Amway Coaches Poll, the USA Today announced on Thursday.

It's the highest Florida has been ranked in the preseason coaches poll since 2009. Alabama (No. 3), Georgia (No. 4), LSU (No. 5), Auburn (No. 11) and Texas A&M (No. 13) are the additional SEC schools that were included in today's poll.

As for the additional Sunshine State programs, Miami and Florida State were not included in the top 25, while UCF checked in at No. 21.

The Gators finished the 2019 season at 11-2, including 6-2 in the SEC, and were ranked No. 7 in the poll once the season officially went in the books.

The coaches poll is conducted each week of the regular season, using a panel of head coaches from FBS programs. The panel is chosen by random draw and includes all majors conferences and independents from a pool of coaches willing to participate.

Stay tuned to GatorsTerritory.