Coming off of a 41-14 win over Florida State, Florida is in a strong position in the state entering the second season under Dan Mullen.

That is the opinion of ESPN and SEC Network analyst Paul Finebaum, who said on his weekly visit with WJOX that Florida has seized momentum in the talent-rich Sunshine State. When it sat at 1-1 after a home loss to Kentucky, there were concerns early about Florida. But the Gators ended the season on a three-game winning streak and in position to land a quality bowl game with a 9-3 record.

“I think Dan Mullen has all the momentum (in the state),” Finebaum said. “If you think about what we were saying about Dan Mullen after the Kentucky game. Navigating this ship back on the right track and perhaps ending up in the top 10, and obviously, now, in a New Year’s Day bowl is just downright remarkable.”

Finebaum obviously didn’t factor in Central Florida, which is 11-0, but has long been criticized for not playing the same kind of schedule as its in-state counterparts from the SEC and ACC. Of course, Miami and South Florida each finished 7-5, while Florida Atlantic was 5-7.

It’ll be interesting to see how Florida fares in the recruiting battles of the next few months and how that momentum builds into the offseason.