The Season Opener: Gatos Rout FAU 66-21

The Jon Sumrall era in Gainesville couldn't have started much better. On September 5, 2026, the Florida Gators demolished Florida Atlantic 66-21 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, putting up the kind of offensive fireworks fans haven't seen at "The Swamp" in years.

Running back Jadan Baugh set the tone from the opening minutes, finishing with 160 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, breaking tackles seemingly every time he touched the ball. New starting quarterback Aaron Philo, a Georgia Tech transfer, got the offense rolling early with touchdown throws to Vernell Brown III and Bailey Stockton in the first quarter. Florida led 17-0 before FAU found the scoreboard, and the Gators never let up, scoring in every quarter and racking up 66 points by the final whistle.

It was an emphatic statement game — Florida looked faster, more explosive, and more aggressive than the team that stumbled to a 4-8 record in 2025. Baugh's performance in particular reaffirmed why many analysts consider him one of the best running backs in the country heading into the year.

Up next for the Gators: a home matchup against Campbell on September 12, the first-ever meeting between the two programs, before Florida dives into a much tougher stretch of its schedule.

A Completely New Coaching Staff

Florida enters 2026 under a completely reshaped coaching staff after firing Billy Napier following a disappointing 2025 campaign. The program moved quickly, hiring Jon Sumrall away from Tulane on a six-year, $44.7 million contract. Sumrall, 43, built his reputation as one of college football's fastest-rising coaches — he won Sun Belt titles at Troy and then reached the American Conference championship game in both of his seasons at Tulane, going 42-11 overall as a head coach and reaching a conference title game all four years.

Sumrall brought in two respected coordinators to help rebuild the roster:

Buster Faulkner — Offensive Coordinator, previously at Georgia Tech, where his offense averaged nearly 32 points and 460 yards per game in 2025
Brad White — Defensive Coordinator, arriving from Kentucky

Other notable staff changes include:

Dave Caldwell, a former NFL general manager (Philadelphia Eagles, Jacksonville Jaguars), hired as UF's GM of football operations to help manage the salary cap and roster construction
Phil Trautwein, a former Gators offensive lineman, brought on as offensive line coach
Joe Craddock, quarterbacks coach, following Sumrall from his previous stops
Gerald Chatman, retained as defensive line coach and promoted to assistant head coach
Rusty Whitt, a former Green Beret, hired as the new strength and conditioning coach

Several holdover assistants were let go in the transition, including offensive line coaches Rob Sale and Jonathan Decoster, receivers coach Billy Gonzales, and running backs coach Jabbar Juluke.

Roster Overhaul: New Faces via the Transfer Portal

With a coaching change came a massive roster turnover — Florida lost roughly 30 players to the transfer portal, but Sumrall and his staff moved aggressively to plug the gaps, often leaning on relationships from their previous stops.

Key newcomers:

QB Aaron Philo (Georgia Tech) — followed OC Buster Faulkner to Gainesville and won the starting job
WR Eric Singleton Jr. (Auburn)
WR Bailey Stockton (Georgia Tech)
RB Evan Pryor (Cincinnati)
C Harrison Moore (Georgia Tech)
OL TJ Shanahan Jr. and Eagan Boyer (Penn State)
S DJ Coleman (Baylor)
DL Emmanuel Oyebadejo (Jacksonville State)

The bigger win for Florida, though, was retention. After a bidding war that reportedly included Texas, the Gators re-signed star running back Jadan Baugh, who posted an 89.5 PFF rushing grade a season ago and ranked among the most valuable running backs in the Power Four conferences. Florida also held onto receivers Dallas Wilson and Vernell Brown III, safety Bryce Thornton, quarterback Tramell Jones Jr., and a strong core of returning defenders including edge rushers LJ McCray and Kamran James, and defensive linemen Jeramiah McCloud and Joseph Mbatchou.

Notable losses include quarterback DJ Lagway (transferred to Baylor after a disappointing sophomore campaign), receiver Eugene Wilson III (LSU), running back Ja'Kobi Jackson (Ohio State), and defensive tackle Michai Boireau (Ole Miss).

2026 Season Outlook

Florida enters the year ranked No. 13 nationally and playing its first-ever nine-game SEC schedule as the conference expands its slate. The Gators' full 2026 schedule:

DateOpponentSiteSept. 5FAUHome (W, 66-21)Sept. 12CampbellHomeSept. 19at AuburnAwaySept. 26Ole MissHomeOct. 3at MissouriAwayOct. 10South CarolinaHomeOct. 17at TexasAwayOct. 24—ByeOct. 31GeorgiaAtlanta (Mercedes-Benz Stadium)Nov. 7OklahomaHomeNov. 14at KentuckyAwayNov. 21VanderbiltHomeNov. 28at Florida StateAway

A few scheduling notes worth flagging: the annual Florida-Georgia rivalry game moves to Atlanta in 2026 — the first time it's been played there since the series began in 1915 — because of renovations at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville. Florida also draws Oklahoma for the first time ever in conference play, and travels to Auburn for the first time since 2011.

Strengths: Florida's skill-position talent is legitimately elite. Baugh anchors a running back room that ranks among the best in the country, and the receiving corps — led by Singleton, Brown, and Wilson — is considered a top-15 group nationally.

Question marks: The trenches remain a concern. Florida lost its three highest-graded offensive linemen from a year ago, including two NFL draft picks, and the new-look offensive line (built around transfers Harrison Moore and TJ Shanahan Jr.) has yet to prove itself. The defensive line is similarly unproven outside of newcomer Emmanuel Oyebadejo.

The road ahead: After a manageable non-conference start, Florida doesn't face a Power Four opponent until Week 3 at Auburn — but the middle of the schedule is brutal, with a stretch that includes a road trip to Texas, the Georgia game in Atlanta, and a home date with Oklahoma in the span of a few weeks.

If the young quarterback competition settles quickly and the offensive line gels, Florida has enough skill talent to compete for a New Year's Six berth. If the trenches struggle as some project, it could be a long climb back toward relevance for a program still chasing its first College Football Playoff appearance.

All Photos: Dustin Markland