The 24th-ranked Gators return home after almost a month away to face Oklahoma on Saturday night at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. (UAA file photo)
Game Day: No. 24 Gators vs. Oklahoma (7:45 p.m., SEC Network)
Saturday, November 7, 2026 | Football, Scott Carter
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By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The third all-time meeting between Florida and Oklahoma, two programs with four national championships between them since 1996, doesn't quite carry the weight of their first meeting.
You may remember that one: Gators 24, Oklahoma 14.
The matchup on Jan. 8, 2009, in Miami was for the BCS National Championship. Florida's victory secured its second national championship in three seasons and fulfilled quarterback Tim Tebow's midseason "Promise" after a home loss to Ole Miss threatened to derail the Gators' national title aspirations.
First-year Gators coach Jon Sumrall envisions similar games in his tenure. No. 24-ranked Florida is not there yet, as demonstrated a week ago in a 27-8 loss to Southeastern Conference rival Georgia. Neither are the Sooners. Oklahoma's roller-coaster season took another dip with a home loss to South Carolina, putting more pressure on fifth-year coach Brent Venables to make changes.
Venables fired offensive coordinator Brent Arbuckle on Monday and replaced him with tight ends coach Jason Witten, a former NFL All-Pro with the Dallas Cowboys and a star at the University of Tennessee. The impact on Oklahoma's struggling offense remains to be seen.
Quarterback Tramell Jones Jr. is set to make his first career home start on Saturday night against Oklahoma. (Photo: Gabriella Childers/UAA Communications)
Oklahoma is ranked next-to-last in the SEC in total offense (336.9 yards per game) and scoring offense (22.0 points per game), and 14th in rushing offense (106.8 ypg). Meanwhile, Florida's defense has been much better the past two games, in wins at Texas and in the loss against the Bulldogs in Atlanta, limiting the Longhorns to 278 yards and Georgia to 318.
What ailed the Gators during their 1-3 October was primarily injuries and lack of a running game. Sophomore receiver Vernell Brown III is set to miss his fifth consecutive game on Saturday night with a knee injury, and starting quarterback Aaron Philo missed the win over Texas with a shoulder injury. Backup Tramell Jones Jr. led the Gators past Texas and replaced a struggling Philo in the second quarter against Georgia.
Jones will make his second career start — and first at The Swamp — against the Sooners. He could use some help from the run game, which managed only 48 yards against Georgia. Oklahoma has alternated between wins and losses through eight games mostly because of a defense ranked 21st among FBS programs (304.6 ypg) and 16th against the pass (175.4 ypg). Sooners linebacker Owen Heinecke (64 tackles) flies around the field, and edge rusher Adepoju Adebawore has a team-best four sacks.
None of the participants Saturday were around for that memorable Florida win 18 seasons ago, but the leader of that Florida team will be at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
Former Gators head coach Urban Meyer returns to be inducted into the program's Ring of Honor for winning two national championships and posting a 65-15 record in his six seasons at UF from 2005-2010. Meyer finally celebrated the win over the Sooners when Ahmad Black picked off Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.
Urban Meyer and Tim Tebow during their time together at UF from 2006-09. (Photo: UAA files)
The Gators (5-3, 3-3) are a 6.5-point favorite over the Sooners (4-4, 2-3) and can become bowl-eligible with a victory. Florida has not played in a bowl game since 2024, when it defeated Sumrall's Tulane team in the Gasparilla Bowl.
While neither team is in the 2026 national championship picture, a Florida-Oklahoma matchup is always special. The last time they met, in the 2020 Cotton Bowl, the Sooners romped to a 55-20 victory.
This marks the first regular-season, on-campus meeting between the programs, and with Meyer's Ring of Honor induction ceremony on tap in a night game at The Swamp, the home crowd should be ready to loudly welcome the Sooners to town.
Broadcast coverage starts at 7:45 p.m. on the SEC Network, with Matt Schumaker handling play-by-play, Aaron Murray serving as the analyst and Taylor Davis as the sideline reporter. The Gators Sports Network broadcast, hosted by Jeff Cardozo, will air with pregame coverage beginning at 4:30 p.m. and will eventually give way to play-by-play voice Sean Kelley, analyst Shane Matthews and field reporter Tate Casey on the call. Here is a list of GSN stations.
Replays will air on the SEC Network on Monday, Nov. 9 at 1 a.m., and on Thursday, Nov. 12 at 9 a.m.
Follow senior writer Scott Carter (@GatorsScott) for commentary and analysis throughout the game. FloridaGators.com will have complete post-game coverage late Saturday night and follow-up content Sunday.
