Florida head coach Jon Sumrall on his way into Ben Hill Griffin Stadium for his debut. (Photo: Hannah White/UAA Communications)
Game Day: Florida vs Florida Atlantic (Saturday, 7:45 pm)
Saturday, September 5, 2026 | Football, Chris Harry
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By: Chris Harry, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Two years ago, Florida opened the season at home in a most ambitious fashion. The Gators welcomed 19th-ranked Miami and got positively bludgeoned. The Hurricanes won 41-17 and outgained the home team in total offense, 529 to 261.
Last year, UF went the other direction with its lid-lifter. The Gators, ranked No. 15 on the strength of a four-game winning streak to close out '24, opened against FCS-classified Long Island at Spurrier/Florida Field. It was a far-from-perfect performance and far from competitive. Florida won 55-0, cranked out 451 yards while surrendering just 86. UF played USF a week later.
Everybody in Gator Nation knows the rest.
Well, here it is, the start to the 2026 campaign, and the Gators will draw the curtain on the much-anticipated Jon Sumrall era against a Florida Atlantic opponent that is somewhere between the challenges that Miami presented and those Long Island did not. On the intrigue front, however, the game offers plenty, starting with a chance for success-starved UF fans to see if all the buzz around the Sumrall-injected energy within the program translates to offensive fireworks and big defensive plays for the 19th consecutive sellout crowd at the "Swamp."
[Read senior writer Scott Carter's comprehensive "Opening Kickoff" setup here]
Sumrall combined to go 43-12 over the previous four seasons split at Troy and Tulane. Along the way, he guided his teams to four consecutive league championship games – the only FBC coach on such a streak – and won a Sun Belt Conference title in '23 and an American Athletic Conference crown in '25, a victory that clinched Tulane a spot in the College Football Playoff.
Jon Sumrall won league championships in two different conferences before jumping to UF last December.
They were the kind of celebratory moments the Gators used to enjoy, but have not in a long, long time. Florida is still searching for its first CFP berth, has not won the Southeastern Conference championship since 2008, has not played in the league title game or major bowl since 2020 and is riding a string of losing records in three of the last four seasons (six times since 2013).
Sumrall replaced Billy Napier, who was ousted in October last season with a record of 22-23 in his three-plus seasons, making him the first UF coach since the 1940s to post a sub-.500 record. Unlike Napier, Sumrall isn't a micro manager. And he didn't hire a bunch of his friends to coach the team, either, but rather found a pair of solid coordinators in Buster Faulkner (from Georgia Tech) on offense and Brad White (Kentucky) on defense.
He has vowed to bring excitement back – as in points on the scoreboard – to one of college football's most hallowed venues and does not take lightly the responsibility of restoring Florida football to its once-proud place.
UF offensive coordinator Buster Faulknercame last offseason from Georgia Tech, where for three seasons he called plays for one of the most explosive units in the country.
Third-year quarterback Aaron Philo, who transferred after playing two seasons under Faulkner at Tech, will get the first crack under center after winning a tight preseason quarterback battle against Tramell Jones Jr., who will be on call if Philo does not produce. Over Faulkner's three seasons calling plays for the Yellow Jackets, they led the Atlantic Coast Conference in rushing (197.8 yards per game), were second in total offense (437.7 ypg), third in passing efficiency and fifth in scoring (31.0 points pg).
Whoever is under center will be doing a lot of handing off to tailback Jadan Baugh, who rushed for 1,170 yards and eight touchdowns last season, and figures to be one of the league's top workhorses. The UF receiving corps, led by Dallas Wilson and Vernell Brown III, is the most loaded position group on the team. The offensive line, under the tutelage of former UF standout Phil Trautwein, is a group that will be closely scrutinized, what with three transfers in the starting unit.
Defensively, linebacker Myles Graham and edge rusher Jayden Woods garnered the preseason headlines, but strong safety Bryce Thornton and second-year cornerback Ben Hanks III are among the players who distinguished themselves during camp. White plans to run a multi-look, multi-front scheme that pressures opposing quarterbacks, something that's been missing in these parts for several seasons.
FAU, out of the American Athletic Association, boasts one of the highest percentage of returning players in the country from a team that went 4-8 last season. With quarterback Caden Velkamp (3,641 yards, 24 TD, 17 INT) back, the Owls' offense ranked 22nd in the nation at 447.7 yards per game, including No. 1 in pass efficiency. They will test the new UF defense.
Coverage starts at 7:45 p.m. on SEC Network, with the crew of Matt Schumacker on play-by-play, Aaron Murray providing analysis and Taylor Davis working the sidelines. The Gators Sports Network broadcast will air with pregame coverage beginning at 3:45 p.m. and eventually give way to Sean Kelly, Shane Matthews and Tate Casey on the call. For GSN stations, click here.
The game will be re-aired Monday at 10 p.m. and Thursday at 3 a.m. on SEC Network.
Finally, follow senior writer Scott Carter (@GatorsScott) for commentary and analysis throughout the game. FloridaGators.com will also have complete post-game coverage from late Saturday night and follow-up content Sunday.
