Drones flash Gators head coach Jon Sumrall's signature post on social media above Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Saturday night. (Photo: Hannah White/UAA Communications)
A Good Opener for Gators Under Sumrall
Sunday, September 6, 2026 | Football, Scott Carter
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By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — In the final moments of Florida's thrashing of Florida Atlantic in the season opener, TV cameras flashed a shot of Gators offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner removing his headset.
A noticeable grin crossed his face.
Faulkner wasn't alone on Saturday night. The majority of the sold-out crowd at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium left smiling after watching the Gators beat the Owls 66-21 in the debut of first-year UF head coach Jon Sumrall.
Sumrall was in good spirits, too, as he kissed his wife and hugged his kids as they made their way to join players in singing the alma mater after Florida scored its most points in a season opener in 32 years.
"Glad to be 1-0. Happy for our guys,'' Sumrall said in his postgame press conference. "Fun watching a lot of our production. Thought guys came into the game with the right mindset, right approach. They were prepared. They didn't take the opportunity for granted. They were emotionally charged and ready to go.
"A lot to clean up. By no means a perfect performance. Long list of things we have to get a lot better at if we have high goals here."
Gators head coach Jon Sumrall prepares to run out of the tunnel in his first game at Florida. (Photo: Hannah White/UAA Communications)
Sumrall is correct — the Gators were not perfect. But he can excuse the locals' giddiness after what they watched Saturday night.
Some of what had them buzzing as they left The Swamp:
Florida's 624 yards were its most since a 2021 win over Samford (717).
The Gators averaged 9.3 yards per play on their 67 snaps.
Florida moved into the red zone eight times and scored eight touchdowns.
You get the picture.
The offense got the job done, starting with quarterback Aaron Philo, making his UF debut after following Faulkner from Georgia Tech. Philo connected on his first seven passes – including scoring strikes to Vernell Brown III (49 yards) and Bailey Stockton (12 yards) – and finished 16 of 21 for 275 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. He also scored on a 3-yard touchdown run.
Meanwhile, junior tailback Jadan Baugh picked up where he left off against Florida State to end last season, tearing through FAU defenders. Baugh carried 14 times for 160 yards and scored three touchdowns. He took over midway in the second quarter after FAU had trimmed UF's lead to 24-14.
Baugh scored on a 12-yard run and a 7-yard run to put the Gators up 38-14 at halftime, and then added a 6-yard scoring run early in the third quarter as Florida pulled away. The Owls kept firing away behind the right arm of quarterback Caden Veltkamp, who finished 34 of 52 for 276 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. FAU amassed 396 yards but needed 90 plays.
Sumrall needed something to pick on, and the defense provided it.
"Our defense was atrocious at times, quite honestly,'' Sumrall said. "We had a hard time keeping pace with them. It was that way, in my opinion. I'm a little bit frustrated about how we played defensively at times. I don't think we're as good as we think we are. We got some guys who feel like we've arrived in some spots, and that will be addressed."
While FAU moved the ball, the Gators stopped them on fourth down three times and forced three turnovers: interceptions by DJ Coleman and Dijon Johnson, and a forced fumble by Brenden Bett, recovered by Myles Johnson.
The Gators' offensive explosion kept the pressure off the defense.
"Going out there and seeing them put up 66 points, I'm so proud of them because they work so hard. They were scoring quick,'' linebacker Myles Graham said. "It was fun. They ran up the scoreboard and the fireworks were going."
With the game out of reach for most of the second half, several backups took significant snaps. Quarterback Tramell Jones Jr., who battled Philo in an extended competition in preseason camp, was 4-for-5 for 68 yards and a touchdown. Running back Duke Clark relieved Baugh and rushed eight times for 65 yards, with Cincinnati transfer Evan Pryor sidelined due to a sore hip.
Florida's much-heralded receivers did their part. Brown III had a team-high six receptions for 117 yards, Dallas Wilson had three for 47, and TJ Abrams reeled in the biggest catch of the game from Philo, a 63-yard bomb early in the second quarter on the drive that ended with Philo's 3-yard run and a 24-7 lead.
Quarterback Aaron Philo sends a playful message to running back Jadan Baugh during Saturday night's win. (Photo: Hannah White/UAA Communications)
Florida's performance may not have been perfect, but it was 45 points better than the Owls and kicked off the Sumrall era in winning fashion. The 44-year-old Sumrall arrived from Tulane with an impressive streak: four seasons as a head coach, four conference championship game appearances, and three wins.
The Southeastern Conference Championship Game has been an unknown destination for the Gators in recent years, and not many expect Florida to get near it in 2026. No one should confuse a rout of FAU with a ticket to Atlanta.
Still, after one game, the Gators looked like something they rarely resembled during last season's 4-8 finish: a team capable of being much better.
And Sumrall got to experience running out of the tunnel at The Swamp with anticipation of a fresh start hovering all around.
"It was exhilarating. I was like, 'all right, this is real.' You know, the energy, the stadium was — man, it was on fire. You could feel it. It was probably even better than I thought it was going to be."
