Celebrity birthdays for the week of Oct. 11-17:
Oct. 11: Country singer Gene Watson is 83. Singer Daryl Hall of Hall and Oates is 80. Actor Catlin Adams ("The Jerk," "The Jazz Singer") is 76. Country singer Paulette Carlson (Highway 101) is 75. MTV VJ Mark Goodman is 74. Actor David Morse ("St. Elsewhere") is 73. Actor Stephen Spinella ("24") is 70. Actor Joan Cusack is 64. Guitarist Scott Johnson of Gin Blossoms is 64. Actor-writer Michael J. Nelson ("Mystery Science Theater 3000") is 62. Actor Sean Patrick Flanery is 61. Actor Lennie James ("The Walking Dead") is 61. Musician Todd Snider is 60. Actor Artie Lange ("MADtv") is 59. Actor Jane Krakowski ("30 Rock," "Ally McBeal") is 58. Actor Andrea Navedo ("Jane the Virgin") is 57. Rapper MC Lyte is 56. Actor Constance Zimmer ("UnREAL," "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.") is 56. Actor Darien Sills-Evans ("Superior Donuts," "Treme") is 52. Singer NeeNa Lee is 51. Actor Emily Deschanel ("Bones") is 50. Actor Trevor Donovan ("90210") is 48. Rapper Cardi B is 34.
Oct. 13: Gospel singer Shirley Caesar is 89. Musician Paul Simon is 85. Keyboardist Robert Lamm of Chicago is 82. Country singer Lacy J. Dalton is 80. Singer Sammy Hagar is 79. Singer John Ford Coley of England Dan and John Ford Coley is 78. Model Beverly Johnson is 74. Actor John Lone ("The Last Emperor," "Rush Hour 2") is 74. "The X-Files" creator Chris Carter is 70. Singer Cherrelle is 67. Singer-actor-talk show host Marie Osmond is 67. Singer Joey Belladonna of Anthrax is 66. Actor T'Keyah Crystal Keymah ("That's So Raven," "In Living Color") is 64. Country singer John Wiggins is 64. Actor Christopher Judge (TV's "Stargate SG-1") is 62. Actor Matt Walsh ("Veep") is 62. Actor Reginald Ballard ("Martin," "The Bernie Mac Show") is 61. Actor Kate Walsh ("Private Practice," "Grey's Anatomy") is 59. Musician Jeff Allen of Mint Condition is 58. Actor Tisha Campbell-Martin ("My Wife and Kids," "Martin") is 58. Country singer Rhett Akins is 57. TV personality Billy Bush is 55. Actor Sacha Baron Cohen ("Borat," "Da Ali G Show") is 55. Guitarist Jan Van Sichem Jr. of K's Choice is 54. Singers Brandon and Brian Casey of Jagged Edge are 51. Actor Kiele Sanchez ("Lost") is 50. Singer Ashanti is 46. Singer-rapper Lumidee is 46. Contemporary Christian singer Jon Micah Sumrall of Kutless is 46. Actor Caleb McLaughlin ("Stranger Things") is 25.
Oct. 14: Director Carroll Ballard ("The Black Stallion") is 89. Singer Cliff Richard is 86. Singer Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues is 80. Actor Greg Evigan ("My Two Dads," "B.J. and the Bear") is 73. Singer Thomas Dolby is 68. Actor Lori Petty ("A League of Their Own") is 63. Actor Steve Coogan ("Night at the Museum" movies) is 61. Singer Karyn White is 61. Actor Edward Kerr ("Pretty Little Liars," "Snoops") is 60. Actor Jon Seda ("Chicago P.D.," "Homicide: Life on the Street") is 56. Bassist Doug Virden (Sons of the Desert) is 56. Country singer Natalie Maines of The Chicks is 52. Singer Shaznay Lewis of All Saints is 5

Alex Golesh crossed off another milestone last week when Auburn defeated Southern Miss, 43-8, for the first home win of his tenure. This week, he could reach another when the Tigers host Florida for the Tigers' first SEC game of his era.
Golesh stood at the podium Monday to preview the matchup with the Gators and to close the book on Auburn's Week 2 win. One topic Golesh discussed Monday was his relationship with Florida head coach Jon Sumrall. Like Golesh, Sumrall took the leap to the SEC from the American Athletic Conference after leading Tulane to an AAC championship and the College Football Playoff.
The pair have a lot in common and have bonded over their time as coaches. However, Golesh says that his friendship with Sumrall is taking a brief pause this week.
"He said we were friends? Not this week, we're not," Golesh said Monday (via ABC 33/40). "I got a ton of respect for Jon (Sumrall). We were both ****** istants in this league at the same time, and he did a great job at Troy, a high-end job at Troy. Did a high-end job at Tulane. I got a ton of respect for how he works; I got a ton of respect for who he is. I think he does it the right way. He competes like crazy. I got a lot of respect for him. This week? Don't care."
What else did Golesh say ahead of Auburn's SEC opener against Florida? Here are five key quotes from Golesh's Monday press conference.

#golesh #Monday #Respect #tulane

AUBURN — Alex Golesh got to know Jon Sumrall as the two helmed American Conference programs the past two seasons. Then the duo went on to highlight the latest coaching carousel's American-to-SEC moves, taking over at Auburn football and Florida, respectively.
"It will be fun in Jordan-Hare, Week 3 Saturday night," Golesh said when asked about Sumrall at SEC Media Days, and now the time's come. The Tigers will host Florida on Saturday, Sept. 19 (7 p.m. CT, ESPN), for their SEC-opener, with seemingly all niceties put to the side.
The pair has only faced off once previously, with Sumrall's Tulane posting a 45-10 blowout against South Florida in 2024. Golesh said Monday, Sept. 14, he re-watched the tape "for about the 200th time" in preparation for the Gators, adding that it would've made for a "really, really rough morning" to watch it with him the day prior.
TIME, TV: When does Auburn football play Florida this week?
That wasn't even Golesh's most-notable comment on Sumrall. Told Florida's head coach described the pair as friends, Golesh shot it down in a hurry.

#golesh #Florida #american #time

Florida football routed the Campbell Fighting Camels, 52-3, during Week 2, marking the first time since 2021 that the Gators started the season with a pair of wins. However, despite the lopsided score, there is still work to do for the Orange and Blue.
Following the triumph over their FCS opponent, head coach Jon Sumrall spoke to the press about what he saw out on the field inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Saturday. There were things he was proud of — especially Vernell Bown III's performance — but there were also areas that he wants to see the team improve, particularly focusing on personal foul calls and team discipline.
Take a look below at everything Sumrall told the press following Florida's second win of the 2026 campaign.
Appreciate you all being here to cover the game. Happy for our guys to get a win. The goal this week, just like every week, is to be 1-0 at the end of Saturday. We're 1-0 this week, which I'm pleased with.
Some positives. I thought clearly (Vernell Brown III) in the return game came through when it was really clutch with what he did with the ball in his hands on those two punt returns, the third one that we had the penalty on. He did some really nice things in the return game.

#week #vernell #return

The moment Vernell Brown III reached the end zone; a bolt of energy returned to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
It was energy that sat dormant for four years during Billy Napier's four years as Florida football coach. Jon Sumrall relit the flame with 66 points last week vs. Florida Atlantic, but that fire fizzled out in a sluggish first quarter vs. FCS foe Campbell.
Until Brown III caught a punt early in the second quarter.
64 yards later, he landed in the end zone. Three minutes later, Brown III once again reigned in a punt and scored another touchdown.
The two scores entered Brown into an elusive category, joining Jacquez Green as the only two Gators to return two punts for TDs in a single game.

#brown #zone #punt

Florida football notched its second blowout victory of the season on Saturday evening, throttling the Campbell Fighting Camels, 52-3, inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
While the visitors struck first blood in this one, the FCS school never really had a chance against the Gators. Jon Sumrall's squad went on to score 52 unanswered points en route to a 2-0 start for the first time since 2021.
Aaron Philo finished by mirroring his efforts from last week with a 16-for-21 performance through the air — good for 242 yards and a pair of touchdowns — while Jadan Baugh rushed 14 times for 134 yards and a pair of scores. Vernell Brown III was spectacular, logging 219 yards and a pair of scores on four returns, and added three catches for 43 yards and a TD as well.
On defense, Florida held Campbell to 210 total yards and forced a turnover on a goal-line stand late in the fourth quarter. Holding the Fighting Camels to just 62 yards (2.5 yards per carry) is also something worth hanging their hat on.
Take a look below at the Gators Wire staff's instant reactions to Florida's second win of the 2026 campaign.

#fighting #camels #gators #scores

After a 66-point outburst against FAU in Week 1, Florida looks to start the season 2-0 with a win over FCS opponent Campbell.
The Fighting Camels present another sizable mismatch for the Gators before SEC play begins next week at Auburn. That should give Jon Sumrall another chance to evaluate depth, get younger players meaningful reps and continue building chemistry on both sides of the ball before the schedule gets considerably tougher.
Florida will also be looking for another clean performance offensively after piling up points in the opener, while the defense has a chance to tighten up after allowing FAU to find the end zone three times.
Get real-time updates, scoring plays, turning points and expert ******* ysis throughout Florida's game against Campbell. Follow along for highlights, injury news, key plays and instant breakdowns from Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
Quarter

#fighting

Florida football began the Jon Sumrall era with a convincing 66-21 win over Florida Atlantic at The Swamp.
In this week's Swampcast, the Sun's Kevin Brockway, Noah Ram and Andrew Abadie break down the win and focus on where the Florida Gators need to improve in their Week 2 matchup against Campbell on Saturday, September 12 (5:30 p.m., SEC Network +).
Florida outgained FAU 624-396 but concerns on defense remain for the Gators in both communication and physicality.
"You knew it was going to be tough facing one of the best pass offenses in the country last season but still, some soft coverages, not much of a pass rush, some things to be mildly concerned about," Brockway said.
Abadie said it comes down to players winning matchups on the defensive line and better communication in the secondary.

#gators #sumrall #Atlantic #swamp

The US LBM Coaches Poll following college football's Week 1 results was released on Tuesday, with the Florida Gators entering the top 25 after a decisive 66-21 victory over the FAU Owls inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
Jon Sumrall's squad began the season just outside the rankings in the de facto No. 27 spot with 147 votes when the first edition of the poll was released back at the beginning of August. With one-plus week of play now in the books, the Orange and Blue finds itself now tied with the Virginia Cavaliers for the No. 25 spot with 157 votes — both of whom are just seven votes behind the No. 24 Michigan Wolverines.
Next up for Florida are the Campbell Fighting Camels, an FCS program that will travel to the Swamp on Saturday, Sept. 12, for a clash on the collegiate gridiron. Kickoff is slated for 5:30 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on the SEC Network+.
RK
TEAM

#poll #week #spot #owls

Florida scored 66 points in Jon Sumrall's first game as head coach on Saturday night and gave up 396 yards and 25 first downs in the same game. Florida Atlantic ran 90 plays inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, converted half of its third downs and four of seven on fourth down, and still lost by 45.
Jul 22, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; Florida Gators head coach Jon Sumrall speaks to the press during SEC Football Kickoff Media Day at the Tampa Marriott. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
"Our defense was atrocious at times, quite honestly," Sumrall said afterward. "So we had a hard time keeping pace with them. It was that way, in my opinion. Like, I watch that play, 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. I think we got some guys who feel like, you know, we've arrived in some spots and that will be addressed. We have got a lot of room to grow on defense. If it doesn't happen real fast we're going to get embarrassed and exposed handily in some spots, because that wasn't a great performance by us."
Aaron Philo completed 16 of 21 passes for 275 yards and three touchdowns with an interception in his first start since transferring from Georgia Tech, and added a rushing score. Jadan Baugh carried 14 times for 160 yards and three touchdowns and was out of the game early in the third quarter with Florida up 45-14. The Gators scored on their first six possessions, went six of six in the red zone and piled up 624 yards. The 66 points were their most in a season opener since 1994.
The team that heard the "arrived" line went 4-8 last season, watched Billy Napier get fired in Oct and has three preseason All-SEC selections on the roster. Sumrall came from Tulane on a defensive resume, having played linebacker at Kentucky and coached the position there and at Ole Miss, so the side of the ball he singled out is the side he is measured on.

#gators

Ranking best, worst coaching debuts in Week 1: Lane Kiffin, Matt Campbell, Jon Sumrall in new places originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
A total of 17 coaches made their debut in Week 1 of the 2026 college football season.
Ole Miss' Pete Golding is the last coach on the list who will lead the Rebels against No. 24 Louisville on Sunday. The other 16 coaches combined for a 14-2 record.
Lane Kiffin, of course, grabbed the most attention last season when he left Ole Miss to take the LSU job prior to the College Football Playoff. Golding and Kiffin will be juxtaposed all season as a result – especially leading into the Week 3 matchup between the Rebels and Tigers. Kiffin, however, was not the only coach who impressed in Week 1.
MORE: Week 1 overreactions

#kiffin #season #golding

In front of a packed house at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, the Florida Gators routed the FAU Owls 66-21 in the teams' season opener.
The Gators have struggled the past four seasons, all of them ending with losing records. In 2025, the team finished 4-8, and coach Billy Napier was fired in October.
Changes had to be made in the offseason, and they were. Florida brought in new head coach Jon Sumrall, who's credited for quick turnarounds at Troy and Tulane, turning them into winning teams.
Out goes quarterback DJ Lagway to Baylor and in comes Aaron Philo, a transfer from Georgia Tech who threw for 373 yards in his only start against Gardner-Webb in 2025.
FAU came into this game being ranked No. 1 in the nation in passing offense last season, averaging 340.2 yards per game. Their defense, however, was ranked near the bottom, giving up 36.3 points per game. History wasn't on the Owls' side either as they've never won a game against the Gators, 0-4 all-time.

#Florida #coach #hill

Despite Florida football opening the season with a strong offensive performance, the Gators missed one of their key transfer players.
Florida's eventual 66-21 rout over Florida Atlantic was played without wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr.
Singleton was sidelined for the game after a player fell on him while setting up a block for Vernell Brown III's 49-yard touchdown in the first quarter.
Singleton never left the sidelines, and remained fully dressed out for the duration of the game.
"He had a little ankle (injury)," Florida coach Jon Sumrall said. "I don't know how severe. Tried to give it a go. We'll see. I'll have more information probably on Monday, but yeah unfortunate. It happened really, really early."

#gators #Atlantic #eric #brown

Florida football came into the season opener against Florida Atlantic relatively healthy. While Saturday night's result was ideal, the Gators are now dealing with a few injury concerns to follow heading into Week 2.
Wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr. suffered an unconfirmed injury during the game, while defensive backs J'Vari Flowers and Bryce Thornton also appeared to be shaken up at different points. Thornton seemed to injure his wrist after a big hit in the first half. Their statuses moving forward remain unclear. Head coach Jon Sumrall is expected to provide additional information after further evaluation.
The Gators were also without a number of key players before kickoff. Wide receiver Davian Groce, offensive lineman Eagan Boyer, defensive lineman Stive-Bentley Keumajio-Yondju, safety Eric Parks and running back Kelvin Jimenez were not dressed for the opener, according to reports from Gainesville. Before Saturday's matchup, Jimenez was listed as out.
The extent of Singleton's injury will be the most significant storyline as the Gators turn their attention to Campbell.
Follow us GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

#gators #injury #receiver

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Jadan Baugh ran for 160 yards and three touchdowns, juking defenders nearly every time he touched the ball, and Florida opened the Jon Sumrall era with a 66-21 win over Florida Atlantic on Saturday night.
Aaron Philo added 275 yards passing and four total scores as the Gators won their seventh consecutive home debut for a new coach. This one was the highest-scoring season opener for Florida since 1994.
Sumrall entered the sold-out Swamp amid fire, smoke and strobe lights. He delivered a fiery pregame speech on the field and then really showed what he's about with a dominant win that was never in doubt. He even had his team throwing — and scoring — in the final minute, reminding some of Hall of Famer Steve Spurrier.
Florida scored on its first six possessions. Philo connected with Vernell Brown III for a 49-yard score and then found former Georgia Tech teammate and current roommate Bailey Stockton for a 12-yarder.
Philo scrambled for a score on fourth down to make it 24-7. Brown finished with 117 yards on six receptions.

#baugh

Florida football enters the start of the 2026 season fairly healthy as the Gators are set to kickoff against Florida Atlantic at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Sept. 5.
Earlier in the week, Florida football coach Jon Sumrall told reporters that tight end Evan Chieca was dealing with lower body and is questionable, while freshman defensive tackle Kendall Guervil was back practicing after dealing with a knee injury.
The only known player out for the year is running back Kelvin Jimenez.
During pregame warmups against FAU, freshman wide receiver Davian Groce was not dressed out. His injury is unknown as he was wearing street clothes.
Defensive lineman Stive-Bently Keumajou-Youndui was not dressed out with a sleeve on his leg, while offensive lineman Eager Boyer, a Penn State transfer, was also not dressed out.

#Florida #freshman

Florida football officially kicks off a new era Saturday with Jon Sumrall's first game as Gators head coach.
The start of a new season – regardless of the coach – brings an excitement that's been held in a box throughout the long summer months.
But on UF campus Saturday, that excitement felt diminished. Call it the humid weather with on and off rain. Call it the late kickoff. Call it the less than marquee opponent in Florida Atlantic. Call it the holiday weekend.
Regardless, Plaza of the Americas – the hotbed of campus – looked eerily quiet three hours before kickoff.
Glenn Denning reflected that vibe. The Gainesville resident remembered when he first began tailgating on Plaza of the Americas when it stood packed with tents.

#saturday

Jon Sumrall won the offseason for Florida football, as the first-year UF coach re-energized the fanbase with his authentic, energetic demeanor,
Sumrall will begin the process of trying to win the regular season in his coaching debut with the Florida Gators on Saturday, September 5 at The Swamp against Florida Atlantic (7:45 p.m., SEC Network).
Both Florida and FAU are seeking to bounce back from 4-8 seasons. Sumrall was hired from Tulane on November 30, 2025 and has placed the offseason emphasis on physical and mental toughness to help turn around a program that's endured four losing seasons in the last five years.
Florida will play before its 19th straight sellout in Sumrall's debut.
"That gameday opportunity here is unlike many out there," Sumrall said. And so, I'll be amped up. But at the end of the day too, it's really about focusing on us doing our job to the best of our ability and playing really good football. And so, you have to make sure that while you're emotionally charged up and you're hyped, that you don't forget that the main things that go on within the game aren't in the stands; it's in between the white lines."

#Football #gators #saturday

After a breakout freshman season returning punts and kicks Florida football sophomore wide receiver Vernell Brown III earned preseason All-SEC third team honors as a return specialist over the summer.
The 5-foot-11, 178-pound Brown is expecting another big year as a return man for the Florida Gators in 2026. Florida football coach Jon Sumrall has made special teams a priority since first arriving at UF, adding his former special teams from Tulane, Johnathan Galante and special teams **** yst Greg McMahon, a former special teams coordinator with the New Orleans Saints from 2008-16.
"I just want to take advantage of my opportunities," Brown said. "But as far as third team All SEC, you know, that's fuel to the fire for me. There are three teams and the third team isn't the best team. So that's just fuel to the fire."
Brown ranked sixth in the SEC in punt return yardage at 11.7 yards per return last season. Overall, Brown tallied 261 return yards across 18 kick and punt returns and was one of two freshmen and 18 players in the FBS to have five punt returns of 20-plus yards.
Entering 2026, Brown will mainly focus on punt returns, as cornerback J'Vari Flowers and running back London Montgomery are penciled in to return kickoffs. But Brown said he would return kickoffs again if he's needed.

#Florida #special #Third

Florida will enter Jon Sumrall's first season in Gainesville with a relatively clean injury report.
The Gators were hit by injuries throughout the 2025 season, including significant setbacks to several key players, but Sumrall said Monday that his team is largely healthy ahead of Saturday's opener against FAU.
"We're pretty healthy," Sumrall said in his Week 1 press conference. "The injury report is pretty positive in regard to having pretty much everybody ready to go."
Only one player, walk-on running back Kelvin Jimenez, has been ruled out for the season. Tight end Evan Chieca remains questionable after missing time during camp, although he has returned to practice.
"Chieca is questionable. He's practicing. He's running around, but it's a matter of how far we want to push him," Sumrall said. "I'm not sure about his availability for Saturday yet. It's not off the table, but it's not a green light yet."

#injury #report #Florida

Florida's tight end room looks completely different heading into the 2026 season.
Amir Jackson and Micah Jones are the only returning players at the position, while the Gators added six newcomers through the transfer portal, recruiting class and walk-on ranks. That gives offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner and tight ends coach Evan McKissack a much deeper group to work with in an offense that should feature plenty of 12 personnel.
Jackson and Luke Harpring (Georgia Tech) provide two spread options who can stretch the field, while Lacota Dippre (James Madison) offers a more physical, all-around option. Evan Chieca is another hybrid option, but he remains unproven at the FBS level.
Freshman Heze Kent might be the most interesting player in the position room due to his massive frame and weight-loss journey. Jon Sumrall challenged him to get into shape if Kent wanted to stay at tight end, and things are going well so far.
Here's a closer look at Florida's tight ends room heading into the 2026 season.

#room #season #position #option

Florida has named its starting quarterback for Week 1 of the 2026 season.
Georgia Tech transfer Aaron Philo will get the nod over redshirt freshman Tramell Jones Jr. when the Gators take on Florida Atlantic to begin the season on Sept. 5. Philo followed new offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner from Atlanta to Gainesville.
"We are preparing for (Philo) to be the starter for Week 1," coach Jon Sumrall announced on Monday.
Philo has familiarity with Faulkner's system and saw game action (albeit limited) during his time with the Yellow Jackets. The redshirt sophomore appeared in eight games, starting one, and threw for 938 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions.
Florida HC Jon Sumrall has named Aaron Philo the starting quarterback. #gators

“We are preparing for him to be the starter for Week 1.”

Story: https://t.co/KS6jv8txQS pic.twitter.com/mxuRhGXnUV

#aaron #gators #season

Florida football opens its 2026 campaign in under two weeks as the Jon Sumrall era kicks off in Gainesville. Ahead of the season's start, USA TODAY Sports writer Paul Myerberg published his full re-rank of all 138 FBS schools.
Myerberg's previous rerank for this fall came out in April, with the Gators placed at No. 38. In his final salvo of the preseason, the Orange and Blue find themselves up two spots at No. 36 and 10th among Southeastern Conference schools.
Sumrall and Co. enter the campaign outside the top 25 of both the US LBM Coaches Poll and AP Poll, with a de facto No. 27 ranking in both. Last year in Billy Napier's final season at the helm, Florida opened the schedule ranked No. 17 in the Coaches and No. 15 in the AP polls, while Myerberg had the Gators at No. 25 in his preseason re-rank.
The SEC has eight programs among the top 25 in the re-rank, headlined by third-ranked Texas, along with Georgia (No. 6), Oklahoma (No. 7) and Alabama (No. 9) in the top 10. Ole Miss (No. 11), Texas A&M (No. 13), LSU (No. 18) and Tennessee (No. 19) round out the top 25.
Florida begins its season against FAU in the Swamp on Saturday, Sept. 5.

#sumrall #texas

Florida has named a new starting quarterback, and he's a name that should be familiar to Georgia Tech fans.
Gators coach Jon Sumrall named redshirt sophomore Aaron Philo as the team's starting quarterback for the fall. He's a Yellow Jackets transfer who will now pilot Sumrall's first year in the Swamp.
Philo beat out redshirt freshman Tramell Jones Jr. for the starting gig.
Philo only played in three games last year for Georgia Tech behind quarterback Haynes King, but he will now get his chance to start for one of the biggest college football programs in the country.
TENNESSEE: Meet Faizon Brandon, the new Vols starting quarterback

#starting #quarterback #philo #gators

Florida football's new head coach Jon Sumrall has seen a great deal of success in his first two jobs, posting a 43-12 record evenly split over four years between Troy and Tulane. His latest gig in Gainesville will easily be the most challenging as he takes over a storied program that has experienced significant turmoil since Dan Mullen departed.
According to Sports Illustrated, the new Gators skipper is among the top 10 first-year coaches facing the most pressure entering the 2026 campaign. Sumrall checks in at No. 7 in the rankings, and author Patrick Andres explains why.
"If you want to single out a first-year coach with a schedule specifically set up to help them succeed, you could do much worse than Sumrall," he states. "After two years of breakneck slates under coach Billy Napier, Sumrall's Gators have navigable opening (Florida Atlantic, Campbell, Auburn) and closing (Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Florida State) stretches to dilute midseason tussles with Ole Miss, Texas, Georgia and Oklahoma. Florida still needs to find a quarterback, but if either Aaron Philo or Tramell Jones Jr. prove competent, fans could raise the bar for Year 1 immediately."
Over the past four years under Napier, the Orange and Blue accumulated a 22-23 record (and then 1-4 under interim HC Billy Gonzales), representing a brutal nadir for a program that went 33-15 under Mullen (plus a 1-1 record under interim HC Greg Knox) before him. The Gator Nation has suffered profusely this decade so far and is in dire need of some optimism after missing out on the postseason twice during that span.
There is no doubt that the pressure is all on Sumrall heading into fall.

#sumrall #record #gators

The 2026 college football season is quickly nearing its opening kickoff, and ahead of the nation's favorite fall game, the sports media has been in overdrive publishing its preseason content.
Among them is ESPN writer David Hale, who recently ranked all 138 FBS teams into 19 distinct tiers. In his article, the Florida Gators landed among Tier 10, which he ****** led, "It has to get better. Right? Right?!?"
"Credit to Oklahoma State and Florida. They laid down their shovels after woeful 2025 campaigns and started climbing out with new head coaches... Jon Sumrall has talked the talk this offseason, winning over a beleaguered Florida fanbase that has seen a revolving door of once-successful coaches hit rock bottom in Gainesville."
While optimism is currently high in Gainesville entering the Sumrall era, the bar has been set low since Dan Mullen's departure, as exemplified by this particularly haunting stat.
"Florida is 29-37 since Marco Wilson threw a shoe against LSU in 2020. That's half a game worse than Rutgers over that same span."

#right

Duke football opens its season in just 25 days, and its Week 1 opponent was just dealt a big blow on the injury front. Tulane starting running back Jamauri McClure sustained an apparent foot injury at practice on Tuesday and left the facility on a scooter, according to The Times-Picayune Tulane beat writer Guerry Smith.
First-year Green Wave head coach Will Hall said that McClure would be back "early in the season" but "not necessarily in the opener against Duke," according to Smith.
The injury is a massive blow to Tulane, which defeated the Blue Devils in New Orleans last season without any contributions from McClure. The sophomore back garnered American All-Conference hype as a member of Pro Football Network's Second Team.
He ended the 2025 season with 540 yards on the ground on just 83 carries, good enough for 6.5 yards per carry, leading to plenty of offseason hype after he chose to stay with the Green Wave after then-head coach Jon Sumrall departed for Florida.
After a slow start to 2025, McClure came alive down the stretch for the Green Wave, including a 121-yard rushing performance in the American Championship Game in a narrow 34-21 win over North Texas. In fact, it was McClure's second-quarter touchdown run that gave Tulane its first lead of the game.

#back

CBS Sports projected the final record for every first-year Power Four coach entering the 2026 campaign, using factors such as roster strength, schedule difficulty, quarterback stability and transfer portal success.
College football writer Brad Crawford anticipates Jon Sumrall finishing his first season at Florida with a 7-5 overall record and predicts the first-year head coach will go 4-5 in SEC play. The outlet suggests leading Florida's talented roster to a ranked finish should be Sumrall's year-one goal.
Crawford thinks that Florida could see as many as six ranked opponents in an arduous slate. Strength of schedule is the biggest obstacle for the Gators, who have a very slim margin for error given the roster overhaul, new systems on both sides of the ball, and inexperience at quarterback.
Physicality and discipline should define UF's character under this new regime; however, growing pains might be inevitable, according to Crawford. The Gators have enough talent to make a playoff push, but a lack of chemistry could prove the most daunting hurdle for Sumrall and company.
"Lulls are inevitable as players adjust and Sumrall learns to navigate the league's weekly pressure. This roster is capable of reaching eight wins, though a 7-5 finish feels more appropriate given the schedule. Growing pains should not diminish optimism; they are part of Florida's climb," writes Crawford.

#roster #schedule #Florida #gators

It's so hard to consistently win college football games, especially in an age of mega-conferences, talent spread out everywhere, and the pressure of everything possibly collapsing with a small losing streak.

Some schools, though, aren't supposed to lose. They're expected to be college football superpowers with national ***** le dreams to make their respective rabid fan bases happy, and it's a problem when they're not.

Continuing with our 26 for 2026 series, here are the five programs under the most pressure - actually, it's the four powerhouse schools that need to win, and another new FBS member that has the world on its shoulders, but in a different way.
26: Winningest Programs Yet To Make the CFP
25: ACC Key Questions
24: Big 12 Key Questions
23: Big Ten Key Questions
22: Top 2027 NFL Draft Prospects
21: SEC Key Questions
20: What's Next in Realignment?
19. Ranking all 30 New Head Coaches
18. Who Has the Easiest Schedules?
17. Who Has the Hardest Schedules?
16. Who Might Be the Next Indiana?
15. Group of Six Teams with Best CFP Shot
14. 5 Teams Headed For a Letdown
This had better freaking work.

This is either going to be a trailblazing moment that changes how college sports operate, or it's a massive misfire that will turn into a huge financial loss for the university.

Sacramento State is paying a total of $23 million over five years to be part of the MAC. Not only that, but it has to pay for teams to travel to Sacramento, and even wilder, the school doesn't get anything from the media rights deals.

This is strictly a move to raise the profile of the school. Considering the lack of out-of-state students - under 5% - the faster the football team can generate interest, the sooner this might work.
- Sacramento State 2026 Team Preview
Florida State was among the consistently great football powerhouses for close to two decades under Bobby Bowden. Jimbo Fisher revived the brand name and the program in the mid-2010s, but he left for Texas A&M after the 2017 season.

Since then, the Seminoles have suffered through six losing seasons in eight years - FSU went from 1977 to 2018 without a losing campaign, and has just 16 losing seasons in 77 years of playing college football.

Miami almost won the national ***** le last season, Florida has the new-coach energy with Jon Sumrall taking over, and after going 7-17 over the last two seasons, this is when Florida State needs to take a big step to reestablish itself as a Sunshine State school that can win big again.
- Florida State 2026 Team Preview
The Volunteers need more of a tweak than a total overhaul.

There isn't anything disastrously wrong, but the national ***** le season of 1998 is now close to three decades ago. For a football-mad school with all the will and resources to win big, it could use a huge season to show that it's not far away from taking that one extra step.

#Florida #school #teams

Florida football enters the 2026 season unranked in the US LBM preseason Top 25 coaches poll.
That's news to first-year Florida Gators coach Jon Sumrall, who claims he doesn't pay attention to preseason polls.
Florida was the second-highest in the others receiving votes category, making the Gators 27th entering their season opener on Sept. 5 against Florida Atlantic.
Sumrall votes in the US LBM coaches poll and says he gets help from other staff members in selecting teams.
"I have somebody help me make sure that we know how to fill out the form the right way," Sumrall said. "But no, I look at it and talk through it with who helps me."

#preseason #poll