# 2026 Florida Gators football team
The **2026 Florida Gators football team** represents the [University of Florida](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-florida) in the 2026 NCAA Division I FBS football season, playing as a member of the [Southeastern Conference](https://www.edgepedia.org/southeastern-conference) (SEC) under first-year head coach Jon Sumrall. The season is the program's first with a nine-game conference schedule, and through games of October 10, 2026, the Gators stand at 4 wins and 2 losses overall and 2-2 in SEC play.[1](https://floridagators.com/sports/football/schedule) • [2](https://floridagators.com/news/2025/12/12/florida-football-announces-2026-schedule)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Jon Sumrall, first season at Florida, hired after coaching Tulane to a College Football Playoff berth[3](https://floridagators.com/news/2026/3/2/football-gators-spring-camp-primer-sumrall-shifts-energy-to-field) |
| Record (through Oct 10) | 4-2 overall, 2-2 SEC, on a two-game losing streak[1](https://floridagators.com/sports/football/schedule) |
| SEC format change | First season of a nine-game conference schedule[2](https://floridagators.com/news/2025/12/12/florida-football-announces-2026-schedule) |
| Starting quarterback | Aaron Philo, a third-year transfer from Georgia Tech, named QB1 on August 24, 2026[4](https://floridagators.com/news/2026/8/24/football-philo-moves-to-top-of-qb-depth-chart-aug-24-2026) |
| Notable win | 52-28 over then-No. 4 Ole Miss on September 26, which moved Florida into the AP Top 25 at No. 21[1](https://floridagators.com/sports/football/schedule) • [5](https://apnews.com/article/79e82ea4bea769153afbbef080355068) |
| Florida-Georgia game | October 31 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, a one-season move from Jacksonville[2](https://floridagators.com/news/2025/12/12/florida-football-announces-2026-schedule) |
| Home venue | Ben Hill Griffin Stadium ("The Swamp"), Gainesville, Florida, with six home games[2](https://floridagators.com/news/2025/12/12/florida-football-announces-2026-schedule) |
## Coaching change and offseason
Jon Sumrall took over the program after his Tulane team was knocked out of the [College Football Playoff](https://www.edgepedia.org/college-football-playoff), and he arrived to a rebuilt staff and a remade roster. The largest single piece of offseason news was the departure of quarterback [DJ Lagway](https://www.edgepedia.org/dj-lagway), the centerpiece of the previous season's offense.[3](https://floridagators.com/news/2026/3/2/football-gators-spring-camp-primer-sumrall-shifts-energy-to-field) Sumrall's first spring practice began in early March 2026, and his introduction to Gainesville included a promotional photoshoot with a live 7-foot alligator that hissed and snapped at him, an episode he joked about with reporters afterward.[6](https://apnews.com/article/52b7d635db881b6ab91c9cea3dd6e89e)
The SEC had announced Florida's conference opponents and sites for the 2026 through 2029 seasons in September 2025, with the full dated schedule released that December.[7](https://floridagators.com/news/2025/9/23/football-floridas-2026-29-southeastern-conference-opponents-announced) • [2](https://floridagators.com/news/2025/12/12/florida-football-announces-2026-schedule)
## Quarterback competition
With Lagway gone, the quarterback job was open through fall camp. On August 24, 2026, [Aaron Philo](https://www.edgepedia.org/aaron-philo), a third-year transfer from [Georgia Tech](https://www.edgepedia.org/georgia-tech), took the bulk of first-team snaps as the Gators prepared for their September 5 opener against Florida Atlantic at Spurrier/Florida Field.[4](https://floridagators.com/news/2026/8/24/football-philo-moves-to-top-of-qb-depth-chart-aug-24-2026) Sumrall framed the decision as a pecking order rather than a settled contest, and both the starting and backup quarterbacks addressed the media the next day for the first time since learning of it.[8](https://floridagators.com/news/2026/8/25/football-philo-is-qb1-but-competition-will-continue-aug-25-2026) By mid-October, with the Gators preparing to face No. 7 Texas, Philo was listed as questionable and the team's coverage noted that Jones was ready if needed.[1](https://floridagators.com/sports/football/schedule)
## Schedule and results
Florida opened the season with four straight wins, scoring 66, 52, 44, and 52 points in successive games before losing consecutive SEC contests in October.[1](https://floridagators.com/sports/football/schedule) • [5](https://apnews.com/article/79e82ea4bea769153afbbef080355068)
| Date | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 5 | vs Florida Atlantic (Gainesville) | W, 66-21[1](https://floridagators.com/sports/football/schedule) |
| Sept. 12 | vs Campbell (Gainesville) | W, 52-3[1](https://floridagators.com/sports/football/schedule) |
| Sept. 19 | at Auburn | W, 44-39[1](https://floridagators.com/sports/football/schedule) |
| Sept. 26 | vs No. 4 Ole Miss (Gainesville) | W, 52-28[1](https://floridagators.com/sports/football/schedule) |
| Oct. 3 | at Missouri | L, 17-45[1](https://floridagators.com/sports/football/schedule) |
| Oct. 10 | vs South Carolina (Gainesville) | L, 19-38[1](https://floridagators.com/sports/football/schedule) |
| Oct. 17 | at No. 7 Texas (Austin) | 12 p.m., scheduled[1](https://floridagators.com/sports/football/schedule) |
| Oct. 31 | vs Georgia (Atlanta) | 3:30 p.m., scheduled[1](https://floridagators.com/sports/football/schedule) |
| Nov. 7 | vs Oklahoma (Gainesville) | Flex window, scheduled[1](https://floridagators.com/sports/football/schedule) |
| Nov. 14 | at Kentucky (Lexington) | Night window, scheduled[1](https://floridagators.com/sports/football/schedule) |
| Nov. 21 | vs Vanderbilt (Gainesville) | Early window, scheduled[1](https://floridagators.com/sports/football/schedule) |
| Nov. 27 | at Florida State (Tallahassee) | 3:30 p.m., scheduled[1](https://floridagators.com/sports/football/schedule) |
The Campbell game on September 12 marked the first ever meeting between the two programs.[2](https://floridagators.com/news/2025/12/12/florida-football-announces-2026-schedule) The November 7 game against Oklahoma is the first time the teams have met in a conference game and the first meeting in Gainesville.[2](https://floridagators.com/news/2025/12/12/florida-football-announces-2026-schedule) The annual Florida-Georgia game, traditionally played in Jacksonville, moves for 2026 to [Mercedes-Benz Stadium](https://www.edgepedia.org/mercedes-benz-stadium) in Atlanta on October 31.[2](https://floridagators.com/news/2025/12/12/florida-football-announces-2026-schedule)
## Season to date
Florida entered the season unranked and was picked ninth in the SEC in the preseason poll. The Gators opened with a 66-21 win over Florida Atlantic, then beat Campbell 52-3 and won a high-scoring road game at Auburn, 44-39. On September 26 they built a two-touchdown lead over fourth-ranked Ole Miss and pulled away for a 52-28 victory in [The Swamp](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-swamp), their fourth straight game scoring at least 44 points. The win moved Florida to 4-0 and into the AP Top 25 at No. 21.[5](https://apnews.com/article/79e82ea4bea769153afbbef080355068)
The momentum stopped in October. Florida lost 45-17 at Missouri on October 3 and then fell at home to [South Carolina](https://www.edgepedia.org/south-carolina), 38-19, on October 10, leaving the Gators 4-2 overall, 2-2 in conference play, and on a two-game losing streak heading into the game at Texas.[1](https://floridagators.com/sports/football/schedule) Midseason recognition went to Baugh, who was named an AP Midseason All-American.[1](https://floridagators.com/sports/football/schedule)
## References
1. [2026 Football Schedule, Florida Gators](https://floridagators.com/sports/football/schedule)
2. [Florida Football Announces 2026 Schedule, Florida Gators](https://floridagators.com/news/2025/12/12/florida-football-announces-2026-schedule)
3. [Gators Spring Camp Primer: Sumrall Shifts Energy Toward Field, Florida Gators](https://floridagators.com/news/2026/3/2/football-gators-spring-camp-primer-sumrall-shifts-energy-to-field)
4. [Philo Moves to Top of QB Depth Chart, Florida Gators](https://floridagators.com/news/2026/8/24/football-philo-moves-to-top-of-qb-depth-chart-aug-24-2026)
5. [No. 21 Florida serves notice to the rest of the SEC with its takedown of No. 4 Ole Miss, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/79e82ea4bea769153afbbef080355068)
6. [Florida coach Jon Sumrall's photoshoot with a 7-foot alligator includes some tense moments, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/52b7d635db881b6ab91c9cea3dd6e89e)
7. [Florida's 2026-29 Southeastern Conference Opponents Announced, Florida Gators](https://floridagators.com/news/2025/9/23/football-floridas-2026-29-southeastern-conference-opponents-announced)
8. [Philo is QB1, but Competition Will Continue, Florida Gators](https://floridagators.com/news/2026/8/25/football-philo-is-qb1-but-competition-will-continue-aug-25-2026)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Rugby and other football codes › College, minor, and international American football › College football programs › 2026 season articles › FBS team season articles › Power Four conference teams*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license