With the start of the SEC college football season days away, The Alligator’s Florida football beat reporters, Ava DiCecca, Max Bernstein, Curan Ahern and Riley Orovitz, made picks for this week’s 16-game slate.
Records will be kept throughout the season, with each reporter earning a point for a correct winner pick and a bonus three points if they predict the score exactly correct. All games are listed in the order of date and kickoff time.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1-0) at No. 25 Missouri
The first game of the 2026 SEC slate takes place at Memorial Stadium, where Eli Drinkwitz’s Tigers, led by transfer QB Austin Simmons, take on Arkansas-Pine Bluff of the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Missouri is 5-0 against FCS opponents under Drinkwitz.
DiCecca: Missouri 45, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 6
Bernstein: Missouri 48, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 7
Ahern: Missouri 52, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 10
Orovitz: Missouri 42, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 7
Texas-El Paso at No. 10 Oklahoma
To kick off their season, QB John Mateer and the Sooners host UTEP. In five meetings since 2000, Oklahoma is 5-0 against the Miners and has won the contests by an average score of 50-8. OU is also 4-0 in opening contests under head coach Brent Venables.
DiCecca: Oklahoma 38, UTEP 10
Bernstein: Oklahoma 51, UTEP 7
Ahern: Oklahoma 45, UTEP 3
Orovitz: Oklahoma 54, UTEP 7
East Carolina at No. 13 Alabama
Before last season’s 31-17 loss to Florida State, Alabama had won 23 consecutive season-openers. The Crimson Tide will look to get back on track in their meeting against East Carolina. The two sides have only faced once, when ‘Bama bested the Pirates 23-22 in 1998.
DiCecca: Alabama 34, East Carolina 14
Bernstein: Alabama 35, East Carolina 13
Ahern: Alabama 38, East Carolina 14
Orovitz: Alabama 35, East Carolina 10
Kent State at South Carolina
In five opening games under head coach Shane Beamer, the Gamecocks are 4-1. This year, they play host to Mid-Atlantic Conference squad Kent State. In their last three games against MAC opponents, South Carolina has outscored opponents by an average score of 40-5.
DiCecca: South Carolina 38, Kent State 3
Bernstein: South Carolina 45, Kent State 10
Ahern: South Carolina 42, Kent State 10
Orovitz: South Carolina 42, Kent State 3
Youngstown State (1-0) at Kentucky
The Will Stein era kicks off in Lexington with a bout against FCS opponent Youngstown State. The Wildcats and Penguins squared off in 2022, where UK was victorious, 31-0. Kentucky has won each of its last five season-openers by at least 24 points.
DiCecca: Kentucky 42, Youngstown State 21
Bernstein: Kentucky 38, Youngstown State 14
Ahern: Kentucky 45, Youngstown State 17
Orovitz: Kentucky 40, Youngstown State 14
Tennessee State (1-0) at No. 3 Georgia
Georgia has never lost a season-opening game under head coach Kirby Smart, and only twice has the game been decided by seven points or fewer. This year, UGA hosts FCS opponent Tennessee State. Georgia has not covered the spread in any of their last 10 games against FCS opponents.
DiCecca: Georgia 45, Tennessee State 3
Bernstein: Georgia 44, Tennessee State 3
Ahern: Georgia 48, Tennessee State 3
Orovitz: Georgia 48, Tennessee State 0
Furman (1-0) at No. 20 Tennessee
Tennessee has been victorious in its last six season-openers, including five straight under head coach Josh Heupel. Notably, this game will serve as the debut for true freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon. Furman went 6-6 in 2025, including a 45-10 loss to Clemson.
DiCecca: Tennessee 38, Furman 10
Bernstein: Tennessee 56, Furman 13
Ahern: Tennessee 55, Furman 10
Orovitz: Tennessee 52, Furman 17
Texas State at No. 5 Texas
Despite these two schools being separated by less than 30 miles, they have only played once, and that was in 1930. The Longhorns have won six of their last seven openers, falling to then-No. 3 Ohio State 14-7 in 2025. Texas State is a member of the newly expanded PAC-12 Conference.
DiCecca: Texas 45, Texas State 14
Bernstein: Texas 40, Texas State 17
Ahern: Texas 48, Texas State 20
Orovitz: Texas 48, Texas State 16
Baylor vs Auburn (Atlanta, Georgia)
This is Auburn’s fourth appearance in the Aflac Kickoff Game in Atlanta. Last year, Auburn defeated Baylor 38-24, and the Tigers have also won their last nine opening games. Notably, the Bears will be led by former Florida QB DJ Lagway, while former South Florida head coach Alex Golesh leads Auburn.
DiCecca: Auburn 38, Baylor 27
Bernstein: Auburn 34, Baylor 24
Ahern: Auburn 31, Baylor 28
Orovitz: Auburn 35, Baylor 28
North Alabama (1-0) at Arkansas
Arkansas has won each of its last five season openers, with one of its two wins in 2025 coming in a 52-7 thrashing over FCS opponent Alabama A&M. This year, new head coach Ryan Silverfield faces FCS squad North Alabama, which also posted a 2-10 record in 2025.
DiCecca: Arkansas 31, North Alabama 6
Bernstein: Arkansas 45, North Alabama 3
Ahern: Arkansas 49, North Alabama 10
Orovitz: Arkansas 38, North Alabama 8
Missouri State at No. 8 Texas A&M
The Aggies are 1-1 in openers under Mike Elko but have gone 8-2 in their last 10 openers. This year, they face Missouri State, which went 7-6 in its first season in the FBS. Against Conference USA opponents, Texas A&M is 14-0 all-time. These two teams have never faced off.
DiCecca: Texas A&M 48, Missouri State 13
Bernstein: Texas A&M 44, Missouri State 10
Ahern: Texas A&M 49, Missouri State 7
Orovitz: Texas A&M 45, Missouri State 10
Austin Peay (1-0) at Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt has faced FCS opponent Austin Peay twice in team history, winning both games by a combined score of 85-10. This year’s contest will be the starting debut for Commodore QB Blaze Berlowitz, who beat out true freshman Jared Curtis to begin under center.
DiCecca: Vanderbilt 41, Austin Peay 10
Bernstein: Vanderbilt 37, Austin Peay 13
Ahern: Vanderbilt 42, Austin Peay 17
Orovitz: Vanderbilt 35, Austin Peay 13
Clemson at No. 11 LSU
Last season, then No. 9 LSU upset No. 4 Clemson on the road. This year, in the back half of the Death Valley home-and-home, LSU, led by new head coach Lane Kiffin, will look to sweep Dabo Swinney’s squad. Before that 2025 contest, LSU had dropped each of its last five season openers.
DiCecca: LSU 24, Clemson 16
Bernstein: LSU 21, Clemson 13
Ahern: LSU 31, Clemson 20
Orovitz: LSU 34, Clemson 17
Louisiana Monroe at Mississippi State
The Bulldogs have faced the WarHawks six times and have a 4-1-1 advantage in the series. The last game between these two teams was in 1997, when Mississippi State won 24-10. Further, the Bulldogs have also won their last nine season-openers.
DiCecca: Mississippi State 31, ULM 7
Bernstein: Mississippi State 45, ULM 14
Ahern: Mississippi State 42, ULM 13
Orovitz: Mississippi State 38, ULM 10
Florida Atlantic at Florida
For the fifth time, Florida faces off against in-state opponent Florida Atlantic. UF has won the four previous meetings. UF has gone 2-2 in its last four season-openers, three of which took place in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. This is Jon Sumrall’s first game as the UF head coach and QB Aaron Philo’s first start as a Gator.
DiCecca: Florida 35, Florida Atlantic 17
Bernstein: Florida 37, Florida Atlantic 14
Ahern: Florida 38, Florida Atlantic 13
Orovitz: Florida 33, Florida Atlantic 14
No. 24 Louisville vs No. 9 Ole Miss (Nashville, Tennessee)
For the second time ever, Ole Miss and Louisville duel, with the first meeting being a 43-24 Ole Miss win in Atlanta in 2021. Including that game, the Rebels have won their last five openers. Louisville enters on an opener streak of its own with three-straight victories. The Cardinals are 4-8 against SEC foes since 2017.
DiCecca: Ole Miss 31, Louisville 21
Bernstein: Ole Miss 30, Louisville 24
Ahern: Ole Miss 27, Louisville 21
Orovitz: Ole Miss 32, Louisville 17
Contact Ava DiCecca at adicecca@alligator.org. Follow her on X at @avadicecca24.
Contact Max Bernstein at mbernstein@alligator.org. Follow him on X at @maxbernstein23.
Contact Curan Ahern at cahern@alligator.org. Follow him on X at @CuranAhern.
Contact Riley Orovitz at rorovitz@alligator.org. Follow her on X at @rileyorovitz.
Ava DiCecca is a third-year sports and media journalism student and is the Summer 2026 assistant sports editor. Now in her fourth semester at The Alligator, she previously served as sports editor, the Gators volleyball beat reporter and an enterprise writer. In her free time she watches Boston sports (Brad Marchand we still love you).
Max Bernstein is a fourth-year sports and media journalism major and sports management minor. This Fall, he is a Sports Editor and a Florida Gators and Jacksonville Jaguars reporter at The Alligator. Now in his ninth semester with The Alligator, Max previously served in roles including Digital Managing Editor, Sports Editor, Assistant Sports Editor and Football Reporter. He has also made appearances on the Paul Finebaum Show. In the rare moments Max isn't working, he's usually with his girlfriend Reese, watching sports with his fraternity brothers or missing his family and his two cats.
Curan is a senior sports journalism student in his sixth semester at The Alligator. He is currently a sports editor and football beat reporter for the Gators and the Jaguars. He previously served as a men's tennis and sports enterprise reporter, and he is pursuing a public relations minor.
Riley is a sophomore sports journalism student in her second semester at The Alligator. She is the beat reporter for Gators Gymnastics and Swim & Dive while also contributing to the Gators Football Beat. She previously served in the same role in her first semester with the newspaper. Riley is an avid South Florida sports fan and enjoys playing/following all sports in her free time.
