Following Florida’s victory over Florida Atlantic, head coach Jon Sumrall broke down where his defense both shined and lacked in the 66-21 win.
The Jon Sumrall era was officially unleashed in front of the Gator faithful after 280 days without action at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Florida dominated the opener early, tallying 624 yards of total offense. While just one contest into 2026, the Gators’ offense looked nearly unstoppable. Here are the key takeaways from Saturday’s win:
Philo showed poise early, completing 4 of 4 passes for 88 yards and two touchdowns through two drives. He finished 16 of 21 for 275 yards with three touchdowns and an interception, and he added 20 yards and a touchdown on six carries.
Follow along for live updates during Florida's Week 1 matchup with the Florida Atlantic Owls.
No. 17 Florida (3-1) swept No. 20 Baylor (4-1) on Saturday in Waco, Texas, in its third-straight road matchup.
This past year, the Gators welcomed three new players: Jana Hossam, Capucine Jauffret and Allegra Korpanec Davies to The Swamp. Jauffret and Davies are both freshmen, while Hossam is a junior transferring from the University of Southern California.
In the first meet of the 2026-27 season, the Gators men’s and women’s squads both finished first, beating out Georgia Tech, Kennesaw State and Emory in the Stan Sims Cross Country Opener hosted in Acworth, Georgia.
Every season opener marks a debut of sorts, but Saturday's contest between the Gators and the Florida Atlantic Owls is the most anticipated one The Swamp has seen in years. As Jon Sumrall and the rest of the new-look staff gear up to take on the season’s first opponent, both a new era and the mission to bounce back from Florida’s 4-8 season begin.
No. 21 Florida (4-1-1) defeated Youngstown State (0-5-1) 2-0 Thursday on Senior Night at Donald R. Dizney Stadium. The Gators dominated from start to finish, outshooting the Penguins 33-3.
Florida will honor 10 seniors in its 2026 class: goalkeepers Jayden Emmanuel and Paris Bice; attackers Kyra Taylor, Zoe Main, Kelsey Smith, Montalene Dymond and Lena Bailey; midfielder Emma Duval; and defenders Avery Upton and Hannah Jibril.
Florida (2-1) ultimately fell to No. 5 Wisconsin (2-3) in a thrilling five-set match, taking its first loss of the season at the UW Field House in Madison, Wisconsin.
When Brad White assumed the defensive coordinator position at Florida in December of 2025, he made his intentions clear from day one: his job was to make the Gator defense the most feared unit in college football. After months of preparation, that mission begins on the evening of Sept. 5, when Florida will kick off its 2026 campaign under the lights of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. But the first test for the revamped UF defense will not be a walk in the park.
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.
A stellar 11 service aces fueled the Gators’ night against No. 11 Minnesota, leading them to a hard-fought win in Madison, Wisconsin. No. 17 Florida (2-0) triumphed over the Golden Gophers (1-2) 3-1 in its first interconference tournament. The weeklong affair – featuring 18 Big Ten schools and all 16 SEC institutions – gives Florida even more chances to prove themselves as a contender against top teams.
In its first year of the Big 10/SEC Volleyball Challenge, Florida will compete in the Big 10/SEC Challenge as the No. 17-ranked team in the nation. The weeklong tournament, which features all 18 Big Ten schools and all 16 SEC institutions, makes history as the first time volleyball has been played at Wrigley Field.
Solutions by The State News
