Sports Editor/Football Reporter Ava DiCecca is a senior sports and media journalism student and a Fall 2026 sports editor and football beat reporter. Now in her fifth semester with The Alligator, she previously served as the Summer 2026 assistant sports editor, Spring 2026 sports editor, Gators volleyball beat reporter and an enterprise writer. In her free time, she watches Boston sports (Brad Marchand we still love you).
After one of the most exciting starts for Florida football in years, the tide turned for the Gators against Missouri and South Carolina. Now with two straight Southeastern Conference losses under its belt, UF embarks on its toughest stretch of the season. And it starts with the No. 7 Texas Longhorns.
The Alligator’s Florida football beat reporters, Ava DiCecca, Max Bernstein, Curan Ahern and Riley Orovitz, are back to make picks for the Week 7 eight-game SEC slate. Each reporter earns a point for a correct pick and three bonus points if they predict the score accurately.
After two consecutive losses in Southeastern Conference play, Florida football has plenty of kinks to work out before it takes on the No. 7 Texas Longhorns. But ahead of one of the Gators’ toughest matchups of the season, head coach Jon Sumrall is just as focused on the team’s mentality as he is on the product on the field.
Florida found the end zone just twice in the 38-19 loss, its second-lowest point total of the season, as the offense struggled to execute any long-yardage plays and consistently test South Carolina’s defense. Here’s a position-by-position breakdown of what went wrong for the Gators’ offense.
Against a hungry South Carolina searching for its first Southeastern Conference win, Florida couldn’t afford to fizzle out. The No. 16 Gators (4-2, 2-2 SEC) fell to the Gamecocks (3-3, 1-3) 38-19 at home Saturday afternoon.
In Week 5, the SEC took part in some of Saturday’s most notable games. Florida fell for the first time in 2026 in a rout at Missouri, Alabama demolished Mississippi State on the road and Kentucky won an overtime thriller at South Carolina. Now, the Alligator’s Florida football beat reporters, Ava DiCecca, Max Bernstein, Curan Ahern and Riley Orovitz, are back to make picks for this week’s seven-game slate.
The Alligator’s Florida football beat reporters, Ava DiCecca, Max Bernstein, Curan Ahern and Riley Orovitz, are back to make picks for this week’s seven-game slate.
With a riveting 52-28 victory over then-No.4 Ole Miss that propelled Florida to its first 4-0 start since 2019, the Gators skyrocketed to No. 8 in the AP Top 25 Poll. But head coach Jon Sumrall and Co. are dead set on staying where their feet are and preparing the right way for a fifth consecutive week.
In the 52-28 win, the defensive numbers may not have jumped off the stat sheet, but the unit stepped up when it needed to, forcing two turnovers and managing to put pressure on Chambliss.
No. 21 Florida faces No. 4 Ole Miss on Saturday for the first ranked matchup in The Swamp since 2022. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. Follow along for live updates.
Solutions by The State News
