The 2026 college football season is still months away, but the pressure is already building in Gainesville-and it’s not hard to see why. Jon Sumrall steps into his first year as Florida’s head coach with a schedule that doesn’t just test-it demands answers. And while the Gators faithful are hopeful, the road ahead is anything but smooth.
Let’s start with the gauntlet that could define Florida’s season: a brutal three-game stretch featuring Texas in Austin, Georgia in Atlanta, and Oklahoma in the Swamp. That’s not just a tough run-it’s the kind of stretch that separates contenders from pretenders.
According to CBS Sports’ Carter Bahns, this trio of games could singlehandedly knock Florida out of the College Football Playoff picture. And he’s not wrong.
Texas is loaded with talent and will be circling that game on their calendar. Georgia?
Well, they’ve been the standard in the SEC and beyond for years now. And Oklahoma, even in transition, is never short on firepower.
The good news? Florida gets a bye between Georgia and Oklahoma, giving Sumrall a chance to regroup.
The bad news? If the Gators come into that stretch already nursing a loss, the margin for error disappears entirely.
That’s why Week 3 at Auburn looms so large. It’s not just another SEC road game-it might be the first true referendum on the Jon Sumrall era.
Jordan-Hare Stadium is no easy place to win, especially early in the season, and a loss there could shift the narrative in a hurry. Fair or not, fans will be quick to draw comparisons if things go sideways-“Sun Belt Billy 2.0” is a nickname that’s already been floated in some corners of the fanbase, and Sumrall will be eager to shut that down before it gains traction.
Florida opens the season with two games they should win-against FAU and FCS opponent Campbell-but in today’s game, no win is guaranteed. Slip up in either of those, and the noise gets loud fast.
But assuming the Gators take care of business early, that Auburn game becomes the first real measuring stick. Win it, and Sumrall buys himself some time and belief.
Lose it, and the pressure heading into that Texas-Georgia-Oklahoma stretch becomes suffocating.
Auburn, meanwhile, is trying to reestablish its footing in the SEC. It’s been a while since the Tigers were a consistent postseason threat, and new head coach Alex Golesh is still writing his own story.
His time at USF showed flashes, and while some will question the level of competition he faced in the American Athletic Conference, it’s worth noting that his Bulls beat Florida last year. That’s not lost on anyone in Gainesville.
Golesh’s offensive mind was on full display during his time as Tennessee’s offensive coordinator, and if he can bring some of that tempo and creativity to Auburn, the Tigers could be a handful. But expectations are tempered. The program’s recent struggles have left fans unsure of what to expect, and Golesh still has to prove he can win consistently at the Power Five level.
For Sumrall, this season is about more than just wins and losses-it’s about establishing a foundation. There’s a runway early in the schedule and some breathing room late, but the middle? That’s where legends are made-or where tenures start to unravel.
If Florida can survive that midseason gauntlet with even one win, they’ll stay in the mix. If they somehow steal two?
Suddenly, the Gators are back in the national conversation. But stumble early, especially in Week 3, and the climb becomes steep.
The SEC doesn’t wait for anyone. And for Jon Sumrall, the clock is already ticking.