AUBURN, Ala. - Jon Sumrall got an early signature win, and Jadan Baugh kept making the kind of case that turns heads.
Baugh powered Florida past Auburn with 162 rushing yards and three touchdowns in a 44-39 win at Jordan-Hare Stadium, breaking free for a 53-yard score on fourth-and-one early in the fourth quarter. He’s now put together four straight games with at least 100 rushing yards and multiple touchdowns, and he’s sitting at 458 yards and eight scores this season.
Florida leaned on Baugh from the start. His three-yard touchdown run, set up by a Cormani McClain interception, opened the scoring.
Later in the second quarter, Duke Clark ripped off a 20-yard run to push the Gators in front 14-3. Baugh added another burst early in the third, a 33-yard run that stretched Florida’s lead to 27-17.
The Gators controlled the ground game from start to finish, finishing with a 243-102 edge rushing the ball.
Aaron Philo added 204 passing yards and a touchdown on 15 completions in 22 attempts, while Dallas Wilson caught a 20-yard touchdown to cap a 17-point third quarter for Florida.
Patrick Durkin also delivered from range, knocking in field goals from 26 and 28 yards in the second quarter to keep Florida in front. He later connected from 40 yards late in the fourth quarter, extending the lead to 44-32.
Auburn’s offense took a while to get going, but Byrum Brown helped the Tigers find life through the air. The USF transfer threw for 271 yards and touchdowns to Keshaun Singleton and DeShawn Spencer, and he also scored on a 21-yard run in the fourth quarter. A 35-yard touchdown pass to Chas Nimrod with 24 seconds left pulled Auburn within 44-39.
Florida’s defense answered with pressure all night, piling up seven sacks and nine tackles for loss. Emmanuel Oyebadejo and Jayden Woods did most of the damage with 2.5 sacks apiece.
Vernell Brown III sealed it by recovering an onside kick with 23 seconds left.
The victory gives Florida its first 3-0 start since 2019 and its first SEC road win since 2024. The Gators return home next week to face Ole Miss, with kickoff set for 3:30 p.m. and television coverage still to be announced.
In Other News...
Florida Just Gave Auburn Fans A Painful Reminder Before SEC Opener
Floridas social team leaned into the kind of memory Auburn fans would rather not revisit ahead of the SEC opener, using LaMical Perine to narrate a hype video for the primetime matchup. The clip centers on Perines long touchdown run from the 2019 Florida-Auburn game, a moment that still stands out for Gators fans because it helped deliver the win and added another layer to a rivalry that rarely needs much extra fuel.
Now the two programs meet again with both entering unranked, both 2-0, and both guided by new head coaches, which gives this one a different feel even before kickoff. Floridas reminder was sharp and simple, but it also underlined how much history can still shape an SEC opener, especially when the past includes one play Auburn supporters would just as soon forget. [Read more 🡒]
Florida Faces A Doubt Gators Fans Wont Want To Hear
Auburns trip to Jordan-Hare Stadium is shaping up as one of the more uneasy spots on Floridas early schedule, and The Athletics Manny Navarro has already put a number on the concern. He is calling for the Tigers to edge the Gators 28-27 in Week 3, with the matchup around Floridas ground game drawing particular attention. Jadan Baugh is expected to be a focal point, but Auburns run defense has looked strong so far this season, which adds another layer of difficulty for a Florida offense trying to find answers on the road.
The quarterback battle also looms over the matchup, with Floridas Aaron Philo and Auburns Byrum Brown both central to how this game could swing late. Navarros prediction leans toward Brown guiding a late game-winning drive, a scenario that would leave Florida with a frustrating close loss and plenty to sort through afterward. For Gators fans, the sting is not just the upset call itself, but the sense that this one could hinge on the kind of late-game execution that has no margin for error. [Read more 🡒]
Florida Just Delivered The SEC Statement Gators Fans Needed
Floridas trip to Jordan-Hare Stadium brought the kind of road result that can shift a seasons mood in a hurry, and it came with plenty of drama attached. The Gators beat Auburn 44-39 for their first win in Auburn since 1999, improving to 3-0 and giving Billy Napiers team a signature SEC win to hang onto early in the fall.
The offense was the headline, especially on the ground, where Jadan Baugh powered through for 162 yards and three touchdowns on 26 carries. Aaron Philo added a steady passing night by completing 15 of 22 throws for 204 yards, a touchdown and an interception, while Floridas second-half surge helped overcome a penalty-filled game and keep Auburn from stealing it back late. [Read more 🡒]