Florida’s gap with Georgia is still plain to see, and Jon Sumrall isn’t pretending otherwise.
The first-year Gators coach said as much during SEC Media Days on Wednesday in Tampa Bay, when the conversation turned to one of Florida’s biggest measuring sticks. Florida hasn’t beaten Georgia since 2020, and Sumrall made it clear the program still has ground to cover before that rivalry feels even.
“Georgia is a great program," Sumrall said. "We've got a lot of work to do to get where we need to be in that rivalry game.”
That’s the reality Florida is staring at right now. Sumrall has already identified Florida State and Georgia as the Gators’ two biggest rivals, and while Florida should handle Florida State this fall, the Georgia side of the equation looks much tougher. Florida is in danger of dropping its ninth game in the last 10 against the Bulldogs.
The bigger picture, though, is what Sumrall wants Florida to become. He’s talking about more than one Saturday in late October or early November.
He wants the Gators built to the point where Georgia isn’t treated like a nearly automatic obstacle. That kind of climb, by his own admission, won’t happen overnight.
It could take a couple of seasons before Florida is truly ready to go toe-to-toe with Georgia under Sumrall. And if the Gators are going to close that gap, Sumrall would clearly like to see more booster support heading toward the 2027 season, giving Florida a better shot against Georgia and the rest of the SEC’s top tier.
One Gator who will be right in the middle of that matchup is running back Jadan Baugh, who is set to return to his hometown when Florida plays Georgia in Atlanta on Halloween. Baugh said the setting is special, but his focus is on the game itself.
"A rivalry game in general is exciting just because there's so much around it," Baugh said, via USA Today. "And we played this game in Jacksonville a couple times. It was always exciting because you see the red and you see the blue and it gets loud at one time and then it got loud another time.
"But being able to go back home and play in front of my family and all my friends, it's very exciting for me. And I'm not too much focused on that. I'm more focused on the game, though."
For now, though, that game would still count as an upset.
That’s the challenge Sumrall is trying to change. He wants Florida built to the point where beating Georgia isn’t a surprise anymore, and that means work on the field and work behind the scenes before the Gators can claim that place.
In Other News...
Jadan Baugh Just Sent A Bold Message About Florida's Defense
At SEC Media Days, Jadan Baugh sounded like a player who has already bought into the direction Florida wants to go. The Gators are in the middle of a roster overhaul under Jon Sumrall, and with the offense adjusting to new coordinator Buster Faulkner, the defense is expected to set the tone early. Baugh pointed to that side of the ball as fast and electric, the kind of group that should make life difficult for opposing offenses.
For Baugh, the message was about more than just confidence in the unit. With so many new faces on the roster, including transfers, he said he is trying to grow into the best leader he can be. That matters on a team still sorting out roles and chemistry, because Florida will need its veterans to help steady things while the new-look defense tries to become the programs clearest strength. [Read more 🡒]
Jadan Baugh Suddenly Sits At The Center Of Florida's QB Uncertainty
Floridas quarterback picture is still taking shape, with a battle underway between transfer Aaron Philo and freshman Tramell Jones Jr. and no starter named yet. The Gators also expect both quarterbacks to have a role, which has kept the offense in a holding pattern as the staff sorts out how the position will be handled heading into the season.
At the same time, Jadan Baugh has emerged as a potential wrinkle in the plan because offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner wants to use him in multiple ways. Baugh is already a key piece as a runner, but the possibility of him being used in quarterback-related packages adds another layer to an offense that is still trying to define who will take the first snap and how much of the playbook each option will actually command. [Read more 🡒]