Florida’s season may feel like it has taken a hard turn after back-to-back blowout losses, but Josh Pate isn’t ready to write the Gators off. On “Josh Pate’s College Football Show” Sunday, he argued that Florida can still be “fine” and said the team has “everything in front of them.”
That’s a far cry from where the Gators stood at the end of September, when they looked like a CFP playoff contender. Then came the two straight SEC losses, including the home defeat to a South Carolina team that was on the ropes, and the playoff buzz faded fast.
Still, Pate sees a path to a respectable finish. Even if Florida can’t get past Texas or Georgia, he believes an 8-4 season would be a win for Sumrall in Year 1. The key, as he sees it, is that Florida’s final four games in November are manageable enough to keep the season from spiraling.
That stretch begins with Oklahoma, followed by No. 15 Kentucky, Vanderbilt, and Florida State. Pate said those are all winnable games for Sumrall and crew, as long as UF starts cleaning up the issues that have been dragging them down.
The problems are easy to spot. Florida cut down on penalties in its 38-19 loss to South Carolina, but the offensive line didn’t play well, Aaron Philo has not been consistent, and the secondary still needs to be better if the Gators are going to get to eight wins.
The secondary is also the area Pate sees as the biggest liability. He and Sumrall’s son appear to share that view, and it’s part of why Florida’s margin for error has shrunk so quickly.
There is still one result that keeps the door cracked open. Florida’s win over Ole Miss showed the Gators can beat anybody when they play to their potential. The challenge now is getting that version of the team on the field every week from a roster Sumrall did not handpick.
Among the remaining games, Oklahoma and Kentucky look like the stiffest tests outside of Texas and Georgia. The Sooners do not have a great offense, but Florida may have trouble moving the ball against their defense. If Oklahoma takes Jadan Baugh out of the game, Pate said, it could be a long afternoon for Philo.
If Florida can get through those matchups, Pate believes it would do plenty for the program’s future.
In Other News...
Florida Fans Just Got A New Reason To Worry About Arch Manning
Arch Manning has been a familiar name in Gainesville for a while, and not just because of the family tree. During a stretch when the Manning family was based nearby in New Orleans, Archie Manning arranged for his grandson to throw footballs at Tulanes stadium with coach Jon Sumralls permission, simply because it was an easy place for the family to work and stay loose. Sumrall, who has spent time at both Tulane and Florida, would occasionally watch those sessions and came away impressed by what he saw.
For Florida fans, the part worth noticing is that Manning is still the Texas quarterback and still looks like the kind of problem defenses dread solving. He is known as a dual-threat player, and Sumralls admiration only reinforces that he is more than a polished passer. When a quarterback can stress a defense with his arm and legs, every future matchup starts to look a little more complicated. [Read more 🡒]
Floridas Next Stretch Will Say Everything About Jon Sumralls First Season
Floridas start under Jon Sumrall looked like the sort of opening that can calm a restless fan base, but the mood around the program has shifted quickly after consecutive losses. Paul Finebaum has framed the Gators as one of the SECs biggest mysteries because the early promise has given way to uneven play, leaving the next stretch to serve as a real measure of where the first-year coach has this team headed.
Even with the setbacks, there is still reason to think the foundation could eventually be sturdier than the present record suggests. Finebaum has been confident Sumrall can improve the program over time, and Floridas recruiting momentum, including a commitment from a top 2027 wide receiver, adds another layer of intrigue to a class that already looks strong on paper. [Read more 🡒]
Florida May Be Headed For A Tough QB Call Before Texas
Florida heads into its matchup with No. 7 Texas with the quarterback situation still cloudy, as junior Aaron Philos status is uncertain because of an undisclosed injury. The uncertainty adds another layer to a game that was already going to demand clean execution, and it leaves the Gators with an important decision to monitor as the week moves on.
Jon Sumrall did not flag Philo as a player who might miss the game during his press conference, which at least suggests there is still time for the picture to clear up. On a more encouraging note for Florida, sophomore receiver Vernell Brown III has been practicing as he comes back from a knee injury and is considered likely to play, giving the offense at least one more piece trending in the right direction. [Read more 🡒]