Week one of the 2026 college football season is in the books, and while Florida handled business with a 66-21 win over FAU in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, a lot of the Gators’ future opponents took very different paths.
Campbell opened its season on the road and walked away with a 49-37 win after a game that stayed tight through halftime. The Camels led 28-27 at the break before taking control over the final 30 minutes.
Quarterback Kamden Sixkiller did a little of everything, finishing 29 of 42 for 343 yards and two passing touchdowns while also running for 95 yards and two more scores on 10 carries. Wide receiver Evan Austin added four catches for 93 yards and a touchdown.
Auburn’s new era under head coach Alex Golesh started with a one-point win over Baylor, and the Tigers leaned on their defense to get it done. Baylor still piled up 436 yards, but Auburn tightened up when it mattered, holding the Bears to 7-for-22 on third down, 2.3 yards per rush on 45 carries, 27-for-54 passing and forcing two turnovers, including one interception and one fumble from former UF quarterback DJ Lagway.
The offense, though, had its issues. Byrum Brown threw three interceptions, and Auburn’s ground game managed just 3.2 yards per carry on 41 attempts.
Ole Miss needed a last-second field goal to finish off Louisville on Sunday, but it found enough answers in the closing moments. The Rebels gave up several explosive plays on defense, yet Trinidad Chambliss and Deuce Alexander carried the offense when it counted.
Chambliss threw for 336 yards, three touchdowns and one interception while adding 60 rushing yards and a score. Alexander made the biggest splash, catching five passes for 159 yards and two touchdowns, including two 62-yard scores in the third quarter.
Missouri made quick work of its opener on Thursday, racing out to 40 unanswered points in the first half and never looking back. Even without Ahmad Hardy, the Tigers ran for 205 yards and three touchdowns. Austin Simmons was sharp in his first game for Missouri, completing 17 of 19 passes for 252 yards and four touchdowns.
South Carolina also took care of business in convincing fashion, blanking its opponent to open the year. LaNorris Sellers looked every bit the centerpiece of the attack, throwing for 270 yards and three touchdowns. The Gamecocks’ backs added four touchdowns and 285 rushing yards, and Donovan Murph chipped in with four catches for 92 yards and two scores.
Texas had no trouble with Texas State in its tune-up, and Arch Manning came out hot. He passed for 305 yards, four touchdowns and one interception, hitting Ryan Wingo seven times for 121 yards and a score. Cam Coleman, a new Longhorns receiver, also found the end zone twice on three catches for 70 yards.
Georgia’s opener looked familiar: fast, aggressive and physical. The Bulldogs won by committee, with three quarterbacks completing a pass, 11 players logging a rush and 15 players catching one.
Oklahoma opened on Friday and controlled everything against UTEP. The Sooners held the Miners to 198 total yards and forced two turnovers, while their own offense totaled 401 yards, including 231 through the air and 170 on the ground.
Kentucky got the Will Stein era off to a winning start, and the offense looked connected from the jump. Kenny Minchey threw for 301 yards and four touchdowns, Jason Patterson ran 11 times for 78 yards, and Kenny Darby caught three passes for 74 yards and a touchdown.
Vanderbilt also came away with a comfortable win over Austin Peay. It wasn’t flashy, but it was the kind of game the Commodores know how to play: physical on the ground and firm on defense. Blaze Berlowitz filled in capably for Diego Pavia, throwing for 149 yards and running for 44 yards and a touchdown.
Florida State, meanwhile, took a hit after winning in Week 0. The Seminoles opened conference play with a humiliating loss to SMU, and the result came with an unusual footnote: SMU became the only FBS or NFL team in the last 30 years to win despite having at least a -3 turnover margin, twice as many penalties as its opponent, fewer rushing yards, less time of possession and more missed field goals than its opponent. To make matters worse, a power outage at Doak Campbell Stadium put the Seminoles in the spotlight on Monday night.
In Other News...
Florida Is Chasing A Jacksonville Star Who Could Reopen A Crucial Pipeline
Jon Sumrall and Florida are putting real time into one of the countrys most coveted young defenders, Jacksonville edge rusher Asher Ghioto. The 2028 prospect is rated by Rivals/On3 and the 247Sports Composite as the nations top edge rusher, and Floridas push has already included multiple visits to Gainesville. For a program that has long valued its North Florida connections, landing a player with that profile would mean more than just another recruiting win.
Steve Wiltfong has said Florida is currently in the best position to land Ghioto, which is notable given the crowded field around him. Miami, Georgia, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M and Notre Dame are all in the mix, so there is still plenty of competition ahead. Even so, Floridas early traction suggests the Gators may have a real shot to reopen a crucial pipeline in their own backyard. [Read more 🡒]
DJ Lagways Baylor Start Hits An Early Concern Florida Fans Will Watch
Baylors quarterback situation is already shifting this week after DJ Lagway came out of the Auburn game with an ankle injury, and the Bears do not expect him to be available against Prairie View A&M. For a Florida fan base that has followed Lagway closely, any injury update is worth tracking, especially with the young passer now dealing with a setback after taking over a major role.
In Lagways place, junior Nate Bennett is set to make his first career start, giving Baylor a different look while the staff manages the injury cautiously. The early indication is that Lagways absence should not linger too long, but until he is back on the field, every update on his recovery will draw attention from Gators fans who have an eye on what comes next for the quarterback. [Read more 🡒]
Former Florida Coach Sees Something Gators Fans Will Love In This Staff
After Floridas season-opening win over FAU, Geoff Collins came away impressed with the way Jon Sumrall and Buster Faulkner have put this staff together. The former Gators coach has seen enough of the operation, from practice habits to game-day execution, to believe Florida fans have reason to like what theyre watching early in the year.
Collins singled out Faulkner for an offense that looked effective and hard to pin down, while also crediting Sumrall for the way he runs a disciplined practice and communicates plainly with his players. It is the kind of outside validation that matters early, especially when a new staff is trying to establish both identity and trust at the same time. [Read more 🡒]