Vernell Brown III turned Florida’s final tune-up before SEC play into a showcase, and the Gators rolled past Campbell, 52-3, in Gainesville behind three total touchdowns from their explosive playmaker.
Brown III did most of his damage in the return game. His first punt return touchdown came on a 64-yard burst with 14:39 left in the second quarter, giving Florida its first punt return score since 2020, when Kadarius Toney did it, and its first in 68 games. One drive later, Brown III struck again with a 70-yard return, becoming the first Gators return man with multiple punt return touchdowns in the same game since Jacquez Green in 1996.
By the end of the night, Brown III had piled up 219 punt return yards on four attempts, setting a new Florida single-game record. That total also ranks as the second-most in SEC history.
Florida’s offense kept the pressure on around Brown III’s special-teams explosion. Aaron Philo went 16-for-21 for 242 yards and two touchdowns, opening the scoring with a three-yard run on the Gators’ first offensive drive before connecting with Dallas Wilson on a 40-yard touchdown with 9:06 left in the second quarter. That Wilson score was his first since the Texas A&M game last season and came after DK Kalu forced a fumble that Aaron Chiles recovered.
Wilson finished with five catches for 104 yards, giving him his first 100-yard game since his debut last season against Texas.
Philo also found Brown III for a 14-yard jet toss touchdown later in the quarter, giving the pair two touchdown connections this season after Brown III had none all of last year. Jadan Baugh then added a two-yard score on the next drive, pushing Florida ahead 45-3 at halftime.
Baugh wasn’t done. Late in the third quarter, he ripped off a 75-yard run to give him three straight multi-score games. He finished with 136 yards on 14 carries, bringing his two-game total to 296 yards and five touchdowns in the 2026 season.
The win also gave Jon Sumrall a record of his own. Florida’s 118 points through two games are the most for a Gators coach through his first two games, topping Jim McElwain’s 92 in 2015.
After last week’s defensive issues against FAU, Florida’s defense looked sharper. Campbell opened with a seven-play, 63-yard drive that ended in a 29-yard Alex Crabb field goal, but that was the Camels’ only scoring drive of the day.
Campbell got another chance late in the third quarter after Justin Williams muffed a punt, moving the ball to Florida’s 16-yard line. But Crabb missed a 36-yard try, and Baugh answered with his long touchdown run.
The Camels later reached Florida’s one-yard line after Tramell Jones Jr. threw an interception, but the Gators came away with the stop when KJ Ford forced a fumble and Myles Johnson recovered it.
Florida is 2-0 for the first time since 2021 and will open SEC play next week on the road at Auburn, looking for its first 3-0 start since 2019.
In Other News...
Florida Already Has A Week 2 Availability Problem To Watch
Floridas Week 2 availability report already offers a little early-season concern after the Gators released their injury update ahead of the Campbell game. Wide receiver Davian Groce and running back Kelvin Jiminez are both out, and Jiminez is expected to miss the entire season, leaving another hole in the depth chart just as the schedule begins to settle in.
The bigger watch item is the group listed as questionable, with wide receiver Eric Singleton, running back Evan Pryor and tight end Evan Chieca all dealing with injuries. Even against an opponent like Campbell, Florida would rather avoid stacking more uncertainty on top of an already thin situation, especially with roles and rotations still being sorted out this early in the year. [Read more 🡒]
Floridas Backcourt Could Hinge On Denzel Aberdeens Court Fight
Floridas backcourt outlook may soon be tied to a courtroom as much as to the practice floor. Denzel Aberdeen has hired attorney Jesse Panuccio to pursue a temporary restraining order that would let him play in the 2026-27 season under the NCAAs new 5-in-5 rule, a move that comes after the governing bodys Division I board said the policy would not be applied retroactively to players in the 2022 class. For Florida, it is the kind of eligibility issue that can shape offseason planning well before the next roster takes form.
The legal path has already taken a turn, with a recent court ruling stopping a preliminary injunction that would have opened the door to a fifth season for Aberdeen. Even so, the fight is hardly settled, especially with state courts having granted restraining orders to other athletes in similar situations. For now, Florida is left waiting on a decision that could determine whether one of its backcourt pieces remains part of the picture a little longer. [Read more 🡒]
Tim Tebow Just Got Pulled Into A New Quarterback Debate
Danny Kanell helped stir up a familiar college football conversation on a CBS Sports pregame show ahead of Oklahomas Week 2 meeting with Michigan, drawing a line between Sooners quarterback John Mateer and Tim Tebow. The comparison centered on Mateers running ability and the way he handles himself, two traits that made Tebow such a defining figure for Florida fans and for the sport as a whole.
For Gators followers, any Tebow mention still carries extra weight, especially when it comes from a national analyst trying to frame the next big quarterback conversation. Oklahomas trip into a marquee early-season matchup already had plenty of attention, and the betting market around the Sooners only adds another layer to the debate, but the Tebow comparison may be the detail that keeps people talking beyond kickoff. [Read more 🡒]