Jadan Baugh wasted no time reminding everyone why he matters in Florida’s offense.
The junior running back followed up his 266-yard rushing outburst in the 2025 finale against Florida State with another punishing performance in UF’s 66-21 win over Florida Atlantic. On just 11 carries across 25 snaps, Baugh ripped off 160 yards and three touchdowns, pushing his total to more than 400 rushing yards over his last two games spanning two seasons.
For Florida fans, that was hardly a surprise. For the national audience, it was another loud statement that Baugh remains one of the Gators’ biggest weapons under offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner.
Florida coach Sumrall was especially high on what he saw from Baugh after the game.
"Man, he is a powerful, sudden, violent runner who can stick his foot in the ground. You know, his long run, the most impressive part of that to me was the end when he stops on a dime and two guys.
And then the downfield blocked me on that one, too. Go back and watch that play, watch VB (Vernell Brown III) and watch Bailey Stockton, and then go watch Luke Harpring come from 40 yards away to go downfield and try to help block.
That was really fun. But Jadan, man, he's a good football player.
He catches the ball well too, even though he didn't have any catches the other night. That wasn't by design.
We're going to throw him the football some," Sumrall said Monday of Baugh. "But he just runs with such, I think, conviction.
The way he runs, you feel his runs. He's a violent runner; I think he's gotten even better at running north and south.
I think last year at times -- when I got here and I watched the tape and I talked to him about what I thought he could improve on, is I thought he became a little bit too much of a cutter at times. But it's like, 'Hey, dude, you're a big physical man.
Like, go that way, and you're gonna be hard to deal with.' And so I think he's been more decisive on make the cut, or a cut, and go.
But man, really, really glad he's on our football team. I told him before the game started, I said, 'Hey, thank you for staying here.'
I think I shared that with y'all after the game. I was like, 'Thanks for being here.
I'm very glad you're still a Florida Gator.' So, fun to watch him play, glad he's on our football team."
Baugh may not be asked to carry the load in the same way when Florida takes the field again Saturday at 5:30 p.m. ET against Campbell University. With the first-ever nine-game Southeastern Conference schedule approaching, UF wants to keep him as fresh as possible.
Even so, a lighter workload shouldn’t keep him from making an impact.
And if he keeps producing like this, the Heisman Trophy conversation is going to keep finding him.
That’s already happening in Week 2. ESPN’s David Hale included Baugh in his updated "Heisman Five" on Thursday, ranking him No.
- Ahead of him on the list are either Texas quarterback Arch Manning or Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin at No.
1, LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt at No. 2 after more than 330 total yards and three touchdowns against Clemson, and Miami wide receiver Malachi Toney at No. 3.
Pittsburgh quarterback Mason Heintschel came in at No. 5 after a seven-touchdown performance against Miami (Ohio) in Week 1.
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 🡒]