Paul Finebaum isn’t ready to call Florida’s rise a sure thing, but he does think Jon Sumrall can get the Gators pointed in the right direction fast.
On “The Paul Finebaum Show,” the ESPN voice said the new Florida coach has the kind of track record that makes him easy to believe in, even if the first season comes with plenty of uncertainty.
"I'm not 100% sure you can say this is going to be a breakout year, though, because there are just too many moving parts," Finebaum said. "I do think that Auburn game is a bellwether, though.
I think to have a really good season, they're going to need to win that game because I look at that as an even game... I think Jon Sumrall is going to have this team in a very short period of time playing for championships."
That kind of confidence starts with what Sumrall has already done. In four seasons at the Group of Five level, he went 43-12, posted double-digit wins in three of those years, and even in the one season that fell short of 10 victories, he still finished 9-5. His best run came in 2025, when he guided Tulane to an 11-2 record and a College Football Playoff berth.
Now comes the tougher job: Florida.
The Gators have not hit double-digit wins since 2019, and they’ve had four losing seasons in their last five. That’s the reality Sumrall inherits as he takes over one of the SEC’s most watched programs. The league itself is changing, too, with six new head coaches set for the 2026 season.
Finebaum’s optimism is rooted in the belief that Sumrall has a history of fixing programs and making them winners. But Florida is a different challenge altogether. At Tulane, the margin for error was one thing; in the SEC, he’ll be dealing with a deeper conference and a much bigger demand to recruit, develop and keep talent at a high level.
Still, the idea behind the hire is clear. If Sumrall can steady Florida early, build the roster and take care of the games the Gators are expected to win, the path back to contention could open sooner than many think.
Florida has been searching for the right answer for years. If Sumrall turns out to be it, Finebaum believes the Gators could be back in the business of playing for championships.
In Other News...
Florida May Have Found The Perfect Back To Complement Jadan Baugh
Evan Pryor arrived from Cincinnati with a chance to carve out a role in Floridas backfield, and the fit could be more interesting than the usual transfer storyline. With Jadan Baugh already positioned as the lead runner, the real question around camp has become who can give the Gators the best complementary option behind him, and Pryors experience gives him a legitimate path into that conversation.
Under Buster Faulkners offense, Florida may be able to use Pryor in ways previous staffs did not, which is part of what makes this battle worth watching. If he earns meaningful snaps, the Gators could end up with a versatile piece who does more than simply spell Baugh, and Pryor sounds intent on making the most of whatever time he gets. [Read more 🡒]
Florida May Have Found The Perfect Backfield Fit Behind Jadan Baugh
Evan Pryors move from Cincinnati to Florida added another layer to a backfield that already had a clear headliner in preseason All-American Jadan Baugh. Pryor arrived with a reputation for speed and big-play ability, and his addition gave the Gators another back who can compete for snaps in a room that is already crowded with options.
Jon Sumrall has liked what he has seen so far, calling Pryor a smart player with a different running style than Baugh. That kind of fit matters in a rotation, especially when a team is trying to sort out who can complement its lead back most cleanly, and Pryors skill set suggests Florida may have found a useful piece even if the workload will not be easy to earn. [Read more 🡒]
Ty Jackson Is Pushing For A Bigger Florida Defensive Role
A year into his Florida career, Ty Jackson is starting to look like a linebacker the Gators can trust more often. The rising sophomore has drawn notice throughout fall camp for how much he has cleaned up his game, and head coach Jon Sumrall has pointed to Jacksons physical tools and football IQ as reasons the staff believes he is trending the right way. The growth has been especially noticeable in the areas that matter most for a young linebacker, with better vision and improved spatial awareness helping him handle the speed of practice.
Brendan Bett has seen it up close from the other side of the ball, and his takeaway fits the general sense around camp: Jackson is making plays with more force and confidence. For Florida, the question now is how quickly that progress translates into a real spot in the linebacker rotation, because a player showing this kind of upward climb in August can force decisions once the season begins. [Read more 🡒]