Florida’s first year under Jon Sumrall comes with a familiar kind of optimism in Gainesville, but Kevin Carter isn’t forecasting a breakout right away.
The CBS Sports analyst and Florida alum laid out his own game-by-game read on the Gators’ 2026 schedule, and he landed on a 7-5 record. That would be enough to get Florida back into bowl eligibility after a 4-8 season in 2024, but it’s not the kind of leap Gator Nation is dreaming about after four frustrating seasons under Billy Napier.
Carter knows what the standard can look like in Gainesville. In his four seasons at Florida, the Gators went 40-10-1 under Steve Spurrier, and they won nine games or more each year. That history clearly didn’t lead him to expect the same kind of immediate surge this time around.
His projection starts in the expected place. Carter has Florida opening 2-0 with wins over Florida Atlantic and Campbell.
From there, he sees the Gators stumbling on the road at Auburn before responding with a home win over Ole Miss. He also has Florida beating Mizzou to reach a 4-1 start.
The middle of the schedule is where Carter thinks things get rough. He has Florida taking losses against South Carolina, Texas, Georgia and Oklahoma. Then, in his view, the Gators close with three straight wins over Kentucky, Vanderbilt and Florida State.
For now, that’s Carter’s read on the Jon Sumrall era: a step forward, but not yet a full turnaround.
In Other News...
Two Former Gators Just Made Cut-Down Weekend A Lot More Interesting
The NFL preseason finale gave a couple of former Florida standouts one last chance to make a case before cut-down day, and both J. Michael Sturdivant and Dameon Pierce took advantage of the moment in their own way. Sturdivant, now trying to stick with the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent, turned in a big showing with 112 yards and a touchdown on six catches, the kind of performance that can get a coachs attention when rosters are being trimmed to the bone.
Pierce also flashed for the Philadelphia Eagles, picking up 44 yards on four carries while working through recent hamstring issues. For both ex-Gators, the good news is they got on the field and made plays when it mattered most. The harder part comes next, with their roster spots still unsettled as the league heads into final cuts. [Read more 🡒]
Jon Sumrall Draws A Hard Line On Floridas 2026 Roster
With Florida gearing up for its September 5 opener against Florida Atlantic, Jon Sumrall has already put a fence around the 2026 roster conversation. The Gators are not planning to add any players to that group, with Sumrall saying the program intends to stick with the SECs newly adopted roster-limit policy as it moves through the season.
The practical issue, of course, is that every addition would come at the expense of someone already in the room, and Sumrall made clear that is not a path he wants to take. He also indicated he is not interested in squeezing out current players to make room for NFL signees looking for one more year of college football, leaving Floridas roster plan as much about restraint as it is about opportunity. [Read more 🡒]
Florida Fans Have Another Reason To Feel Great About Maxwell Hiller
Florida fans already had plenty to like about Maxwell Hiller, and a fresh in-person look from 247Sports only adds to the buzz around Floridas 2027 class. Tom Loy watched Hiller on Friday night and came away impressed with the five-star offensive linemans effort, technique, strength and the way he finishes plays, a strong endorsement for a prospect who has been regarded as one of the best players in the country.
Hillers appeal goes beyond the star ranking next to his name. He is listed by 247Sports as the No. 2 player nationally, and his versatility and physical tools make him the kind of lineman college staffs dream about developing. For Florida, the encouraging part is not just that he is committed, but that he keeps looking the part of an elite prospect every time evaluators get a closer look. [Read more 🡒]