With the start of the SEC college football season days away, The Alligator’s Florida football beat reporters, Ava DiCecca, Max Bernstein, Curan Ahern and Riley Orovitz, made picks for this week’s 16-game slate.
With valuable returning talent in the trenches and both Hunter and Lewis back in action, Jacksonville’s defense has a strong case to be even more formidable than in past seasons. Here’s a position-by-position deep dive into how Jacksonville’s defense is expected to look this season.
Now, the pressure is on to continue that same success in year two. With returners at quarterback and wide receiver and some new faces across the rest of the offense, Coen has expressed confidence but also pointed to areas of growth he wants to see from his unit ahead of Jacksonville’s Sept. 13 opener against the Cleveland Browns.
With game week upon Florida football, head coach Jon Sumrall and Co. have released an official depth chart, etching players into starting roles for the Gators’ season opener against Florida Atlantic Saturday.
Both men’s and women’s programs return to competition Sept. 26. The men open their season against Florida Atlantic and Nova Southeastern in Boca Raton, Florida, while the women travel to Nashville, Tennessee, for a dual meet against Vanderbilt.
No. 17 Florida (1-0) swept Stony Brook (1-3) in its home opener Sunday afternoon, rebounding from Thursday’s two-set loss against the No. 1 team in the country.
No. 20 Florida (3-1-1) ultimately settled for its first draw of the season, tying Florida Atlantic (1-2-2) 1-1 on Sunday at FAU Soccer Stadium. The Gators controlled the attack with 18 shots, but junior goalkeeper Ashley Small delivered a career-high 10 saves to preserve the draw for the Owls.
With the NFL’s deadline for teams to solidify a 53-man roster coming Sunday at 6 p.m., multiple Jaguars made their case for a spot on Jacksonville’s roster in a 19-0 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Friday at EverBank Stadium.
Todd Golden signed a six-year contract with Florida Friday to keep him in Gainesville for the foreseeable future. The 41-year-old head coach hoisted the 2025 national championship trophy in just his third season with the program.
Former Florida center Micah Handlogten has committed to Ole Miss for his fifth year of college basketball, On3’s Joe Tipton reported Friday.
The No. 17 Florida Gators fell to the No. 1 Nebraska Cornhuskers in a two-set match Thursday night in Arlington, Texas. The win advanced the Cornhuskers to the Spikes Under the Lights championship, where they will face the winner of Penn State vs. Southern Methodist University.
Florida (3-1) dominated Jacksonville University (1-1-1) 6-0 at Donald R. Dizney Stadium. UF completely took over the match, outshooting the Dolphins 16-1 and remaining perfect all-time against Jacksonville. The Gators’ six goals marked their highest single-game total since Aug. 27, 2023, when they defeated Stetson 8-0.
Former Gator Xaivian Lee transferred to Gonzaga Wednesday after receiving a temporary restraining order from the state of California, per On3’s Joe Tipton. This move comes after Lee announced that he planned to enter the transfer portal on Aug. 18, seeking a new opportunity in his fifth collegiate season.
It’s a tale of two contrasting styles: Florida’s explosive, high-powered offense against Jacksonville’s stifling defense. The Gators have scored three goals in each of their first three matches, while the Dolphins have yet to concede a goal this season.
Florida coach Jon Sumrall announced Monday that redshirt sophomore quarterback Aaron Philo would take QB1 reps over redshirt freshman Tramell Jones Jr. as the Gators prepare for a Sept. 5 season opener against Florida Atlantic. On Tuesday, the pair spoke about the excitement around the position, their close relationship and the work that still needs to be done.
Solutions by The State News
