Football relevance at stake for both Florida and Kentucky

“Success is not final; failure is never fatal.” – Winston Churchill

Jon Sumrall paraphrased that famous quote Saturday night after the Gators went belly up against Oklahoma, an ugly game reminiscent of the Whitey Jordan offense of 1989 when a lack of a passing game turned boring into an art form.

“We're not where I want us to be,” Sumrall said after Florida laid a gigantic egg in The Swamp, taking one gut punch after another from an Oklahoma team content to nickel and dime its way to a 23-7 ball control win over the Gators. “I don't think we're where anybody wants us to be, and sometimes failure is not fatal unless you allow it to be. And it doesn't mean I'm okay failing forever. We've got to get this right.”

The Gators (5-4, 3-4 SEC) have three chances to get it as right as it will be for this regular season starting Saturday evening in Lexington where they will be facing a Kentucky team that looked good for three quarters against Tennessee before the Vols’ superior lines of scrimmage took over for a 21-0 fourth quarter. On paper at least, the final three games – at Kentucky, Vanderbilt and at Florida State – have a very winnable appeal, particularly since Kentucky’s loss to Tennessee Saturday night had the Big Blue Nation in self-defense mode, reminding each other “no worry, we’re a basketball school anyhow.”

Florida’s loss to Oklahoma in football punctuates the last five years in which the Gators have produced only one winning season. Compounding matters is Florida’s current No. 1 ranking in basketball. More than a few in the Gator Nation throng are asking if perhaps football championships are simply pleasant reminders of a glorious past while the future identity of Florida sports lies with Todd Golden and basketball.

There are eerie similarities between the Wildcats and the Gators.

Start with football 2026. The Gators laid waste to everything that got in their way in September, ascending to the No. 7 ranking that had some pundits declaring UF a lock to make the College Football Playoff. The season has since gone south, dangling somewhere close to rock bottom after the OU loss. Kentucky began the season counted among the SEC bottom feeders but ascended to the No. 6 ranking in the first CFP poll only to see hopes and dreams become nightmares in Knoxville.

Now we have two first-year coaches – Sumrall at Florida, Will Stein at Kentucky – who desperately need a win. Sumrall doesn’t believe for a nanosecond that the Gators are incapable of rejoining the championship elite in the SEC. A win over Kentucky on the road in Lexington would inject a serious dose of hope back into the Gator Nation. A win for Kentucky would keep alive its playoff hopes while a loss to Florida or any of the two remaining opponents (Missouri and Louisville) would end the flirtation with life among the SEC big boys.

Sumrall is trying to revive the momentum of the Steve Spurrier and Urban Meyer years at Florida in which the two Hall of Fame coaches produced three national championships and eight SEC titles. He’s trying to overcome 15 years of futility engineered by four coaches who walked away with millions of buyout money.

Stein’s task is more daunting since Kentucky has won only one SEC title (1977) since the Bear Bryant era which included 60 wins in eight seasons and the 1950 SEC title. Bryant left UK for Texas A&M, believing the school would never consider football on par with its fabled basketball program. Only small pockets of football success have followed since Bryant said sayonara.

Meanwhile there is basketball. Only UCLA (11) has won more national championships than Kentucky (8), but the Wildcats have won only one title (2012) in the 21st century. Florida, a latecomer to basketball success, has won three in this century including the 2025 NCAA title. Billy Donovan won the first two (2006-07 back-to-back) and Todd Golden won in 2025.

Florida is the current No. 1 and the favorite to bring home a second national championship in three years. Kentucky is much farther down in the rankings, struggling to get the basketball program back to a consistent championship level, but it is Kentucky, where resources for basketball seem to be limitless.

And here we are, approaching a Saturday in which football relevance is at stake for both schools. Is Florida a football school where basketball is held in equal regard or a basketball school where football clings to a bygone era of success? Is Kentucky capable of true football relevance or is simply a basketball school having one of those periodic infatuations with football?

Saturday’s outcome won’t provide the final answer to either of those questions but will chip away at perceptions.

Associated Press top 25 (SEC teams in bold): 1. Georgia 8-1; 2. Utah 9-0; 3. Notre Dame 8-1; 4. UCLA 9-0; 5. Miami 8-1; 6. Indiana 8-1; 7. Alabama 7-2; 8. Texas 7-2; 9. Tennessee 7-2; 10. Texas Tech 8-1; 11. Wake Forest 8-1; 12. BYU 7-2; 13. Kentucky 7-2; 14. Houston 7-2; 15. Southern Cal 7-2; 16. Iowa 7-2; 17. Boise State 8-1; 18. Oregon 6-3; 19. Ole Miss 6-3; 20. South Carolina 6-3; 21. Ohio State 6-3; 22. Arizona 7-2; 23. New Mexico 8-1; 24. LSU 6-3; 25. SMU 7-2

AFCA Coaches top 25: 1. Georgia 8-1; 2. Utah 9-0; 3. Notre Dame 8-1; 4. UCLA 9-0; 5. Indiana 8-1; 6. Miami 8-1; 7. Alabama 7-2; 8. Texas 7-2; 9. Tennessee 7-2; 10. Texas Tech 8-1; 11. Wake Forest 8-1; 12. BYU 7-2; 13. Kentucky 7-2; 14. Southern Cal 7-2; 15. Iowa 7-2; 16. Houston 7-2; 17. Ole Miss 6-3; 18. Boise State 8-1; 19. Oregon 6-3; 20. Ohio State 6-3; 21. Arizona 7-2; 22. LSU 6-3; 23. SMU 7-2; 24. South Carolina 6-3; 25. New Mexico 8-1

The SEC (AP rankings)

No. 1 Georgia (8-1, 6-1 SEC): Since losing to Auburn, Georgia has allowed Florida and Ole Miss a combined 15 points and 498 yards. Offensively, Georgia is one of the nation’s most efficient teams. The Bulldogs still have to play Missouri, at South Carolina and Georgia Tech. Saturday: Missouri (6-3, 3-3 SEC), 3:30 p.m., ABC

No. 7 Alabama (7-2, 5-2 SEC): Alabama’s bend but don’t break defensive philosophy is working. The Crimson Tide ranks No. 51 nationally in total defense but is tied for third in turnovers forced (21; 8 fumbles, 13 interceptions) … With (at) Vanderbilt, D1AA Chattanooga and Auburn the final three regular season games, it might be difficult for Alabama to finish with fewer than 10 wins. Saturday: at Vanderbilt (4-5, 1-5 SEC), 12:45 p.m., SEC Network

No. 13 Kentucky (7-2, 5-2 SEC): The Wildcats have no more wiggle room after getting brutalized in the fourth quarter by Tennessee. They can’t afford a loss to either Florida or (at) Missouri. The Wildcats are three-point favorites to beat Florida … The Wildcats lead the SEC in turnovers forced (18; 12 interceptions, 6 fumbles). Saturday: FLORIDA (5-4, 3-4 SEC), 6:15 p.m., ESPN

No. 8 Texas (7-2, 4-2 SEC): Arch Manning had a quality performance on the road at Missouri, throwing for three touchdown passes without a pick. The Texas defense held Mizzou’s running game to 84 yards and 5.7 yards per pass attempt … The Longhorns are 3.5-point underdogs Saturday at LSU with Arkansas and (at) Texas A&M to follow. Saturday: at No. 24 LSU (6-3, 3-3 SEC), 7:30 p.m., ABC

No. 9 Tennessee (7-2, 4-2 SEC): DeSean Bishop ran for 109 yards and two touchdowns as Tennessee threw sparingly in favor of a ground and pound approach to wipe out Kentucky. The Vols threw only 15 passes the entire game. The schedule is favorable for UT to make the playoff with roadies at Texas A&M and Vandy sandwiching a homer with LSU. Saturday: at Texas A&M (4-5, 1-5 SEC), 3 p.m., ESPN

No. 19 Ole Miss (6-3, 4-3 SEC): Forget the playoff after getting hammered by Georgia. The Rebels couldn’t move the ball against the Georgia defense. Now they have to face an Oklahoma defense that gave up only 203 yards and one TD at Florida. Saturday: at Oklahoma (5-4, 3-3 SEC), 4:15 p.m., SEC Network

No. 20 South Carolina (6-3, 4-3 SEC): The Gamecocks are the team nobody in the SEC wants to play. LaNorris Sellers is playing like an All-SEC quarterback and the defense bends but doesn’t break. After a 2-3 start, a 9-3 finish isn’t out of the question, particularly with Georgia coming to Columbia in two weeks. Saturday: at Arkansas (3-6, 1-5 SEC), 7:45 p.m., SEC Network

No. 24 LSU (6-3, 3-3 SEC): Lane Kiffin is now 0-6 against Alabama in his coaching career. The Tigers couldn’t run the ball against Bama (33 carries, 77 yards) and even though they threw for 380 yards got into the end zone only one time. With Texas and (at) Tennessee the next two weeks a 7-5 record seems likely, not exactly what was envisioned when Kiffin was hired. Saturday: No. 8 Texas (7-2, 4-2 SEC), 7:30 p.m., ABC

Missouri (6-3, 3-3 SEC): The Tigers saw their playoff hopes crushed by Texas. Now they have to go to No. 1 Georgia, which is playing better than any team in the country. Eli Drinkwitz is now 1-11 against teams ranked in the top ten. Saturday: at No. 1 Georgia (8-1, 6-1 SEC), 3:30 p.m., ABC

Oklahoma (5-4, 3-3 SEC): The win over Florida has Sooner fans asking why Brent Venables didn’t fire his offensive coordinator and elevate Jason Whitten to the position sooner. OU didn’t turn the ball over, dominated the line of scrimmage and controlled the ball for 37:50 including a 20-play, 89-yard drive that consumed nearly 13 minutes of clock time. Saturday: No. 19 Ole Miss (6-3, 4-3 SEC), 4:15 p.m., SEC Network

FLORIDA (5-4, 3-4 SEC): The way the Gators lost to Oklahoma, bowl eligibility is a shaky proposition. The Gators are at Kentucky, home with Vandy and on the road at Florida State to finish the season. A 7-5 record would be impressive under the current circumstances. Saturday: at No. 13 Kentucky (7-2, 5-2 SEC), 6:15 p.m., ESPN

Auburn (5-4, 3-4 SEC): The schedule is favorable for Auburn to finish 7-5, which would be their first winning season since 2020. The Tigers are at Mississippi State and home with D1AA Samford their next two. Saturday: at Mississippi State (4-5, 2-5 SEC), 12 noon, ESPN2

Mississippi State (4-5, 2-5 SEC): Bowl eligibility is a longshot. The only game the Bulldogs will be favored to win is next week against D1AA Tennessee Tech. Saturday: Auburn (5-4, 3-4 SEC), 12 noon, ESPN2

Texas A&M (4-5, 1-5 SEC): The Aggies are in freefall with only one SEC win and a D1AA win in their last seven games. With Tennessee, (at) Oklahoma and Texas the last three games, a losing season is all but guaranteed. Saturday: No. 9 Tennessee (7-2, 4-2 SEC), 3 p.m., ESPN

Vanderbilt (4-5, 1-5 SEC): The Commodores avoided the distinction of an oh-fer SEC record by holding on to beat Mississippi State in Starkville. To get bowl eligible the Dores would have to win two of the next three – No. 7 Alabama, (at) Florida, No. 9 Tennessee. Saturday: No. 7 Alabama (7-2, 5-2 SEC); 12:45 p.m., SEC Network

Arkansas (3-6, 1-5 SEC): The Razorbacks finish the season with South Carolina, (at) Texas and LSU so a 3-9 record seems likely, but that’s actually progress. They won only two games last season. Saturday: No. 20 South Carolina (6-3, 4-3 SEC), 7:45 p.m., SEC Network

Cover graphic: original GatorBait Media art.