Gator Football: Is It Too Soon For Those Words? Nope. Not For Our "Way Too Early" Picks. Sumrall Is Ready! Let's Gooo!

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The Gators are one of those promising teams in the middle of the pack but with positive spin — mainly due to that buzz around Sumrall, who so far is coming off as a Poster Boy of Promise.

Ok, it’s time to get back to being a serious football school as Jon Sumrall ramps up intensity in spring ball.  Back to picking a QB and sorting out the players for what looks to be a challenging, promising and interesting fresh start. Put me down as Locked In.

There comes a time on every campus when the air shifts just a little — when the echoes in the practice fields sound more like purpose than practice.

A football school with dirt under its nails and expectations that don’t apologize.

Jon Sumrall isn’t easing into spring — he’s cranking it up, turning knobs that have been sitting idle too long. The tempo’s different. The urgency is louder. And somewhere between the whistle and the weight room, a new pecking order is starting to take shape.

There’s a quarterback to be found, roles to be claimed, and just enough uncertainty to make it all compelling.

Challenging? Absolutely. Promising? You bet. Interesting? That might be underselling it.

As for me — go ahead and write it in ink: I’m locked in as we prepare for our way-too-early

SEC College football predictions. But there are some significant changes this season, so listen up.

When you peer into your crystal ball for 2026, don’t forget the SEC has added one more league game. It’s harder than ever to come out of this conference with a scintillating record because there are so many opportunities to get dinged.

Not a single SEC team is assigned a 10.5 over-under total by Fan Duel.

There’s a logjam right there, just a smidgeon over .500. All of those 6-5 projections, clumped together in the middle third, could be because of the uncertainty posed by an extra SEC game — or just plain baked-in parity.

It might turn out to be a tightwire race that creates an exciting finish for the follow-through coaches who know how to push the pedal to the metal in the second half of the season with developmental squads (see Jon Sumrall).

At the same time , everybody at 6-5 reminds me of a four wide at the Daytona 500. Is there an impending crash?

And don’t forget, fearless forecaster: Based on recent announcements, here is the "crystal ball" for 2026:  The Gators are one of those promising teams in the middle of the pack but with positive  spin — mainly due to that buzz around Sumrall, who so far is coming off as a Poster Boy of Promise.

The probable reason for this jump was due to a large number of bets being placed on the Gators’ over. This means the college football world believes Florida is better than a .500 team.

Favorites Texas and Georgia led the pack with 9.5 wins, followed by LSU, Alabama and Texas A&M — all with 8.5. Before falling into disarray, Florida did beat the Longhorns last season at home by more than a touchdown and led the Bulldogs 20-17 in the fourth quarter and many of those players return, so the potential is there. That was last season. What now?

The question becomes how soon Sumrall can restore order, an idea that is trending upward. But let’s not forget about those massive changes around the SEC.

9-Game Slate & 3 Permanent Rivals: The league moves from 8 to 9 conference games. Every team will have three permanent annual rivals and play the remaining 13 schools on a rotating basis.

Rotational Fairness: The structure ensures every SEC school plays every other conference member at least twice (home and away) over a four-year period.

High-Quality Non-Conference Requirement: In addition to the nine conference games, SEC teams are mandated to schedule at least one additional "high-quality" non-conference opponent from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, or Notre Dame.

No Divisions & Playoff Impact:The SEC will continue with a divisionless format, with the top two teams in the standings playing in the SEC Championship Game.

Confused? Me, too. But winning will solve that and Sumrall has already vowed that he will.

Gator fans are looking for little signs of progress and encouragement.

Best-case scenario, Florida hits the over on 6-5 if it can figure out the most important position on the field. If the Gators can get steady play from the quarterback position — be it Aaron Philo or Tramell Jones Jr. — the offense has enough weapons to score in bunches, but whoever is anointed as the starter must be dependable. Too early to call.

Sumrall’s early success in the transfer portal was impressive. We all know about the quarterback battle and the wide open competition but the one player I’ve heard most of about so far this spring is receiver Eric Singleton, who my friend and colleague Shane Matthews has noted as a premier playmaker capable of "taking the top off" a defense and turning short catches into big plays.

At Florida, Singleton will reunite with former Auburn wide receivers coach Marcus Davis. He’ll also be back in an offense called by Buster Faulkner, who was Singleton’s offensive coordinator at Georgia Tech.

The key to a good start this spring was Sumrall’s successful “Re-Recruitment” of his top five players:

Top "Re-Recruited" Players

Jadan Baugh (Running Back): Successfully convinced to stay following his 2025 freshman performance.

Jayden Woods (EDGE): A major success story, Woods withdrew his name from the transfer portal in early January 2026 after having been rated a top-10 player in the portal, deciding to stay for his second season.

Dallas Wilson (Wide Receiver): Described by Sumrall as a challenging re-recruitment due to external interest, but ultimately remained with the team.

Vernell Brown III (Wide Receiver): Retained, using his family ties to the school (legacy) as a factor to stay.

Myles Graham (Linebacker): Retained, leveraging his status as a legacy player to keep him on the roster. 

Jadan Baugh, who looks to be a mighty weapon of choice, is rightfully discussed among the best in the country at running back. And as talented as last year's receiver room was, this year may be even more explosive. High-powered offensive outings can provide margins needed to steal swing games on college football Saturdays. Big plays change games and Florida has a host of home-run hitters.

Last offseason,  Singleton Jr. was the most sought-after wide receiver in the transfer class, signing with Auburn. After one season at Auburn, Singleton pulled out of the NFL Draft opting to reunite with his former offensive coordinator. Singleton gives Florida a receiver with experience in the system and elite big play ability.

Worst-case scenario?Florida falls to the under if it lacks a pass rush that fails to disrupt opposing offenses. Last season, the Gators got below-average pressure on rival quarterbacks, but returnees like Brendan Bett are expected to take a step forward, while Jayden Woods has the tools to develop into a superlative presence on the edge.

Rushing the passer against SEC opponents who field elite signal callers like Arch Manning, Sam Leavitt, Gunner Stockton and Marcell Reed is crucial, but improved coverage won't be enough on its own.

The Gator defense is not nothing. Defensive impact players include returning linemen Kamran James and LJ McCray, linebacker Miles Graham and cornerbacks Dijon Johnson and Cormani McClain.

The defense is anchored by experienced linebackers.  

•    Myles Graham (Jr.): Coming off a standout 2025 sophomore season where he recorded a team-high 76 tackles, Graham is a defensive leader.

Key Returnees: Jaden Robinson (Sr.) and Aaron Chiles (Jr.) join Graham as seasoned players with significant starting experience, bringing continuity to the middle of the field.

Depth & Experience: The unit also features senior transfer TJ Bullard (RSr.) from UCF and developing talents like Ty Jackson (So.) and Myles Johnson

That’s a lot to digest for one season.

So you want to bet on your Gators? I looked this up:

Based on early odds for the 2026 college football season, a moneyline bet on the Florida Gators to win the SEC Championship presents high-reward odds, reflecting their status as challengers rather than favorites.

Odds to Win SEC: As of early 2026, Florida is listed at +2000 (20-to-1) odds to win the SEC Championship, according to FanDuel.

I really don’t know what kind of record I’m forecasting yet. I guess that’s why they are called the “way too early“ predictions.

But I feel like something positive is trending these days.