The 2026 college football season brings a major change to the SEC, with the conference finally moving to a nine-game league schedule. Another game added to the conference slate creates even more opportunities for contenders to prove themselves while testing the conference's depth throughout the season.
With six programs entering the year with new head coaches across the conference, the SEC is filled with storylines to follow.
For Florida, the 2026 season marks the beginning of the Jon Sumrall era, with the Gators looking to climb back into conference contention. As the season approaches, here's a look at what The Athletic predicted for Florida's 2026 season.
The Gators are viewed as a top-six team by author Stewart Mandel, who believes the program is progressing in all the right directions. He predicts that Florida will finish with a 9-3 overall record and a 6-3 SEC record, with Texas, Oklahoma, Georgia, LSU and Alabama, respectively, ahead of the Orange and Blue.
Last season's Florida Gators were one of college football's biggest disappointments after having finished the 2024 campaign with an 8-5 record — the best of the Billy Napier era.
The projection for Florida would give the program its best season since 2019 and propel the Gators back into the conversation as one of the SEC's top teams. Under Jon Sumrall, Florida has retained several of its key stars while adding more talent through the transfer portal, giving the Gators a stronger foundation heading into the new era.
The outlook for the program provides plenty of reason for optimism as the Sumrall era gets underway.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Bold record prediction for Florida football heading into 2026 season