Florida's status in Athlon Sports' preseason SEC power rankings
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The 2026 college football season is rapidly approaching, and the Southeastern Conference is once again stacked heading into fall.
Ahead of the 157th edition of the collegiate gridiron, Athlon Sports' senior editor Steven Lassan put together his preseason SEC power rankings, with the Florida Gators checking in at No. 9, between No. 8 Tennessee and No. 10 South Carolina.
It will be an uphill climb for Florida, which finished the 2025 campaign with a miserable 4-8 record to end the Billy Napier era. After struggling to a 23-27 mark stretching across four years, optimism permeates the air in Gainesville with head coach Jon Sumrall leading a fresh staff and an upgraded roster.
"The Gators have a favorable schedule for new coach Jon Sumrall’s debut," Lassan offers. "Will Aaron Philo or Tramell Jones Jr. quickly emerge as the No. 1 quarterback this fall? Sumrall’s biggest concern at the end of spring practice revolved around the offensive line. Is this group primed for a step forward?"
The notion that the Gators face a "favorable" schedule is perhaps a bit relative, given that they had the nation's toughest slate of games heading into last season. According to ESPN Analytics, Florida still faces one of the top 10 most difficult schedules coming in at No. 7 overall, punctuated by the new nine-game SEC schedule that will be a brutal gauntlet to get through
While the quarterback situation will not be resolved until fall camp closes, it is presumed that Georgia Tech transfer Phio will be under center for the season's opening snap. Regardless of who gets the nod at QB1, the Gator Nation can expect a heavy load to be carried by Jadan Baugh and the rest of the running back room.
As for the offensive line, the corps made massive gains in the weight room since spring camp, while center Harrison Moore — who also transferred from Yellow Jackets during the offseason — was named to the Rimington Trophy preseason watch list, both of which bode well for the group.
Whether or not the roster is primed for a step forward is yet to be seen, but there is a lot to like about Florida football heading into fall.
The Orange and Blue opens the 2026 campaign on Sept. 5 against the FAU Owls inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium and kicks off the SEC schedule two weeks later on the road against Auburn on Sept. 19.
Athlon Sports' preseason SEC power rankings
- Georgia
- Texas
- Oklahoma
- Texas A&M
- LSU
- Ole Miss
- Alabama
- Tennessee
- Florida
- South Carolina
- Missouri
- Auburn
- Mississippi State
- Vanderbilt
- Kentucky
- Arkansas
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida's status in Athlon Sports' preseason SEC power rankings
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