CBS Sports believes Florida has entered SEC contender conversation
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
Florida's Week 3 defeat of Auburn has made the Gators one of college football's major developments one quarter of the way through the schedule.
After Jon Sumrall's program improved to 3-0 with the 44-39 road win, CBS Sports writer Tom Fornelli considers last week's performance the first legitimate sign UF could be a contender.
Fornelli pointed to Jon Sumrall's prior successes as evidence that Florida's start shouldn't be dismissed. Sumrall led Troy to a 23-4 record over two seasons, securing back-to-back Sun Belt Conference Championships while also guiding the Trojans to their first top-25 ranking in program history.
At Tulane, he steered the Green Wave to their first College Football Playoff appearance. It is this level of achievement that had many experts optimistic about Florida entering the season.
The outlet framed Week 3 as the Gators' first true test and praised redshirt sophomore quarterback Aaron Philo for his poise on the road. Vernell Brown III and Dallas Wilson were also mentioned, as the duo combined for nine catches and 160 yards.
Brad White's unit totaled seven sacks on Saturday after getting 6-foot-7-inch, 303-pound redshirt senior Emmanuel Oyebadejo — who accounted for 2.5 of the team's total — back from injury. Fornelli stopped short of calling the defensive performance elite because Florida allowed 39 points, with 22 of those coming in the final 20 minutes.
Jadan Baugh was singled out after rushing for 162 yards and scoring three touchdowns, including a 53-yard run on fourth down early in the fourth quarter. Baugh is primed to enter the Heisman Trophy conversation should he maintain this level of production.
"He might just be the best running back in the country," Fornelli wrote.
Though he heaped plenty of praise on the Gators, Fornelli stopped short of calling them a playoff team.
"What I am ready to proclaim, however, is that I don't believe there's much that separates them from the LSU, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Missouri tier, either. In fact, of those teams I just named, LSU is the only one I don't think Florida is already better than. And Florida might be better than LSU, too!" he said.
Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: CBS Sports believes Florida has entered SEC contender conversation
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos