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The Florida Gators and head coach Jon Sumrall are less than a month away from their first contest of the 2026 college football season, which means it's time to examine the program's schedule for the upcoming season.

Sumrall and the newest coaching staff for the Gators will face a multitude of challenges in their first year with the program, with plenty of top-rated opponents being on the team's schedule. However, there is not a bigger challenge for the Gators in 2026 than the Georgia Bulldogs.

Here's everything you need to know for Florida's matchup against Georgia this year.

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Game Information

• Week Nine
• Oct 31 in Atlanta
• Betting Lines: TBD

History

Last year, the Gators took on head coach Kirby Smart's squad on a neutral-site field, but were unable to pull off the upset. Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton was the main catalyst for the Bulldogs in the 24-20 loss, as the highly-touted playmaker completed 20 of his 29 pass attempts for 223 yards and two touchdowns. Former Bulldogs' star receiver Zachariah Branch also played a huge factor in the defeat, recording 10 catches for 112 yards.

Unfortunately for Florida, the offense struggled for a majority of the contest. Former quarterback DJ Lagway threw for 166 yards, while the run game tallied 32 carries for 115 yards, averaging 3.6 yards per carry.

Offense

On offense, the Bulldogs will once again be led by quarterback Gunner Stockton during the 2026 season.

In his first season as the starting quarterback, Stockton quickly made a name for himself, throwing for 2,894 yards and 24 touchdowns to five interceptions. The Georgia native also proved to be a dynamic weapon in the run game, as he finished the 2025 season with 462 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on 129 carries. Stockton's dual-threat ability will be one of the biggest reasons for Georgia's success on offense this year.

Outside of Stockton, the Bulldogs' offense features a lethal one-two punch in running backs Nate Frazier and Chauncey Bowens. While Frazier was the lead back for Georgia last season (173 carries, 947 yards, and six touchdowns), both he and Bowens managed to tally 1,563 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns in 2025. With plenty of depth at the position, along with Stockton's mobility, the Gators must find a way to contain Georgia's stout run game.

Looking at the Bulldogs' pass-catching weapons for the upcoming season, the starting lineup is set to include a combination of returners and newcomers. The most important transfer from this offseason was former Georgia Tech wideout Isiah Canion, a 6-foot-4, 215 lbs. receiver who recorded 480 receiving yards and four touchdowns with the Yellow Jackets last year. Joining Canion this season is longtime Georgia tight end Lawson Luckie, who was a key red zone threat for the program in 2025. With Branch off to the NFL, it's clear that the Bulldogs' passing game will run through the likes of Canion and Luckie.

Defense

Georgia's defense, unlike the offensive unit, will feature plenty of starters from the previous season that should make an impact in 2026.

Smart's heavy usage of Mint/Tite packages on defense forces his linebackers to get after the quarterback, which puts both Chris Cole and Raylen Wilson in important roles this year. The duo combined for 133 tackles, seven tackles for loss, and 6.5 sacks in 2025, but with star linebacker CJ Allen off to the NFL, both Cole and Wilson are expected to take on larger roles this season.

The Bulldogs also possess a rich history of developing talented defensive backs into future NFL stars, and this year will be no different for Smart and the coaching staff.

Leading the charge within Georgia's secondary unit this season will be former 2024 five-star high school recruit Ellis Robinson IV. The electric cornerback is coming off a terrific 2025 campaign, during which he recorded 20 tackles, 7 pass deflections, and 4 interceptions. His physical style of play and raw athleticism will allow him to be a lockdown defensive back for the Bulldogs this season.

In addition to Robinson, Georgia's secondary unit also contains safety KJ Bolden, who is projected to be a first-round pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. Bolden was nothing short of impressive for the program last year, recording 76 tackles, five pass deflections, and two interceptions.

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