Curan Ahern

This year’s Orange & Blue Spring Game will have a bit of a different format, Sumrall said. Instead of two teams, the scrimmage will consist of offense v. defense, where the defense can earn points by making stops and forcing turnovers.

First-year Florida head coach Jon Sumrall has already beaten a pair of then-top-10 teams. But the first rivalry game he’ll coach in his tenure at Florida will arguably be his biggest test to date: a Halloween matchup against No. 3 Georgia at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. More on how the Gators can gain an edge: alligator.org/article/2026/1…

Ahead of the much-anticipated rivalry game, offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner and defensive coordinator Brad White spoke on the need to move the chains, execute and contain Georgia’s elite offense. But perhaps the biggest piece of preparing for the emotion-packed contest is remaining grounded and treating the game the same as the rest: just one win on the schedule.  @rileyorovitz and I have more HERE: alligator.org/article/2026/1…

Myles Graham on FL/GA this weekend: “Im excited. You know, it don't matter where it is. We're excited to play this game. Like, it don't matter where. It can be in the parking lot. We’re gonna be ready to play.”

Faulkner on the QB room: “We've got two young quarterbacks, pretty good football players, and their best football is ahead of both of them, and so I think that's that's important for the success and sustainability of our program.”

Faulkner on UGA: “The one thing that you've got to do is you've got to be efficient in all facets of the game because they're going to be efficient … It's staying on schedule, staying ahead of the chains, and you got to score touchdowns in the red zone to have a chance to beat them.”

Faulkner said he texts Browns HC Todd Monken after every game: “I can't thank him enough for what he's done for my career and the influence that he's had on me. You know, not just you know as a coach, but as a man. The three years that we spent together were probably the most three valuable years of my life from a coaching standpoint.”

Faulkner on Tramell Jones Jr.: “The one thing that he showed in that game was his poise, right? And that comes with preparation, the way you go about handling your business on a day in day out basis, and that was probably the most impressive thing.”

I’m live from the Heavener Football Training Center alongside @rileyorovitz for Florida football’s media availability featuring Buster Faulkner, Brad White and select players. Stay tuned for live updates.

Sumrall on Bailey Stockton and Dallas Wilson stepping up as leaders: “Those two guys, man, they bring it every day. Like, I don't ever have to show up to practice and wonder how Bailey Stockton and Dallas Wilson is gonna bring it. They give great effort. They love competing. They're great teammates. They encourage each other. They encourage the guys around them, and they're fun to coach.”

“Us building up the game more than what it is doesn't help us win the game,” Sumrall said. “What helps you win the game is still what helps you win every game: Protect the football, get the ball off of them. Run the ball, stop the run. Win third downs, stop them on third down. Red zone opportunities. We got to score touchdowns, not field goals. And so those things that come up within a game, explosive plays in the special teams battle. That's what this game's going to come down to. It's not going to come down to a motivational hype speech.”

Sumrall on FL/GA this weekend: “I told our team this morning, this game is different. It's a rivalry game, and you have to have an appreciation for the history of what the game means to our fan base to fully understand that … we have 117 roster players, and 60 of them have never been here for a Florida-Georgia game, and so helping them appreciate how important this game is matters.”

Sumrall on Philo and Jones Jr.: “Here's what I've told both of them moving forward: ‘we're going to need both of you to win football games the rest of this year. I don't know who's going to play how much. I don't know who's going to play when, but we need you both.’ And so I got a lot of confidence in both of them. The way they've handled it is what's made it a non-issue within our football team … they've been great for each other. They got each other's back. They support each other.”

Sumrall on the Gators’ comeback at Texas: “The thing I was most proud of, yeah, winning the game's great, but I was proud of our response. I was proud of our fight. I was proud of the growth we showed in being resilient when maybe we weren't an ideal situation.”

Sumrall on Florida’s growth from the South Carolina loss to the Texas win: “Our guys showed growth from the South Carolina game to that game by, man, picking themselves up, dusting themselves off and just worrying about what they can control right in front of them to fight and scratch and claw to get back into the game.”