The Florida Gators have received a new 2026 football prediction that fans aren't going to like.
The 2026 college football season is right around the corner and the Florida Gators are hoping to get back on the map as a contender in the SEC.
In order to make that happen, new head coach Jon Sumrall has a lot of work to do. There is a chance that Florida could be a contender in 2026, but the process could drag out another year or two after this season.
Last season, the Gators pulled together a 4-8 season. It was obvious that changes needed to be made, which led to the program firing former head coach Billy Napier. Turning around a program can take time, but Florida is on the right track.
With that being said, CBS Sports analyst Brad Crawford has released a new projection for what to expect from the Gators in 2026.
Crawford released a new column breaking down each SEC team game-by-game this season. When it came to Florida, he has the team going 6-6 in Sumrall's first year. That would be an improvement from the 2025 campaign, but not what fans are hoping to see.
Here is what Crawford had to say about the 2026 version of the Gators.
"This .500 finish wouldn't necessarily signal failure for first-year Gators coach Jon Sumrall if his team beats a CFP hopeful like Oklahoma and pummels rival Florida State, given the difficulty of the Gators' path. The bigger question is whether Florida shows consistent growth throughout the season and establishes a clear identity under its new coach -- that's what Gators fans want to see," Crawford wrote.
"Sumrall has a reputation for maximizing talent and building disciplined football teams, but Year 1 rebuilds in this conference are rarely smooth. If Florida reaches bowl eligibility while remaining competitive against the league's upper tier, the foundation would be in place for a bigger jump in 2027. Sometimes progress isn't measured solely by wins and losses."
At the end of the day, improving from 4-8 to 6-6 may not seem like a big jump. However, the progress would be noticeable.
Florida is a proud football program that doesn't take losing well. When all is said and done on the 2026 season, the Gators need to show some kind of improvement. This prediction would see that end up happening.
