The Heisman winner credits a cultural shift under the new head coach for revitalizing the Gators as they prepare for a high-stakes showdown against powerhouse Ole Miss.
The No. 21 Florida Gators could earn one of their most important wins in recent history by defeating No. 4 Ole Miss on Saturday.
The Gators are 3-0 after winning their first SEC contest of the year in a 44-39 battle against Auburn. The win proved that Florida is a much different team than the one that finished with a 4-8 record in 2025.
During an appearance on "The Paul Finebaum Show" this week, Florida legend Tim Tebow argued that first-year head coach Jon Sumrall has made the difference. Tebow believes Sumrall has "galvanized" his players into believing that they can win games.
That's a huge change from where the Gators have been pretty much ever since Urban Meyer stepped down from the program.
Tebow said he's been inspired by meeting Sumrall, and he's the type of coach that players want to be around.
Early in the season, it appears the Gators are ready to fight for their head coach.
Ole Miss will present another challenge entirely than any Florida has played through the first three weeks. Florida blew out FAU and Campbell. Auburn presented a tough challenge, and the Gators did just enough to escape with a win.
Ole Miss made the College Football Playoff semifinal in January, and appears to have reloaded into a team that can contend for the SEC championship and CFP this season.
The Rebels blew out Sumrall twice last season when he was with the Tulane Green Wave. Sumrall will have a better roster with Florida on Saturday, and it remains to be seen if he can earn a tough win over Ole Miss.
Florida is playing Ole Miss at the right time
Florida has the schedule in its favor when Ole Miss comes to town on Saturday.
The Rebels are coming off an emotional win over their former head coach Lane Kiffin and LSU in Week 3. It will be hard for Ole Miss to regroup and prepare to play a Florida team that is gaining momentum in the early season.
Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding has been reminding his players of the hard work they put into the offseason. It wasn't just to beat LSU; the Rebels still have the entire season ahead of them.
Still, human nature will be at play for the Rebels, and it won't be easy for them to play a September game at "The Swamp."
