Florida vs. FAU prediction, pick and preview: Where to watch, TV channel, odds, spread, time

Football

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Image Credit: Michael Nash

With winds swirling throughout the college football world as the 2026 season gets underway, the Florida Gators hope Saturday marks the beginning of an extended era of success for a program that has felt destitute — even through bouts of success — over the last 15 years. Head coach Jon Sumrall officially begins his tenure leading the Orange & Blue inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium as Florida hosts the FAU Owls for the fifth time.

While the uniforms will be the same, and the field will largely be recognizable, the faces will be drastically different. The Gators have 50 new players (on the 112-man roster) and 13 new primary coaches seeking to lead Florida’s turnaround with Sumrall aiming to achieve what his predecessors could not: sustained success.

Sumrall retained the Gators’ top five players despite the coaching turnover, adding expected key contributors out of the transfer portal like starting junior quarterback Aaron Philo (Georgia Tech) and senior wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr. (Auburn). Meanwhile, all eyes are on offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner to bring fun and explosiveness back to a long-dormant Florida offense as Sumrall and defensive coordinator Brad White seek to turn around a unit that severely underdelivered to its talent level.

Only Gators went in-depth, catching you up on everything you need to know about the Gators entering the 2026 season, and breaking down Florida’s depth chart for Week 1.

What will go down Saturday night in The Swamp? Let’s take a closer look with this game day preview.

Florida vs. FAU: Tale of the tape

Injuries & absences

Questionable (2): TE Evan Chieca, DL Kendal Guervil
Out (1): RB Kelvin Jimenez

Where to watch Florida vs. FAU

Date: Saturday, Sept. 5 | Time: 7:45 p.m. ET
Location: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium — Gainesville, Florida [88,548]

TV: SEC Network (Matt Schumacker, Aaron Murray, Taylor Davis)
Stream: ESPN app | SiriusXM: 175/228 | Radio: WRUF, TuneIn
Live updates: @OnlyGators on Twitter

Florida vs. FAU game notes

» Florida is 4-0 all-time against FAU (all meetings since 2007) with a 21-point win in 2021 and average margin of victory of 26.0 points in the Sunshine State series.
» The Gators are 89-30 all-time in season openers (72-8 in Gainesville) after seeing their prior NCAA record 33-game winning streak in such games snapped in 2024.
» Sumrall is 3-1 in season openers (lone loss to Ole Miss while at Troy) with an average margin of victory of 18.0 points.
» First-year coaches are 18-6 in their opening games at UF with eight straight victories. Sumrall is 1-0 all-time against FAU
» The defense has forced turnovers in 22 of the last 24 games across the last two seasons with multiple takeaways in 16 of those contests.
» Florida gave up 21+ points in nine consecutive games to end the 2025 season.
» The Gators went 18-8 at home under the last regime. They are only 70-24 (.745) in The Swamp since 2011 after going 36-5 (.878) under Urban Meyer from 2005-10. Sumrall is 24-3 (.889) at home as a head coach.
» Florida went 17-7 against unranked opponents under the last regime. It is only 88-29 (.752) against such teams since 2011 after going 47-5 (.904) from 2005-10. Sumrall is 45-6 (.882) against unranked opponents as a head coach with two bowl game defeats (one to UF).
» The Gators have scored in 473 consecutive games, an NCAA record.

Florida vs. FAU prediction, analysis

Spread: Florida -24.5 | O/U: 59.5

It’s clear that Sumrall wants to make a statement in this season opener, and the spread is not large enough to dissuade belief that he will do precisely that. The one hangup is that he has never been in this position before — leading a Power Four team against a seriously oumanned opponent. His prior openers have seen Sumrall either enter as an underdog or without a vast talent disparity. Considering his focus this offseason has been accountability — and Florida should be energized coming out of the tunnels to start a new era — basically every advantage is leaning its way.

Even if the passing game needs some work, the Gators should be able to run roughshod against this Owls defensive front. The real question is whether FAU will be score enough to push the total over, but that feels unlikely given the crazed atmosphere in The Swamp at night.

2025 record: 6-6 ATS, 7-5 O/U

Odds & ends

» Uniforms: Florida will wear its traditional orange helmets with blue jerseys and white pants for the season opener.
» Sold out: The Gators will be at full capacity for the 19th straight game at Florida Field, the program’s longest streak since 138 straight sellouts from 1989-2011.
» Mr. Two-Bits: Former Florida star running back Ciatrick Fason, who is now head coach of Neptune Beach Fletcher High School, will serve in the honorary role on Saturday.