​The 2026 college football season is nearly upon us, bringing with it six new head coaches across the 16 SEC programs, including Jon Sumrall overseeing the Florida Gators. With spring practice, the transfer portal, and summer official visits now in the rearview mirror, Blake Toppmeyer of USA TODAY Sports has ranked all 16 conference head coaches. Sumrall sits in the middle of the pack at No. 8, positioned between Missouri’s Eliah Drinkwitz and Vanderbilt’s Clark Lea.
Toppmeyer notes that this might be the last opportunity to buy low on Sumrall’s stock. In four seasons as a Group of Five head coach, he won more than 78 percent of his games and even guided Tulane to the College Football Playoff. While Sumrall still has to prove himself in the SEC, there’s every reason to believe he can revitalize the Florida program. He has both played in this conference and worked in it as an assistant, giving him a familiarity and credibility that many coaching candidates lack. Sumrall quickly emerged as a hot commodity on the coaching carousel, and for Florida, he represents a strong consolation prize after missing out on Lane Kiffin.
Florida opens SEC play with a challenging stretch, starting with an away game against 11th-ranked Auburn and coach Alex Golesh on Sept. 19. The Gators then host 12th-ranked Ole Miss and coach Pete Golding on Sept. 26. On Oct. 3, 7th-ranked Missouri, led by coach Eliah Drinkwitz, visits Gainesville. The schedule continues with a home date against 13th-ranked Shane Beamer and the South Carolina Gamecocks on Oct. 10, followed by an away trip to face 2nd-ranked Steve Sarkisian and the Texas Longhorns on Oct. 17 before the program’s bye week. The back half of the SEC slate includes a showdown with top-ranked Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs in Atlanta on Oct. 31, a home game against 10th-ranked Brent Venables and the Oklahoma Sooners on Nov. 7, a road matchup with 14th-ranked Will Stein and the Kentucky Wildcats on Nov. 14, and a home date with 9th-ranked Clark Lea and the Vanderbilt Commodores on Nov. 21.
This ranking list features names such as Kirby Smart (Georgia), Steve Sarkisian (Texas), Kalen DeBoer (Washington), Lane Kiffin (Ole Miss), Shane Beamer (South Carolina), Josh Heupel (Tennessee), Mike Elko (Texas A&M), Eliah Drinkwitz (Missouri), Jon Sumrall (Florida), Clark Lea (Vanderbilt), Brent Venables (Oklahoma), Alex Golesh (Auburn), Pete Golding (Ole Miss), and Will Stein (Kentucky), among others. The ranking reflects a mix of proven winners, rising coaches, and those looking to prove themselves at the highest level of college football.
For Florida, Sumrall’s hiring signals a strategic move rooted in familiarity with the conference and a track record of success across different levels of competition. As he now guides the Gators through a demanding SEC schedule and works to translate past achievements into SEC success, all eyes will be on his ability to elevate Florida back into conference contention. The season promises to be a defining period for Sumrall and the program, with the early-season tests against Auburn and Ole Miss serving as crucial gauges of how quickly Florida can compete at the highest level.