Week 1 was mostly uneventful. LSU blasted Clemson in the battle of death valleys. The one possibility of an upset, Michigan vs Western Michigan, was ruined by bad refereeing. Florida looked great in Sumrall's first outing as head coach. Former Gator DJ Lagway mixed in professional level throws with boneheaded throws. Billy Napier's JMU team committed boneheaded penalties but won their game.
- OSU 56, BSU 3
- ORE 34, BOI 27
- UGA 63, TSU 3
- ND vs WIS
- TEX 59, TEXS 7
- IND 52, UNT 16
- MIA 45, STA 6
- TAM 50, MIZS 0
- OM V 24 LOU
- OU 51, UTEP 0
- LSU 51, CLEM 10
- TTU 33, ABIC 10
- ALA 48, ECU 10
- USC 39, FRES 0
- BYU 63, UTEC 7
- MIC 13, WMU 12
- WAS VS WST
- PSU 45, MAR 0
- SMU VS FSU
- TEN 56, FUR 9
- UT 66, IDA 14
- IOW 40, UNI 0
- HOU 33, ORS 20
- LOU VS 9 OM
- MIZ 54, APB 14
- FLA 66, FAU 21
- AUB 17, BAY 16
- SCAR 57, KES 0
- VAN 28, AUP 9
- KEN 45, YSU 13
- MSU 62, ULM 13
That “clock manipulated call” to give Michigan “one more chance” after Western Michigan had already WON THE GAME signified disgusting, money-fueled corruption in the Big Ten.
DJ made some nice throws in tough situations to keep Baylor in a defensive struggle with Auburn, got them into the endzone at the very end with a chance for a last second win—Then threw a short and easy pass to the wrong side of an open receiver at the goal line on the 2-point conversion that WOULD have won it EASILY had he just thrown it a few inches to the right, properly leading his receiver on the open side—but instead threw it short and to the left and on the wrong shoulder; it is caught, but a great and timely tackle by the Auburn defender brought him down at the ONE INCH LINE:
Game Over: Bears lose by one instead of WINNING by one, had he thrown it right and allowed his receiver to simply fall forward, across the goal line.
Auburn claims a “Big Win”, Golesh claims its supposed “huge inspiration and forward momentum”—but fact is, by the evidence, our offense has a WHOLE lot more talent all over the field than theirs: At the very LEAST we ought to be able to OUTSCORE them!
(And if we can stay healthy and find ways to strengthen and improve the aggressive cohesion of our Defense, not only will AUBURN fail to be the first team this season that beats us, but there may not be many among the very BEST we face later who are able to do so either.)
We are not there yet, and it remains to be seen which direction things head in our ongoing growth and development from here, but it appears we are replete with many of the required elements already after all.
“How much?” “How far?”
These questions (and all the rest) are still out there, waiting for us to work hard, take chances, pull together and SEE:
See what we are made of.
See what we can BE.
I believe we have the right Coach and staff now—and to a great extent perhaps the right PLAYERS too: Though I think even that can and will improve, the “talent” to a great extent is already here. No telling HOW much can be achieved THIS season…But WHATEVER happens, it will likely be but a stepping stone to what (for example by what we saw in The Swamp last night, not just on the field but IN THE STANDS, and what we all can somehow FEEL around and among every nook and cranny out here in Gator Nation) we are now irresistibly and relentlessly building TOWARDS.
Lane may shortly bring LSU more and more “Kiffen Moments”. Between what Lane has brought with him and what was already there, it appears that program already has everything the two (Kiffen plus what was already in place there IN Baton Rouge entering the 2026 season) needed to make a serious CFB Championship run NOW.
Somehow, though, I sense he won’t be there a whole lot longer beyond it. Lane may shortly bring LSU more (more and MORE) “Kiffen Moments”:
However, I do not refer solely to the kind associated with “WINS”.
In contrast, Jon Sumrall, his staff and the TEAM he is building, will I believe ultimately bring us a whole “Era of Gator Rise to Excellence”. There are a plethora of reasons that one hears a LOT of talk now out there in Gator Nation about our having “Dodged a BULLET!” in essentially being used as leverage, then “left abandoned at the alter”.
Instead, we may well now find ourselves part of a longer, and much more positive and heartening a tale:
A number of years chronicling our return to relevance, then domination.
It is indeed “GREAT to be a Florida Gator” once more!
