Predicting Florida Gators 2026 Football Schedule

The nine-game conference schedule is on the horizon. The second time in three years, we'll see the SEC change things up. With conference expansion brought the desire to expand the schedule. In turn, this will impact how the Florida Gators' season will look.

It's been confirmed by ESPN's Heather Dinich that there will be three permanent rivals with the other 12 opponents alternating. Six will be on the schedule one year, and the other will come the next. Home games will alternate as well.

But what could this hypothetical schedule look like? Here we'll try to place a prediction.

Florida Gators on SI's Cam Parker placed his prediction that Georgia, Tennesee and South Carolina will be the permanent rivals. To keep things consistent, that prediction will factor into predicting the overall schedule.

The rest is fair game. Let's dive in.

Keep the Lost Rivalries Alive One More Year

Under this scenario, Florida is losing annual games with LSU and Kentucky. What have been annual matchups for decades will be reserved for every other year now. Getting that home game against them will be that much more of an event.

As the new conference setup gets underway, I think the SEC will have these matchups on the schedule for one more year to help ease into things. Come next season, both LSU and Kentucky will come to the Swamp. Then we'll see them on the road in 2028.

Old Rivalry Gets an Re-Introduction

A lot of Florida fans want Auburn back every year. Maybe it happens, but don't think it will. However, to help get fans excited about the new schedule, Florida and Auburn will get to face off for the first time since 2019.

Since the last game was in Gainesville, the Gators will head to Jordan-Hare Stadium for the first time since 2011. That way, it also helps synce up the typical home-and-away schedule.

Remaining Games

To round out the home games, we have Texas A&M and Vanderbilt coming to Gainesville. Yep, I'm saying that Florida fans will be subjected to another game against the Aggies. Don't worry. Once this game is done, everyone gets a year off.

This prediction would have the once-annual game against Vanderbilt make its return for the first time since 2023. The last time they played was also in Gainesville, but Florida needs another home game. They also need another road game, but that's going to be a bigger event.

For the first time, the Gators will head to Norman, Okla., to take on the Sooners. The two schools have never played each other in a regular-season game. The first time was the 2009 BCS National Championship and the 2020 Cotton Bowl.

The logic behind having the Gators on the road comes from the fact that the Gators went to Austin, Texas, to play the Longhorns to help welcome them to the SEC.

Full Schedule Prediction Conclusion

Now, the moment we've all been waiting for. The full schedule that we're predicting will happen in 2026. Drum roll, please.

1. vs FAU
2. vs Campbell      
3. at Tennessee
4. vs Vanderbilt  
5. vs Kentucky 
6. at Auburn  
7. vs LSU
8. Georgia (Atlanta, designated away team)
9. vs Texas A&M    
10. South Carolina
11. at Oklahoma 
12. at Florida State

There you have it. Now we await for this whole thing to be wrong.

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