FINAL: Gators 44, Auburn 39

What Happened

AUBURN, Ala. – The Gators made their first visit to Jordan-Hare Stadium in 15 years on Saturday night. They won't be welcomed back anytime soon if Auburn fans have a say.

Florida won its first Southeastern Conference game with Jon Sumrall as head coach, taking control in the second half on the way to a 44-39 victory.

"I knew we were going to run the ball on them; I knew we were going to throw the ball on them,'' Sumrall said. "They're good up there, but I felt like we were better. I felt like the matchup leaned our way."

The Gators proved Sumrall correct time after time in the SEC opener for both teams.

Florida broke open a 20-17 halftime lead with the help of two long touchdown runs from tailback Jadan Baugh and a 20-yard scoring strike from quarterback Aaron Philo to Dallas Wilson. Baugh scored on a 33-yard run less than two minutes after halftime to put Florida up 27-17.

On Florida's next drive, Philo found Wilson for a score, and after Auburn quarterback Byrum Brown threw a 10-yard touchdown to DeShawn Spencer, Baugh answered with a 53-yard run that sent many of the fans in the sold-out crowd heading for the exits.

Baugh rushed for 162 yards and three touchdowns, Philo threw for 204 yards and a score, and the Gators rolled up 495 yards on offense to improve to 3-0 under Sumrall.

Baugh carried the bulk of the load, but sophomore Duke Clark had a moment, too. Clark had a 20-yard touchdown run in the first half that gave the Gators a 14-3 lead.

Florida chewed up Auburn's defense on the ground and through the air. Gators offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner added some wrinkles, too.

On third-and-8 from UF's 39 in the second quarter, Philo threw a pass behind the line of scrimmage to Kahleil Jackson in front of the Auburn sideline, and Jackson lofted a deep pass downfield that tight end Amir Jackson made a diving catch for a 48-yard gain and first down at Auburn's 13. Three plays later, Patrick Durkin's first field goal extended Florida's lead to 17-10.

Auburn answered on a 4-yard touchdown pass from Brown to Keshaun Singleton, whose 48-yard catch earlier in the drive moved the Tigers deep into Florida territory. But after Auburn pulled even 17-all, the Gators scored 24 of the next 31 points to seize control.

The Gators opened the scoring in the first quarter on Baugh's 2-yard run. Florida gained possession when Cormani McClain picked off Brown on Auburn's third play of the game. Three plays later, Baugh danced into the corner of the end zone.

The performance wasn't perfect. The Gators committed 16 penalties for 138 yards. But SEC wins on the road -- Florida's first at Auburn since 1999 -- help a team move on rather quickly from what might have gone wrong.

"No bad wins," Sumrall said. "We still have a lot to improve upon. That's not our best football. We're going to get there."

What it Means

The Gators punched Auburn early and late to come away with their first win away from The Swamp since the 2024 Gasparilla Bowl against Sumrall's Tulane team. More than snapping the six-game losing streak away from home, Florida provided Sumrall with a signature win in the SEC opener against an Auburn program that nearly hired him before the Gators did.

In the Spotlight

Baugh carried 26 times for 162 yards for his fourth consecutive 100-yard game dating to last season. Through three games, Baugh has rushed for 458 yards and eight touchdowns, matching his rushing scores from a season ago.

Staggering Statistic

The Gators marched down the field on six consecutive scoring drives of at least 65 yards. They scored four touchdowns and kicked two field goals on drives covering 75, 67, 65, 75, 69 and 75 yards from late in the first quarter to the end of the third quarter.

Up Next

The Gators are back home in The Swamp for their SEC home opener against Ole Miss. The Rebels hosted LSU on Saturday night in Lane Kiffin's much-ballyhooed return to Oxford.

Email senior writer Scott Carter at scottc@gators.ufl.edu. Find his story archives here.

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