The Florida Gators defeated Auburn 44-39 on the Plains on Saturday night, marking their first victory at Jordan-Hare Stadium since 1999. Florida improved to 3-0 (1-0 SEC) on the 2026 season.
Here are my five early takeaways from the contest.
Aaron Philo is a gamer
I didn’t know what to expect from Aaron Philo in his first career road start, especially in front of a sold-out crowd for Florida’s SEC opener, but he continues to exceed expectations.
Philo completed 15 of 22 passes for 204 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Similar to his interception last week, his lone pick was the result of a drop.
It wasn’t the flashiest performance, but it was a gutsy one. Philo made big plays when Florida needed him most. He stood tall in the pocket on a number of plays, taking hits while still delivering accurate throws downfield. He plays with a different level of confidence.
Philo continues to keep the ball out of harm’s way and is willing to take shots downfield, but he also thrives on taking what the defense gives him.
He’s a tough competitor and a gamer. Philo isn’t fazed by the moment, and that’s becoming one of his biggest strengths.
Buster Faulkner, Jadan Baugh, and Florida’s offense
Florida offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner got the best of Auburn defensive coordinator DJ Durkin in this one. Florida scored 44 points and totaled 495 yards of offense, and that came with the Gators taking their foot off the gas in the fourth quarter (more on that later).
In three years as Auburn’s defensive coordinator, Durkin had never allowed more than 31 points in regulation at home. Florida’s 44 points tonight are the most Durkin has ever allowed in regulation during his time at Auburn.
It was nearly a masterclass by Faulkner. Florida only punted once in the game, and it came after a delay-of-game penalty moved the Gators out of field-goal range.
Florida running back Jadan Baugh should be firmly in the Heisman conversation after Week 3. He ran 26 times for 163 yards and three touchdowns, all of which either marked or tied season highs. Baugh has rushed for at least 130 yards in all three games this season.
Dallas Wilson and Vernell Brown continue to do their thing, combining for 160 receiving yards and a touchdown in the contest.
Florida’s offense looks to be one of the best in the country, and that’s been without senior receiver Eric Singleton Jr., who is expected to be one of the team’s top playmakers.
Sloppy showing
It wasn’t all pretty on offense, which makes the 44 points that much more impressive. Florida was called for 16 penalties against Auburn, nine of which came on the offensive side of the ball.
The crowd was clearly a factor. Florida had several false starts and delay-of-game penalties, and there were also a number of plays where Florida’s players didn’t know the play call.
It’s actually pretty remarkable that Florida was able to win with that many penalties and communication issues. The Gators’ offense had to overcome a lot.
Florida will need to figure out how to handle big-time road environments at a higher level.
Major questions remain on defense
This was a really weird game to evaluate from a defensive perspective, but the overall body of work simply wasn’t good enough.
I thought Florida did a really good job early in the game of containing Auburn quarterback Byrum Brown. The goal was to keep him inside the pocket and make him beat the Gators with his arm. It worked for a good portion of the game.
Florida also had seven sacks, including five in the second half, but the pressure felt way too inconsistent. The coverage on the back end was good early but seemed to disappear late in the game.
Auburn had 373 yards of offense, 156 of which came in the fourth quarter.
Florida had some big plays defensively. Cormani McClain had a great interception on the opening drive, the Gators forced a field goal after back-to-back sacks following a fluky turnover that gave Auburn the ball at Florida’s 8-yard line, and Emmanuel Oyebadejo played a phenomenal game.
It was just too inconsistent, and it didn’t seem like Florida handled the tempo all that well. It also felt like the Gators could have benefited from more blitzing. This is something I’ll need to rewatch to give a more accurate assessment.
Florida made it closer than it needed to be
Auburn was one recovered onside kick away from having everyone in Gator Nation gripping the sides of their chairs. But it should have never happened.
Florida led the game by 17 and had the ball in Auburn territory after the Tigers turned it over on downs. The Gators then got conservative with 11 minutes left, running three straight times and having to punt after a delay of game, despite starting the drive at the 38-yard line.
That gave Auburn’s fast-paced offense a chance to get back in the game, and it did, driving 90 yards in 2:35 to make it a two-possession game.
Florida then ran the ball six times over seven plays before kicking a field goal to extend its two-score lead. Auburn once again drove the length of the field in under three minutes, this time using a fourth-down prayer to convert a 35-yard touchdown.
It was great to get out with a win, but in that situation, I think you have to trust Florida’s offense more than the defense based on what we’ve seen through three games, especially considering Philo has shown he won’t put the ball in danger. I would have liked to see a little more aggressiveness offensively in the fourth quarter, especially given the opponent.