Gators vs FAU Stock Report: No QB Debate, Defense Needs Work

The Florida Gators got the Jon Sumrall era started on the right foot, routing the FAU Owls 66-21. It's the first game, but impressions are already being made.

It's time for the first edition of the Stock Report for the 2026 Gators football season. Here, four stocks were on the rise, while two stocks took a dip at the opening bell.

Stock Up

Jon Sumrall, Head Coach

It's his first game. He got the win. The Swamp was the loudest it had been in some time. All of that gives him a boost as he gets his tenure as the Gators head coach underway.

His no-nonsense approach applied throughout the game. He pointed out what he liked and what he felt needed work, and he didn't sugarcoat it.

That's the standard that the Gators needed to get back on track in their prized sport. Some see it as a shtick. For him, that's who he is, and that's why he has a solid chance to succeed.

Jaden Baugh, Running Back

Just as you think his stock has peaked, it keeps soaring upward. Out of the gate, Baugh rushed for 160 yards and found the end zone three times. He averaged 11.4 yards per carry. That's a video game-type stat.

One game was all it took to be well on his way to another 1,000-yard rushing season. If he keeps this up, he's going to be a top NFL draft pick. Perhaps some Heisman chatter could come about as well.

Aaron Philo, Quarterback

Anything poor that was said about his arm leading into the season can be taken back. He has a deep ball. It's not the best of deep balls, but he certainly has one.

To complement his 276 passing yards and three passing touchdowns, he ran one in as well. He was able to spread the wealth around, with each touchdown being caught by a different receiver.

Many doubts were silenced for at least this week. There is plenty of football left to play, but at this point in time, there is no debate over quarterback. He's their guy.

Buster Faulkner, Offensive Coordinator

Look, you can say it was just a win over FAU, but the Gators offense lost to a team from the American last year 18-16. The offense less predictable, and it's more explosive.

One play that stands out is the Gators' third touchdown of the game, which came in the second quarter. It was a moment that you'd fully expect them to run the Baugh, and the running back was able to completely fool the defense. Philo had a wide-open gap to take it into the end zone.

Faulkner was able to utilize a number of weapons. Even when backups were utilized later in the second half, they were able to sustain some strong drives and keep the momentum going.

Gators fans should be very hopeful for what can come for the offense as the season goes on.

Stock Down

Harrison Moore, Center

Jake Slaughter has departed for the NFL, and you could tell. Moore snapped a ball that nearly went over the head of Philo. He was able to corral the ball and get it to Jaden Baugh so he can work his magic, but it was a notable hiccup.

Replacing an All-American is a tough task. He'll likley show some improvement in time, but Moore's stock is down to start the season.

Gators Defense

Perhaps they needed something to keep them in check early in the season. They went in with the goal to clobber FAU in every way, shape and form. They did so on offense - not so much on defense.

It's not like they didn't have their moments. They had two interceptions and recovered the ball on a fumble. It's that their overall performance wasn't what many were hoping for in what's seen as a tune-up game.

FAU didn't have too much trouble moving down the field for much of the game, especially in the passing game. The Gators' defense allowed 396 yards of total offense and 21 points. It's time to go back to the drawing board. After next week, these hiccups will only hurt way worse if they stick around.

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