Kickoff Times, TV Designations Announced for Gators' First Three Games of 2026

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- The SEC on Wednesday announced the kickoff times and television designations for the league's first three weeks of the 2026 season, giving the Florida Gators its first look at the first quarter of Jon Sumrall's first season leading the program.

The Gators, who host FAU to begin the season on Sept. 5, will play the Owls at 7:45 p.m. ET on SEC Network, before hosting Campbell on Sept. 12 at 5:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network+. Additionally, Florida's SEC opener at Auburn, its first matchup against the Tigers since 2019 and first game on the Plains since 2011, will kick off at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Game Times | Weeks 1-3

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Florida's season-opener against the Owls marks the fifth matchup between the two schools all-time and first since 2021, a 35-14 win for Florida to begin the season.

Meanwhile, Week Two's matchup against the Camels will be the first between the two programs and gives the Gators a strong opportunity to start 2-0 for the first time since that aforementioned 2021 season. The Gators have won two of its four Week Two games over the last four seasons, both of which came after Florida dropped its season-opener.

Finally, the Gators meet old SEC rival Auburn after a six-year hiatus and marks the SEC-opener for a pair of new headcoaches in Florida's Sumrall and Auburn's Alex Golesh. The Gators are searching for its first win at Auburn since 1999 (0-3 since) and its first 1-0 start in SEC play since 2023. A win, plus expected wins over FAU and Campbell, would give Florida its first 3-0 start since 2019.

The three games' kickoff times and television designations now give Florida four of its 12 regular-season games a kickoff time and television assignment. The Gators' regular-season finale at Florida State was previously announced by the ACC to take place on Friday, Nov. 27 at 3:30 p.m. with television coverage on ABC.

The remaining windows for Florida's 2026 schedule will be released on June 10 at 7 p.m. on SEC Network. Florida previously announced the home game themes for the 2026 season, which can be read here.

Florida Gators' 2026 Schedule

Sept. 5 (7:45 p.m. ET, SEC Network): FAU
Sept. 12 (5:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network+): Campbell
Sept. 19 (7 p.m., ESPN): @ Auburn
Sept. 26 (TBD, TBD): Ole Miss
Oct. 3 (TBD, TBD): @ Missouri
Oct. 10 (TBD, TBD): South Carolina
Oct. 17 (TBD, TBD): @ Texas
Oct. 31 (TBD, TBD) vs. Georgia (Atlanta)
Nov. 7 (TBD, TBD): Oklahoma
Nov. 14 (TBD, TBD): @ Kentucky
Nov. 21 (TBD, TBD): Vanderbilt
Nov. 27 @ 3:30 p.m. (ABC): @ Florida State

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