Florida football’s upcoming schedules have seen a few recent updates, according to FBSchedules.com.
To start, the Gators are slated to host the Florida Atlantic Owls at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on September 5, 2026, likely during Week 2 of the college football season. The agreement for this matchup includes a $1.2 million payout to FAU. However, there’s an opt-out clause in the event the SEC adopts a nine-game conference schedule.
The contract notes, “If the Southeastern Conference mandates that Florida plays nine or more conference games in 2026, both parties will work together in good faith to reschedule the game. In that case, Florida would pay FAU $600,000 in 2026 and the remaining $600,000 when the game is eventually played.”
Looking ahead to 2027, Florida is set to host South Alabama on September 4 and Charleston Southern on September 11. The deal with South Alabama includes a $1.2 million guarantee and a cancellation penalty of the same amount for the season opener. Should the SEC expand its schedule, Florida would owe South Alabama $250,000.
The 2026 contest against FAU will be the fifth meeting between the programs. Florida has won all four previous matchups, although the Owls pushed the Gators to overtime in a close 20-14 loss in Gainesville in 2015.
Florida has yet to face South Alabama on the football field. A game was planned for 2020, but it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As for Charleston Southern, the Gators have faced the Buccaneers twice, securing dominant home wins of 53-6 in 2018 and 62-3 in 2009.
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