The SEC just shook things up. Starting in 2026, the league is moving to a nine-game schedule. Three against permanent rivals. Six on a rotating slate. And that’s not all. Every team must face at least one Power 4 opponent each year. Here, for Billy Napier‘s Gators, that’s no problem. Because FSU is already locked in, but with nine SEC battles ahead, some future matchups could be on the chopping block. So, the grind is real. And the margin for error? Slim. From there, the Gators’ slate shifted. But the bigger twist could be Florida pulling the plug on future series.

Florida’s future just got lighter, but also a lot more telling. On September 11, insider Zach Goodall dropped the news: the Gators are scrapping their home-and-home series with Arizona State in 2028 and 2031. That’s not all. Florida also pulled the plug on future showdowns with Cal and NC State. Three Power 4 battles. All gone. Why? The SEC’s shift to a nine-game conference schedule. Each contract had an escape clause tied to the move, and Florida took it. So, the message is clear: the road through the SEC is tough enough. Given that, extra heavyweight fights? Not worth the risk. But this isn’t where the story stops…

Florida isn’t out of marquee matchups just yet. The Gators still have Colorado locked in for 2028 and 2029. Notre Dame waits in 2031 and 2032. Then, UCF remains on the books too, with two more games in 2030 and 2033 to close out their two-for-one deal. And of course, the rivalry that never dies: Florida and Florida State, runs all the way through 2037. So, big names, big stages, and plenty of fire left on the future slate. But what becomes of a Florida–ASU rivalry?

Florida and Arizona State have never shared a football field. That was about to change with a home-and-home series; their first-ever meeting. The stage was set: Game one at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, and three years later, the return trip to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville. It was part of Florida’s push to schedule 10 Power 5 opponents every season, a fresh rivalry waiting to spark. But now, it won’t happen. Because the Gators have canceled the deal before the kickoff ever came. While the future slate looks set, Florida’s 1–1 start shows that raw talent alone won’t meet this season’s expectations.

Florida’s current reality

On paper, Florida looked untouchable. The roster was deeper, faster, and more athletic than anything Billy Napier had fielded before. Optimism ran high, and expectations soared with it. But reality struck in Week 2, when all that hype collided with the harsh truth inside the Swamp: talent alone won’t carry the Gators to victories. And the stumble against South Florida was a reality check.

In the SEC, talent only opens the door; it doesn’t finish the job. Florida learned that the hard way, as execution and focus fell short of their roster’s potential. Leaders like Tyreak Sapp have since shifted the message, stressing discipline over raw ability. “Remember that pain you felt on Saturday night,” said Sapp. “Less about ability, more about the details… just getting ready to actually go out there and do what we do.” In short, the Gators still have the tools to compete with anyone, but until the details match the talent, every game will feel like an uphill climb. So, the message now?

Rise or crumble. “When you face adversity… you can lay down, or you can elevate,” stated Napier. And Sapp echoed that belief, stating, “We just want to prove it to ourselves because we know what we can do.” Now, with 10 games left, the hype is gone, the mistakes can’t continue, and the Gators are out to prove talent isn’t their only weapon.