| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
| Florida Atlantic | 0 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
| Florida | 17 | 21 | 14 | 14 | 66 |
Final. Saturday, September 5, 2026. Kicked off 7:45 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
Florida opens at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium against Florida Atlantic, an in-state American Conference program from Boca Raton. It is a night game in Gainesville, which is the version of The Swamp visiting teams least want.
| Kickoff | 7:45 p.m. ET · 6:45 CT · 5:45 MT · 4:45 PT |
| TV | SEC Network |
| Streaming | ESPN App, Fubo, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, DirecTV Stream |
| Venue | Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville — capacity 88,548 |
An In-State Meeting
Florida Atlantic and Florida recruit the same state, and FAU’s roster is largely built from players the SEC programs passed on. There will be familiarity on both sides.
FAU has been a competitive Group of Five operation and had a period of genuine national relevance under Lane Kiffin — who now coaches LSU, playing Clemson the same night.
Night Games in Gainesville
The Swamp holds 88,548 and its reputation is built on September night games, when the heat lingers and the humidity does not drop with the sun. Teams that struggle here usually struggle in the fourth quarter.
Florida’s schedule brings South Carolina to Gainesville on October 10 and Vanderbilt on November 21.
How to Watch
SEC Network is cable-only — no antenna option, and note this is the linear channel rather than the SEC Network+ streaming tier. Fubo, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV and DirecTV Stream all carry it, and the ESPN App streams it for authenticated subscribers.
It kicks off 15 minutes after Clemson at LSU on ABC.
Prediction and Odds
Line: Florida -27.5 (DraftKings).
Jon Sumrall’s first game as Florida’s head coach, with Aaron Philo at quarterback and an in-state FAU team that is being paid roughly $1.2 million to visit. Florida’s roster is far better; the question is whether a new staff and a new quarterback can cover four touchdowns in a debut. Recent Florida openers have been closer than the number.
Our pick: Florida 38, FAU 13. Florida wins; FAU covers. See all of our Week 1 predictions.
The Bottom Line
Florida Atlantic at Florida kicks off 7:45 p.m. ET Saturday, September 5 on SEC Network from Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. A night game in Gainesville in early September is among the more demanding environments in the sport.