09-05-2025
Florida football adds FAU, South Alabama, Charleston Southern to future schedules
Florida football adds FAU, South Alabama, Charleston Southern to future schedules
A few additions were made to Florida football's future schedules recently, according to
First off, on Sept. 5, 2026, the Gators will host Florida Atlantic Owls at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium for what should be Week 2 of the college football season. The contract for the UF-FAU matchup includes a $1.2 million guarantee for the Owls; however, there is also an escape clause in case the SEC expands to nine-game intra-conference schedules.
"It is understood that if the Southeastern Conference requires the UAA (Florida) to play nine (9) or more Conference games in 2026, the parties will negotiate in good faith for a mutually agreeable alternative date for the foregoing game that cannot be played, and the UAA shall still pay Visiting Team $600,000 in 2026 and the remaining $600,000 the year that the game is rescheduled, as financial compensation for the game," the contract states.
Then, for the 2027 campaign, the Orange and Blue are set to host the South Alabama Jaguars on Sept. 4 and the Charleston Southern Buccaneers on Sept. 11. The contract wrinkle in this one is the former is signed up for a $1.2 million guarantee with an equal cancellation penalty for the 2027 season opener; if the SEC moves to a nine-game schedule, the Gators would owe the Jaguars $250,000.
The matchup with FAU in 2026 will mark the fifth meeting all-time between the two schools on the football field, with the Gators dominating the series with four wins. However, the Owls pressed the issue in Gainesville during the 2015 campaign, forcing overtime before eventually falling, 20-14.
As for the Jaguars, the Gators have never faced them on the collegiate gridiron, though they were scheduled to play in 2020, but the COVID pandemic necessitated the cancellation of that game. On the other hand, Florida has faced Charleston Southern twice, earning 53-6 and 62-3 victories at home in 2018 and 2009, respectively.
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