Jon Sumrall is walking into Jordan-Hare Stadium Saturday night as Florida’s head coach, ready to kick off SEC play against Alex Golesh and Auburn. This isn’t just any conference opener; it’s a wild, unexpected clash between two coaches who both nearly landed at completely different SEC schools less than a year ago.
The SEC’s Wildest Coaching Carousel is Still Spinning
The SEC’s coaching carousel went absolutely bonkers last year, and it shaped this Saturday’s showdown. Just last year, Sumrall was practically Auburn’s guy, with officials at his New Orleans home discussing his future there. But then Lane Kiffin bolted from Ole Miss to LSU, a move that messed with five SEC schools. Florida, previously eyeing Kiffin, then swooped in on Sumrall. Auburn, left scrambling, hired Golesh instead. And get this: Golesh himself was trending toward a deal with Arkansas during the final week of the 2025 season. Can you believe it? Both these guys, now leading 2-0 teams into an SEC opener, are on sidelines they never expected last November. Sumrall’s not looking back: asked if he wonders about coaching in his home state, at his wife’s alma mater, he said “Never.” As for family rooting against him, he was even more direct: “If I do, they’re not family to me. Yeah, there’s ties, but Florida pays my mortgage, so any family that is pulling against us, they ain’t my family. I mean, I don’t care what their last name is.” That’s telling you everything you need to know about his focus.
That Blowout Rematch? Maybe Not “Friends” This Week
This Saturday isn’t their first rodeo. Sumrall and Golesh were American Conference head coach rivals, and their only previous meeting in 2024 was Sumrall’s Tulane absolutely blasting Golesh’s South Florida 45-10. Sumrall’s Tulane won the American Conference, finishing 11-3. Golesh’s USF was 9-3 and even hit No. 18 in the polls after a road win at Florida. Auburn’s staff? They were studying film from that 45-10 blowout just this past Sunday! Golesh admitted watching it was brutal: “If you wanted to have a really, really rough morning, you could’ve sat with me and watched that yesterday, again, for maybe the 200th time and again, wanted to throw up.” Ouch.
Several players from that USF team, including quarterback Byrum Brown, are now suiting up for Auburn, getting another shot against the Gators. Sumrall, though, isn’t calling it a revenge game: “I don’t know that game has anything to do with this game. … But there’s not like a revenge game.” He even said he respects Auburn and called Golesh a friend. Golesh’s comeback to that? “He said we were friends? Not this week, we’re not.” Yeah, that’s exactly the kind of fire we want for an SEC opener!
As these two 2-0 teams finally open their SEC conference play Saturday night, it’s way more than just a game. It’s a collision of unexpected paths, a history of bad blood on the field, and a rivalry simmering hotter than ever. You definitely don’t want to miss this one.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
Leave a Reply