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Gators add opponents to 2026, '27 football schedules

On3 imageby: Keith Niebuhr05/08/25On3Keith

The Florida Gators have added non-conference opponents to their 2026 and 2027 football schedules, per FBSchedules.com.

In 2026, UF will play host to Florida Atlantic on Sept 5 in the Gators’ season opener. FBSchedules.com reported Wednesday that Florida will pay the Owls a $1.2 million guarantee for the game. The Gators previously scheduled non-conference games that season vs. Campbell (Sept. 12, home) and Florida State (Nov. 28, away). Florida could potentially add a fourth non-conference game to the 2026 schedule; the SEC currently is debating whether to go to a nine-game conference schedule (up from eight), for the 2026 season and beyond.

For the 2027 season, the Gators have added South Alabama (Sept. 4, home) and FCS Charleston Southern (Sept. 11, home). When you include UF’s No. 27 home game vs. FSU, that gives the Gators three non-conference opponents for 2027 at this time.

As FBSchedules.com noted, “Florida was previously scheduled to host the South Alabama Jaguars during the 2020 season, but the game was not played due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Gators went on to play a 10-game schedule that season consisting of only SEC opponents.” The site added, “Florida will pay South Alabama a $1.2 million guarantee for playing the contest. The penalty for canceling the game is also $1.2 million, but if the SEC moves to a nine-game conference schedule and Florida cancels the game, the Gators would only owe the Jaguars $250,000, per the contract.”

Charleston Southern will earn $500,000 from UF, per FBSchedules.com.

Meanwhile, Florida already has four non-conference games on the schedule for 2028: Furman (home, Sept. 2), Colorado (home, Sept. 9), Arizona State (away, Sept. 16) and FSU (away, Nov. 25). Should the SEC add a ninth conference game, UF would have to drop one of those opponents completely or reschedule.

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