Florida Gators defeat Auburn Tigers 44-39 in SEC opener

college football SEC opener Florida Gators Auburn Tigers Jadan Baugh

The Florida Gators defeated the Auburn Tigers 44-39 in their Southeastern Conference opener at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Florida running back Jadan Baugh led the Gators with 162 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Florida quarterback Aaron Philo contributed 202 passing yards and one score, helping the team improve to a 3-0 record.

Auburn, led by head coach Alex Golesh, struggled with an early deficit and a lack of rushing production, managing only 102 yards on the ground. Despite a late rally fueled by quarterback Byrum Brown, who threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Chaz Nimrod with 24 seconds remaining, the Tigers could not overcome the deficit. The loss marks Auburn's first defeat of the season.

Florida's first-year head coach Jon Sumrall secured a significant road victory, marking the first time the Gators have reached a 3-0 record since 2019.