I tried to tell you about Florida.

That’s the line I’ve been sitting on since the offseason, and Saturday’s domination of Ole Miss gave me every reason to say it out loud. I was so confident Florida was going to win this game that I had a wager with you guys: if I was wrong, I’d put on a clown nose like I’m Josh Pate and tell you I blew it. But I guess we’ll never know, because the Gators went out and did exactly what I expected them to do.

Jadan Baugh is the best running back in the entire country

Jadan Baugh is a reincarnation of Nick Chubb. I don’t say that lightly. This is the best running back in the entire country, and again I tried to tell you guys in the offseason.

The way he runs through contact, the way he sets up blocks, the physicality he brings on every single carry. Throw in the fact that Buster Faulkner is such a good offensive coordinator and play caller that he’s an absolute nightmare for any defense to try to stop, and you’ve got a rushing attack that can bulldoze anybody in the SEC.

That combination of elite talent at running back and elite scheme from the coordinator’s chair is what made Saturday’s performance possible.

Jon Sumrall is not performative

And for all the people who were clowning on Jon Sumrall all offseason, especially during media days, because he was too intense, because it was all performative, you know what I saw on Saturday? I saw a head coach who has a couple screws loose, a head coach wired a little bit differently, a coach who is going to make sure that Florida football is what it should be: a powerhouse in this sport.

But because he didn’t have the wins attached to it, people thought it was all an act. Well, how do you like him now after dominating Ole Miss?

Ole Miss will be fine, but the warning signs were real for how the rest of the SEC should treat Florida

Now, Ole Miss will be fine. They didn’t have Kewan Lacy, and I tried to tell you guys that Trinidad Chambliss on his own two shoulders, though he’s a fantastic talent, can’t carry the load for the entire season. You need more than one guy to sustain an offense at this level. And I did think this Ole Miss defense was fraudulent heading into the game. Saturday gave us our answer on that front.

And you may say, Tegan, you’re overreacting to one game. Well, what are we talking about? Florida didn’t just win. Florida dominated. Against an Ole Miss team that people were treating like a legitimate playoff contender. That’s not a fluke. That’s a statement.

I’m ready to say it: Florida is an SEC title contender. I think the upcoming game against Georgia is going to be incredible, and that matchup will tell us everything about where the Gators’ ceiling truly sits. But the foundation is there. The running game is elite, the coaching staff is elite, and the intensity that people mocked is now winning football games. That’s all that matters.