Gators get big rivalry game win over Seminoles, and one historic performance proves Florida’s number one priority this offseason
Jadan Baugh is the best returning running back in college football, and retaining him is paramount for the Florida Gators.
The Florida Gators finally got themselves a rivalry game win in 2025, along with the first for interim head coach Billy Gonzales, with a 40-21 win over the Florida State Seminoles. It was a huge game for the Gators, as they finished the season 4-8, but getting at least one rivalry game win is a huge one heading into a critical offseason.
Right now, the Gators don’t have a head coach, as they fired Billy Napier. Right now, it feels like Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall is the top candidate, and we may find out as soon as Sunday.
Saturday afternoon’s game showed quite a bit across the board, but the number one performance proved what the new head coach’s first priority needs to be: keep running back Jadan Baugh.
Jadan Baugh has a historic game against Florida State
We all knew that Baugh, a true sophomore, was a good running back coming into the season, and he proved it against Long Island in the season opener. However, we could only project how good he could become. It turns out all of the positive projections were spot on.
Baugh didn’t just have a really good game against the Seminoles; he was dominant.
- 37 carries
- 266 yards
- 2 touchdowns
That performance wasn’t just incredible, it was historic. It was the second-best single-game rushing performance, only behind the 316 yards Emmitt Smith had against New Mexico in 1989. It’s also the most ever by an underclassman in team history, besting Smith’s 224 against Alabama as a true freshman and the 190 Ciatrick Faison had against South Carolina in 2003 as a true sophomore.
It’s been a really tough season for the Gators, having won just four games, but Baugh was the one constant. He was putting in a ton of effort when the season was at its bleakest, and he thrived in every way for the Gators. No matter what happens with the Gators, they need to make Baugh their top priority.
Every school in the country is going to want him to join their program, and a hefty offer from a top program will be incredibly enticing for him or any young player. However, the new head coach will have a short time to make sure they don’t enter the transfer portal. Being able to keep him in Gainesville will do wonders for making sure the 2026 Gators team will be ready to make any semblance of a run right away.
Baugh is the best Gators running back in some time, and this performance is no surprise to anyone who has watched a lot of this team over the last 14 weeks.
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