Even though the "annual opponents" were leaked ahead of Tuesday night's TV special to reveal Florida's SEC schedule from 2026 through 2029, there were still things to keep an eye on for the Gators. The new setup ensures that Florida will play everyone in the SEC over a two-year cycle, and will then flip home sites over the next two-year cycle.
With that in mind, these are our instant takeaways from the schedule.
Annual opponents are a blessing in disguise
As was leaked ahead of time, which also just mimics what Florida has in basketball, the Gators will face Georgia, South Carolina, and Kentucky each of the next four years.
That also means that in 2026, the Gators won't play Tennessee.
Losing the Tennessee rivalry cuts at the heart of what makes college football great, but getting South Carolina and Kentucky at least softens the crazy gauntlet compared to what they have faced the past two seasons.
Finally get to go back to Auburn
It's been since 2011 that Florida has made a trip to Auburn and since 2019 that Auburn has come to The Swamp.
This was one of the teams fans were hoping would be an annual opponent, but at least under the new SEC format, the Gators get to renew this once-long-time rivalry that basically got axed in 2002.
Florida will travel to Auburn in 2026 and will host Auburn in 2028.
2026 home schedule is meh, but...
At home next year, Florida will get South Carolina, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, and Oklahoma.
Combined with FSU being on the road next year, this is not the most exciting slate of opponents coming to The Swamp.
BUT
Combined with the 2026 road games being Kentucky, Auburn, Missouri, and Texas as well as the annual game against Georgia, the 2026 schedule as a whole feels very manageable for a potential new coach to come in and try to get some wins to start his tenure.
2027 however...
The flipside to 2026 being a bit soft is that 2027 will be loaded.
Florida will host Kentucky, Arkansas, LSU, and Texas A&M.
They will travel to South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi State, and Tennessee, along with the Georgia game being in Tampa.