Two games into the 2026 campaign, it is safe to say that Jon Sumrall’s efforts to retain Jadan Baugh this offseason are paying off. Despite some sloppiness from other areas of the team, Baugh’s play has not been one of them. After another 100+ yard night, Baugh is currently 2nd in the country in total rushing yards, with 296 yards. Baugh is currently just behind Duke’s Nate Sheppard.
Sumrall pointed out that one reason for Baugh’s early success has been his ability to be more of a home-run threat than last year.
Jadan Baugh has another monster night in The Swamp
When looking at Florida’s running back coming into the season, we had highlighted that the guys contending to be RB2 had a bit more speed to them than Baugh. For as much of a bruiser as Baugh can be, he wasn’t as much of a home run threat as some others.
After racking up 136 yards, with a long of 75 yards, Sumrall knows Baugh is putting together something special:
“It's fun to see him hit that long one. Last year I think his longest was 23 yards. For him to have two in back-to-back weeks that were long ones, it's fun.
I thought he did a nice job. I thought we didn't maybe provide him as many rushing lanes as we should have up front tonight. I don't think we played awful with the first group on the O-line, but I don't think we're where we need to be yet either.
Jadan did some really good things.”
On the 75-yard touchdown, he was given a pretty sizable rushing lane and showcased just how dangerous he can be if and when you do give him space. The poor Campbell defender that Baugh juked might still have a chalk outline on the field after Baugh left him in the dust with a juke move that is tough to pull off that cleanly, even in CFB27.
Shot out of a cannon!! 75 yards!! pic.twitter.com/RNBRksiXJP
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) September 13, 2026
And it’s Baugh’s early emergence from solid RB1 to potential Heisman candidate that should strike fear into opposing defensive coordinators because they have to worry about Vernell Brown III and Dallas Wilson along the outside at the time.
Pick your poison.
Yes, the caveat is that Florida has played two terrible defenses, and things will get more difficult from here. But the fluidity of Baugh is repeatable no matter who Florida is facing, and we will get to see it on display against SEC competition starting next week.
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