Jadan Baugh's opening night performance is already leading to Heisman talk

Picking up right where he left off in 2025, Gator running back Jadan Baugh is already being talked about with the phrase “Heisman candidate” next to his name.

In his first game of his junior campaign, the Florida junior from Atlanta had 14 rushing carries for 160 yards and three touchdowns. He averaged 11.4 yards per carry, with his longest carry being for 61 yards. Through the first half of the game, he already had 93 yards and two touchdowns. Two of those came within 75 seconds of each other in the second quarter as Baugh was balling out.

He continued his great opening night in the third quarter, adding another 67 yards, a third touchdown, and became just the 14th Gator running back to reach an illustrious 2,000 rushing yards in his career (2,003).

Not only did Baugh rush for 160 yards, but he did so in dominant fashion, cutting around defenders, jumping into the end zone, and continuing to flash elite speed. He has all the characteristics of a Heisman Trophy winner and deserves to be in that conversation after helping lead the Gators to a 66-21 win over Florida Atlantic to open the Jon Sumrall era for the Gators.

Baugh spoke with the media after the game and said the mindset coming into Saturday night’s matchup was simple: “Put on a show” for the Gator faithful in the Swamp.

“We work so hard it, and they’re here every day, and they’re here everyday, and they’re trying to be here for us, and they support us, any ups, downs, it doesn’t matter, they support us, so we want to give them a show,” Baugh said is what they told fans at Gator Walk prior to the game.

Baugh said he wants the Gator offense to “keep being us” after a big opening night one. He said the take away of the night was just that.

“Come out, run the ball, everyone in the world knows we’re going to run the ball, and we’re going to run it. So we just want to continue to run the ball, get our guys open, and get the play makers the ball.”

It was an explosive night for Baugh and the entire Florida offense as they exploded for a total 66 points in the opening night win in front of a rocking sold out swamp.

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