The final weekend of the regular season delivered high stakes and dramatic storylines across the Sunshine State, from a rivalry upset that ended a season to a coaching hire that begins a new era.
Florida Stuns Florida State, Then Names Jon Sumrall Head Coach
The Florida Gators provided their fans with a double dose of good news over the weekend, first by decisively handling in-state rival Florida State and then by securing their new leader.
On the field, the Gators (6-6) delivered a commanding 40-21 victory over the Seminoles, ensuring their own bowl eligibility while simultaneously ending their rival’s season. The win was a decisive response to a challenging season and provided a surge of momentum heading into the postseason.
The action continued off the field Sunday, when the program announced the hiring of Jon Sumrall as the new head coach. After missing out on other high-profile candidates, the Gators moved swiftly to bring in Sumrall, who led Tulane to consecutive American Athletic Conference championship games. The hire signals a new direction for a program looking to reclaim its status among the SEC’s elite.
Miami Finishes Strong, Awaits CFP Fate
The No. 13 Miami Hurricanes left no doubt in their regular-season finale, manhandling Pitt 38-7 to finish with an impressive 10-2 record.
Despite the dominant victory, the Hurricanes’ season now rests in the hands of the College Football Playoff committee. Miami finds itself in a peculiar debate with Notre Dame (10-2), a team they defeated head-to-head earlier in the season. With neither team playing in a conference championship game, the committee’s final ranking will be closely watched to see if that early-season result carries enough weight to place the Hurricanes above the Fighting Irish.
BYU Pulls Away from UCF to End Knights’ Season
In Orlando, the UCF Knights started strong but couldn’t sustain the momentum against a powerful BYU squad. The No. 11 BYU Cougars overcame an early deficit to defeat the Knights 41-21, closing out UCF’s season.
The loss concludes a year of transition for UCF, which will look to regroup and build for the future.