GAINESVILLE — Florida quarterback Aaron Philo displayed machine-like efficiency, while offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner delivered the fireworks long missing at the Swamp.
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Star tailback Jadan Baugh picked up where he left off after a record-setting night against Florida State.
Head coach Jon Sumrall’s long-awaited debut during Saturday night’s 66-21 rout of Florida Atlantic signaled better days are ahead on the side of the football where the Gators once made their name.
The performance showcased an attack able to find the end zone, generate explosive plays and entertain a crowd that has waited far too long for all three.
Florida was six-of-six in the red zone and had 20 plays of at least 10 yards, beginning a 49-yard touchdown by sophomore receiver Vernell Brown III to open the scoring.
Baugh had runs of 61, 25 and 18 as he finished with 160 yards and three touchdowns on just 14 carries before leaving the game early in the third quarter with Florida leading 45-14.
Philo also completed passes of 63 yards to TJ Abrams and 33 yards to Brown, a former Orlando Jones standout who finished with a career-high 117 yards on six catches.
A reported crowd of 90,295, the fifth-largest for a home opener, celebrated as the Gators compiled 624 yards and scored the most points under a head coach during his first home game — and the most by Florida since 2020.
The Gators (1-0) rode their offense to a convincing win on a night the defense left something to be desired early on against the up-tempo, pass-happy Owls (0-1).
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Meanwhile, Philo calmly operated Faulkner’s system as he dialed up plays for his former backup at Georgia Tech.
Philo completed his first seven throws, including two touchdowns, as Florida built a 17-0 lead in the first quarter. FAU quarterback Caden Veltkamp briefly rallied the Owls, who cut the lead to 24-14 on his 7-yard run with 6:50 remaining in the second quarter.
At that point, FAU had run 42 plays, leaving Florida defenders gassed. But the offense picked up the slack to give the Gators’ D a rest.
A seven-play, 75-yard scoring drive featured a fourth-and-one conversion on a Philo keeper on UF’s 49 and ended with a brilliant 12-yard run by Baugh, who juked two FAU defenders on his way to the end zone.
Florida’s defense then forced a turnover by the gun-slinging Veltkamp, who forced a a throw into the flats that safety DJ Coleman tipped into the hands of cornerback Dijon Johnson at the Owls’ 29. After runs of 15 and seven yards by sophomore Duke Clark, Baugh scored from seven yards out following a direct snap in the Wildcat formation for a 38-14 halftime lead.
Florida wasted little time extending the lead behind Baugh.
He followed his 61-yard run on third-and-two with a six-yarder up the middle for his third touchdown — and fifth in two games. The 6-foot, 222-pound junior found the the endzone twice and rushing for 266 yards against FSU, the most in the longstanding series.
With Florida leading 52-14, Philo headed to the sideline himself. He completed 16 of 21 passes for 275 yards, with three touchdowns, an interception and a passer rating of 223.8, leaving little doubt in Sumrall’s choice to name him as starter over sophomore Tramell Jones Jr.
Jones entered the game and got in on the act. He finished 4 of 5 for 68 yards, including a six-yard touchdown to Micah Jones with 25 seconds to go on a record-setting night.
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Edgar Thompson can be reached at [email protected]