Florida Football’s Spring Game Remains Among A Dying Breed
Florida football is giving fans their first glimpse of the future this weekend as the Orange & Blue spring game returns to Gainesville for its 2026 iteration.
After a season filled with change and challenge, this year’s spring game carries lots of weight as it will give first-year coach Jon Sumrall his premier opportunity to show off the team under new management.
Spring games, however, have become a debated topic around college football and now less of a priority. This year, only 11 out of the 68 Power Four teams are being televised, showing a shift in the offseason schedule and how squads prepare for the new season.
While these events give fans a view on their team’s direction, keeping them engaged during the offseason, it has increasingly been seen as more problematic for coaches throughout the years, producing more risk.
On one hand, it gives fans an opportunity to generate hope for the upcoming season. Specifically, spring games create opportunities for families who can’t usually afford to attend an in-season game, as most games are free or cheap, keeping traditions alive and making college football — even if only a stripped form — more accessible.
However, there are many complications that come with spring games, which is why they are slowly being eliminated.
A big part of why college spring games are looked down upon is due to the rise of the transfer portal. Thus, these types of scrimmages can double the exposure of players. That can cause problems because it gives other programs the chance to scout talent and sometimes end up leading to unexpected departures.
Another big risk, away from the coaching staff, is for the players. Sometimes, in scrimmages like the spring game, injuries happen, even with safety restrictions in place. Playing a game that, in the end, doesn’t count, can result in key players sustaining harm for no necessary reason.
But even with all these setbacks, Florida has still decided to embrace the tradition. Sumrall said this week that he’s in favor of playing a spring game.
“The mindset I want our team to have is like, we are always ready to go play, and we will never back down from playing. And we have to grow a little bit different edge here than what we’ve had,” Sumrall said. “So, we’re gonna go play.”
For the Gators, this is more than just a game but a preview of what might be in store this fall. From rising stars to new adjustments, all eyes will be on how this team takes shape under Sumrall.
Category: College Football, Football, Gators Football
