A significant reason why Florida football is off to its best start since 2019 is the superlative play of running back Jadan Baugh, who leads the SEC in rushing yards and is tied for the most touchdowns among FBS schools after four games.
After beginning the 2026 campaign as a dark-horse candidate for the Heisman Trophy, the junior from Atlanta has emerged as a legitimate contender for the coveted award. Baugh still has eight more regular-season games to play, but he is trending strongly in the right direction.
After another fantastic effort in the Gators' 52-28 victory over the Ole Miss Rebels last Saturday in the Swamp, ESPN's Pamela Maldonado took a look at Baugh's chances at winning the trophy in her Heisman market watch column, in which the star
rusher currently holds plus-1350 odds — up from plus-5500 last week — according to DraftKings.
"Baugh's move is justified after he has produced 600 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns so far this season, including 142 yards and three scores in Florida's statement win over Ole Miss. The price is another question. His early FBS opponents average 85th in rushing yards allowed, while his next five opponents (Missouri, South Carolina, Texas, Georgia and Oklahoma) all rank inside the top 38 in rush defensive grades," Maldonado notes.
"He needs to produce against substantially better fronts. Georgia and Texas will determine whether this is a real Heisman campaign or September inflation. Baugh is actually ahead of Derrick Henry's 2015 Heisman pace, but Henry ultimately won the award by dominating Alabama's toughest SEC opponents. Florida doesn't have the same schedule impact."
If Baugh can continue on his current trajectory, not only does he have a strong chance at bringing the Heisman Trophy back to Gainesville for the first time in two decades, it also means that Florida will find itself in the thick of the College Football Playoff race as well.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: ESPN's Heisman market watch assesses Jadan Baugh's award chances
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