Florida's Sept. 26 matchup with Ole Miss is one of the top recruiting games of the 2026 season, according to 247Sports' national recruiting team.
"It feels like this is the game where coach Jon Sumrall's Florida era really begins," Zach Blostein wrote. "Yes, the Gators will travel to Jordan-Hare Stadium the week before and face Auburn. But Sept. 26 will be Sumrall's first true test inside the Swamp, and he and his staff are already making sure the stands are packed with elite recruits as they look to take advantage of what should be an electric environment in Gainesville, Florida."
Sumrall has a loaded visitor list set up for the game, headlined by five-star wide receiver Easton Royal, who is currently committed to Texas. The Gators got him on campus
for an official visit over the summer, but witnessing the Swamp on game day could be the ticket to getting back in the race.
Royal isn't the only recruit Sumrall and Co. are looking to impress. The top-ranked receiver in the class, Brysen Wright, elite edge rusher Antonio Thomas Jr., Top247 quarterback Anthony Turner and top-100 safety Giovanni Tuggle are only a few of the elite prospects set to visit Gainesville that day.
Several of Florida's top in-state targets will also be on hand, including four-star running back Xander Edwards, four-star tight end JC Wessel and four-star cornerback Izayah Vickers.
The Gators are also looking at the 2029 recruiting class, starting with defensive lineman J'Deion Jackson, the No. 2 overall prospect.
A close game would do Florida wonders, but the Gators need to beat the Rebels to really make some waves. However it goes, Gainesville will be one of the biggest recruiting stages in college football that weekend.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida-Ole Miss set for loaded recruiting weekend in Gainesville
