Updated
Updated · Fox News · Sep 24
No. 5 Ole Miss, No. 21 Florida Trade Respect Before 3.5-Point SEC Showdown
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Sep 24

No. 5 Ole Miss, No. 21 Florida Trade Respect Before 3.5-Point SEC Showdown

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 24

Summary

  • A rare SEC "respect off" has taken hold before Saturday’s game in Gainesville, with No. 5 Ole Miss and No. 21 Florida drawing unusually friendly chatter from coaches and fans.
  • Jon Sumrall helped set the tone Monday when told Florida was a 3.5-point favorite, joking, "There’s a lot of good drugs out there" rather than embracing the edge.
  • That mood has spilled onto social media under the #RespectOff tag, a sharp break from last week’s more hostile buildup around Ole Miss-LSU and Florida-Auburn.
  • The calm may not last: the loser could take an early hit to SEC Championship and College Football Playoff hopes, testing whether the truce survives Sunday.

Insights

Will the unusual mutual respect between Florida and Ole Miss survive once their high-stakes playoff battle begins?
How much of this polite SEC buildup is a psychological tactic by new coaches facing massive 2026 playoff pressure?