Florida’s Jon Sumrall questions G5 CFP scenario despite Tulane roots

The Florida Gators are heading into a new era with Jon Sumrall as the head coach. Sumrall led the Tulane Green Wave to the College Football Playoffs in 2025 via the Group of 5 automatic bid. But now that he’s in the SEC, Sumrall questions whether G5 teams need to be in the CFP.

“Access is nice to have when you’re at that level. I do think I’ve been on both sides of this now. Are there two deserving G5/G6 teams in a 12-team Playoff? I would question that,” Sumrall told Daniel Hager of On3.

In last season’s College Football Playoff, Tulane and James Madison both qualified out of Group of 5 conferences. The tournament automatically includes the top five conference winners in Division I, no matter which conference they are from. With a poor Duke team winning the ACC, that meant two G5 winners made the dance. Tulane was the 11-seed, losing to 6-seed Ole Miss 41-10. James Madison was ranked 12th, losing to Oregon 51-34.

Notre Dame and Virginia were the teams that were most impacted by this rule last year. But Sumrall knows that in his new gig, the Florida Gators could be the next team victimized by the G5 rule. It makes sense that his stance on the rule changed with his new job, even if he only got that job because of his CFP berth.

Florida has never made the College Football Playoff, finishing seventh in a four-man playoff to end the 2020 season. Sumrall was hired after a disastrous Billy Napier tenure with the CFP on his mind. But the Group of 5 rule may take away from his chances with the Gators in 2026.

According to ESPN, Florida has landed one five-star recruit this year, offensive tackle Maxwell Hiller. Can Sumrall turn this roster around and make the CFP this year?

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