Former Auburn coach Bruce Pearl says Florida is the SEC’s best team this season.
Pearl made that assertion on social media on Sunday night, hours after Florida smashed Alabama 100-77 thanks to a dominant performance on the interior. The Gators became the first SEC team to put up 72 paint points in a conference game in at least the last two decades.
Pearl noted that Florida isn’t as good as it was last year when the Gators won the national title, but he still believes they’re the class of the SEC in 2026.
Florida certainly still misses Walter Clayton Jr. and Alijah Martin, who are both now in the NBA. However, the Gators have become a dominant rebounding team and are currently No. 2 in the nation in both offensive and defensive rebounding rate.
That dominance on the glass has made Florida a national title contender once again in 2026. The Gators have perhaps the best front court in the country with Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu.
Florida’s defense is also elite and may even be improved over last season. UF currently ranks No. 1 in adjusted defensive efficiency during conference play, according to KenPom.
Of course, Pearl’s son, Steven Pearl, is currently the head coach at Auburn. The Tigers are also off to a good start in conference play and even won in Gainesville back on Jan. 24.
Texas A&M currently leads the SEC with a 7-1 record, but the Aggies have a tough week ahead with matchup against Alabama and Florida on the horizon.
Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.
