Florida did a phenomenal job of putting together an elite recruiting list for its season opener against Miami.
Dozens of the top prospects, especially regionally, were at the game, a number of them committed to other programs. A lot of elite 2026 prospects and some select 2027 and even 2028 players were there in person.
It didn’t go well.
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Miami thumped the Gators in The Swamp, 41-17, in front of more than 90,000 people. The most important people there – other than perhaps all the well-heeled donors – were all those recruits sitting in the first few rows by the tunnels.
Walking off the field, Miami players let those prospects know that Florida was not the place for them.
Come to Miami. Don’t come here. All kinds of things were shouted at the recruits who were cordoned off from the field by Florida’s bushes in the end zone but that didn’t stop the Hurricanes.
Miami defensive lineman Justin Scott, a former five-star, came over to fist bump five-star LSU athlete commit DJ Pickett. Scott is roommates with Miami defensive lineman Booker Pickett, the five-star’s cousin.
Canon Pickett, Booker’s brother, was at the game and heard the Miami players chirping while leaving the field as well.
“They were just telling us to come to Miami,” he said.
“Florida isn’t any lower on my list. They were just telling us to back up when I was trying to talk to Booker and Justin and wouldn’t let us talk.”
As the Miami players were leaving the field after whomping the Gators, a crew of Florida staffers formed a line to usher the Hurricanes into their tunnel.
Some players strayed toward the recruits where at least one staffer touched a Miami player to get him away from the recruits. One told the Miami players to “shut up.”
The Miami flag was planted on its sidelines after the game. Players were going around celebrating with the Miami fans who stayed. Coach Mario Cristobal did the Gator chomp and snapped it over his knee. Everybody at The U was having a ball.
“You better come to Miami,” Canes defensive back Mishael Powell said. “We run Florida. You better come to Miami.”
Another recruit who had an up-close-and-personal view of the post-game festivities was Chancellor Barclay, a 2026 four-star offensive guard from Orlando (Fla.) First Academy.
“It was crazy,” Barclay said. “A lot of them were saying come to The U and flexing on their win against Florida. Says a lot about how hard they’re coming to play this year.”
