Florida Gators Reveal New Starting QB Against Oklahoma

The Florida Gators are making a quarterback change ahead of their Saturday showdown with Oklahoma.

Sophomore Tramell Jones Jr. is expected to start, replacing incumbent Aaron Philo, according to CBS Sports insider Matt Zenitz.

The decision was first reported by Zenitz and has since been confirmed by multiple outlets, including Sports Illustrated and Yahoo Sports.

Florida head coach Jon Sumrall did not make a formal announcement at his Monday press conference.

Sumrall said there "wouldn't be some big quarterback one announcement" and that the team needs "both of them ready to go play."

Jones, a true sophomore, will make his second career start against the Sooners.

His first start came on October 17, when he led the Gators to a road upset over No. 1 Texas.

In that game, Jones completed 22 of 35 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns.

He replaced Philo again in last week's 27-8 loss to Georgia.

Philo started that game but threw two interceptions in three drives before being pulled.

Jones entered and completed 18 of 25 passes for 172 yards, one interception and a rushing touchdown.

He also turned the ball over twice, including an interception in the end zone during a late comeback attempt.

For the season, Jones has completed 70.8% of his passes for 579 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions.

He has also rushed for 77 yards and one touchdown.

Philo has lost his last three starts as the Gators' offense has struggled to find consistency.

Sumrall emphasized after the Georgia loss that the problems went beyond the quarterback position.

"I don't know if Tom Brady was our quarterback on Saturday if it would have helped us," Sumrall said.

"And I'm not trying to be a smart aleck. He would have been under too much duress and pressure to operate."

The Gators are ranked 24th in the College Football Playoff Poll with a 5-3 record.

They enter the final stretch of the regular season with a realistic path to salvaging their season.

Florida will likely be favored in three of its remaining four games: Oklahoma, Vanderbilt and Florida State.

The one exception is a road game at No. 6 Kentucky, which would give the Gators a third top-10 win if they pull it off.

"It's a huge difference going 5-7 versus 9-3," defensive lineman Brendan Bett said.

"So, the goal is we have a lot more ball to play."

Defensive lineman Emmanuel Oyebadejo praised Jones for his professionalism through the quarterback competition.

"To see how he's handled that whole situation has been great," Oyebadejo said.

"I always say he's like a true professional just handling that. Maybe he hasn't always gotten the way. We all want to play. We all want to be impactful, but he's handled that great."

Oyebadejo added: "When he has come in, I feel like he has done what he's supposed to, to the best of his ability."

One significant concern surrounding Jones is his physical health.

Sumrall mentioned after the Georgia loss that Jones is currently dealing with an injury that could require surgery in the offseason.

The head coach declined to offer specifics about the injury.

This means the Gators will be entrusting their playoff hopes to a quarterback who is playing through a condition that may need a surgical procedure once the season ends.

Florida's decision to start Jones does not come as a surprise to those following the program.

The sophomore has shown flashes of high-level play, particularly in the Texas upset.

But he has also demonstrated the inconsistency typical of young quarterbacks, including the two turnovers against Georgia.

Oklahoma enters the game with its own offensive struggles.

The Sooners recently parted ways with their offensive coordinator, adding another layer of uncertainty to the matchup.

This could create an opportunity for Florida's defense to control the game while Jones settles into his role as the starter.

The Gators cannot afford another loss if they hope to keep their playoff hopes alive.

A 5-4 record would likely eliminate them from contention, while a win over Oklahoma keeps them in the conversation with three winnable games remaining.

Benjamin Henderson of Hail Florida Hail noted the importance of Sumrall committing to a single quarterback.

"As we saw against Georgia, Jones wasn't the magic solution either," Henderson wrote.

"His endzone interception wasn't great, but at least it was in the context of a missed read compared to a viral gaffe."

"And we will still maintain Jones has the higher overall upside compared to Philo."