Any way you slice it, South Florida is a must win game for the Gators
- Franz Beard
- Sep 3, 2025
- 7 min read
Must win game. Prior to Labor Day weekend, who, with a functioning brain in college football’s alternative universe, would have thought 13th-ranked Florida’s Saturday encounter (4:15 p.m., SEC Network) with the South Florida Bulls would be a must win game?
But, that’s exactly what it is for the Gators. With a 4-game gauntlet of at No. 3 LSU, at No. 5 Miami, home with No. 7 Texas and then at No. 19 Texas A&M lingering after the South Florida game, the Gators cannot afford even a nanosecond of distraction. They have to treat South Florida as if the Bulls are steamrolling their way to the College Football Playoff. Florida needs to emerge from this game 2-0, improved and ready to compete and win against the toughest 4-game stretch in the country.
Just a couple of weeks ago, this game was thought to be a stepping stone, sort of a tuneup to get the Gators ready for some real football. No one expected South Florida to put a first class hosing on then 25th-ranked Boise State. This was no upset at the RayJay in Tampa. This was a beatdown. South Florida looked very much like a team capable of winning the American Conference and challenging for the slot in the playoff reserved for the best team from the Group of Five. Boise State might very well go on to win the Mountain West Conference title, but losing to South Florida may have all but forced the Broncos to run the table the rest of the season.
In beating Boise, Byrum Brown announced that he’s healthy and ready to pick up where he left off in his injury-free 2023 season when he accounted for 37 touchdowns and more than 4,000 yards of passing and running. Brown is a 230-pound runaway freight train when he breaks contain and sprints out of the pocket. He’s not the second coming of Jaylen Daniels, but he does a rather nifty impersonation of Hendon Hooker or Jordan Travis or KC Jefferson, all three of whom gave the Gators fits with both arms and legs in the past.
The Gators have struggled with dual threats. This will be a monumental challenge.
The real challenge, however, might be South Florida’s defense. The Bulls forced three fumbles against Boise State, held Boise to 6-17 on third down conversions and 2-6 on fourth down. Led by linebacker Jhalyn Shuler (14 tackles in the season opener), the Bulls bent a lot but didn’t break. They only had one sack, but they got enough pressure on the Boise quarterback that he spent the day overshooting or undershooting receivers.
Florida is coming off a game in which the defense gave up only 86 yards and two first downs, but that was to Long Island University, a D1AA team that has no business being on the field with a team from the Southeastern Conference. The defense will have its hands full containing Brown, who had touchdown runs of 23 and 15 yards to go with 210 passing yards on 16-24 completions.
To stop South Florida, the Gators need to adapt the old Al McGuire defensive philosophy – cut the head off the snake. The head of the South Florida snake is Byrum Brown.
Once again, however, the South Florida defense should be a concern. DJ Lagway looked better as the first quarter bled into the second against LIU, but he still didn’t look the part of the QB who led the Gators to four end-of-the-season wins last year. Lagway is going to need an exceptional game in which he avoids turning the ball over and makes all the right reads against a South Florida defense that gave Boise State multiple looks, rarely the same one twice in a row.
Critical for Florida playing well offensively will be a much better game by the offensive line. Against Long Island, right tackle Bryce Lovett struggled mightily both in pass protection and run blocking. Replacement Caden Jones fared much better and probably should get the start against South Florida. Napier said Monday that the Gators were running four guards at LIU. They need to find two who can play and stick with them. Left tackle Austin Barber and center Jake Slaughter are rock solid. The Gators will need three to step up and play at a high level Saturday.
No question about it, this is a must win game, but equally important a game in which the Gators need to play very well while improving to 2-0.
GATORS MOVE UP TWO SPOTS TO 13 IN AP TOP 25
Associated Press Top 25: 1. Ohio State 1-0; 2. Penn State 1-0; 3. LSU 1-0; 4. Georgia 1-0; 5. Miami 1-0; 6. Oregon 1-0; 7. Texas 0-1; 8. Clemson 0-1; 9. Notre Dame 0-1; 10. South Carolina 1-0; 11. Illinois 1-0; 12. Arizona State 1-0; 13. FLORIDA 1-0; 14. Florida State 1-0; 15. Michigan 1-0; 16. Iowa State 2-0; 17. SMU 1-0; 18. Oklahoma 1-0; 19. Texas A&M 1-0; 20. Ole Miss 1-0; 21. Alabama 0-1; 22. Tennessee 1-0; 23. Texas Tech 1-0; 25. Utah 1-0
AFCA Coaches Top 25: 1. Ohio State 1-0; 2. Penn State 1-0; 3. Georgia 1-0; 4. LSU 1-0; 5. Oregon 1-0; 6. Texas 0-1; 7. Miami 1-0; 8. Clemson 0-1; 9. Notre Dame 0-1; 10. Arizona State 1-0; 11. South Carolina 1-0; 12. Illinois 1-0; 13. Michigan 1-0; 14. Ole Miss 1-0; 15. FLORIDA 1-0; 16. SMU 1-0; 17. Tennessee 1-0; 18. Iowa State 2-0; 19. Florida State 1-0; 20. Alabama 0-1; 21. Indiana 1-0; 22. Texas A&M 1-0; 23. Texas Tech 1-0; 24. Oklahoma 1-0; 25. BYU 1-0
SEC FOOTBALL
(Associated Press rankings)
No. 21 Alabama (0-1): The last time Alabama was ranked this low was game of Nick Saban’s second year on the job (2008). Bama started the seasons at No. 24 but moved up to No. 13 after it hammered Clemson in the season opener. Saturday: Louisiana-Monroe (1-0)
Arkansas (1-0): It is entirely possible that Saturday’s game with Arkansas State will be the last time the Razorbacks play at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. The stadium seats only 50,000 and has no modern amenities. Arkansas HBC Sam Pittman has lobbied hard to keep all home games in Fayetteville rather than play in Little Rock. Saturday: Arkansas State (1-0) in Little Rock
Auburn (1-0): Auburn ran the ball for 307 yards in the season opening win over Baylor, but the passing game produced only 108 yards. The Tigers have some of the best receivers in the country so emphasis on throwing the ball is likely Saturday against Ball State, which gave up 340 passing yards to Purdue last week. Saturday: Ball State (0-1)
No. 4 Georgia (1-0): Starting corner Daylen Everette, who missed the first game with an ankle injury, is practicing well and should be back in the lineup Saturday against Austin Peay. Saturday: Austin Peay (1-0)
Kentucky (1-0): Offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan says the Wildcats have to do a better job throwing the ball when they open SEC play Saturday against Ole Miss. Kentucky threw for only 85 yards against Toledo last week. “We’re out here 0-5 throwing down the field, something you have to address.” Hamdan said. Saturday: No. 20 Ole Miss (1-0)
No. 3 LSU (1-0): Sophomore wide receiver Destyn Hill fractured his hand in the win over Clemson. He had surgery and a plate put in his hand to stabilize it. LSU is going to see if he’s able to function catching passes while wearing a cast. Saturday: Louisiana Tech (1-0)
Mississippi State (1-0): Albert Reese, who started the win over Southern Miss at left tackle, moved to the right side when Blake Steen went down with an injury. Reese is expected to remain at right tackle with Jimothy Lewis taking over on the left side. Saturday: No. 12 Arizona State (1-0)
Missouri (1-0): Quarterback Sam Horn suffered a lower leg injury in the win over Central Arkansas that will keep him sidelined for multiple weeks. Walk-on quarterback Brett Brown, who threw a pass in the spring game, was added to the 105-man roster Monday as insurance at the quarterback position. Saturday: Kansas (2-0)
No. 18 Oklahoma (1-0): HBC Brent Venables says running back Jaydn Ott is almost 100 percent now and is expected to play a big role Saturday when the Sooners play host to No. 15 Michigan. Saturday: No. 15 Michigan (1-0)
No. 20 Ole Miss (1-0): Penn State transfer Harrison Wallace III caught five passes for 130 yards and a TD in the season opening win over Georgia State. Wallace has also taken over as the No. 1 punt returner. Against Georgia State Wallace returned four punts for 50 yards. Saturday: at Kentucky (1-0)
No. 10 South Carolina (1-0): The Gamecocks managed only 328 yards of offense in the win over Virginia Tech. Some of the blame falls squarely on the shoulders of the offensive line. Speaking about the O-line, HBC Shane Beamer said, “We have to be better. There’s no question about it.” Saturday: South Carolina State (1-0)
No. 22 Tennessee (1-0): With the injury to corner Ricky Gibson III, Tennessee’s starting corners will probably be Colorado transfer Colton Hood and freshman Ty Redmond. Saturday: East Tennessee State (1-0)
No. 7 Texas (0-1): One reason the Longhorns were able to hold Ohio State to 203 yards and just two touchdowns was punter Jack Bouwmeester, who had punts downed at the 2, 3, 8 and 20 yard line. Saturday: San Jose State (0-1)
No. 19 Texas A&M (1-0): North Carolina State transfer KC Concepcion caught three passes for 72 yards and a touchdown, plus returned two punts for 94 yards, one of which he took back 80 yards for a TD in the win over UT-San Antonio. Saturday: Utah State (1-0)
Vanderbilt (1-0): Senior linebacker Langston Patterson and senior defensive lineman Yilanan Ouattara are suing the NCAA to try to gain an extra year of eligibility behind the 2025 season. Saturday: at Virginia Tech (0-1)
Great intel Franz !
D.J. L . needs to make the proper reads, stay in the pocket & look down field and scan it, time permitting to make the right throws and not just go straight to the shot field passes, he could be much improved in game two But if he's not, let him ride some pine for A series and put in QB T.J. JR and give him A go, its the same thing the HBC would have done and it give D.J. L. A moment to come back out and be the QB that we all expect him to be !
The offense line, was not ready for Lighting Bug piss ants, that were harder to block…
I’m much concerned about our offensive line. It appeared Lovett, George and Harris weren’t prepared for a flea-weight opponent. Both Rod Kearney and Caden Jones played better. There’s so much at stake against this demanding schedule that Florida can’t afford misfires from the big fellas up front. That really is the disturbing understory of the 55-0 rout last weekend.
Little surprised at the angst some seem to be having regarding this matchup. If this Florida team is what we believe it is they should cover the spread and more, IMO.
I was not impressive with the team Boise put on the field in Tampa last week. Give the Bulls credit, they did what they should have done, but this Gator team should be a different animal.. The 90,000 Gator fans will also play a role here.
what is the reason they are using to try and gain another year?
We have not played well in the last 3 years against a mobile dual threat QB, so this game worries me. We have to use a spy and whomever that is not only needs to have speed but also needs to be able to tackle.