A FLORIDA GATORS WIN: A Thanksgiving Dinner Delight?

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Derek Lagway/UF Photo

Welcome to the First Church of Billy Napier, where he is about to preach on gluttony during Thanksgiving Week. And why it’s dangerous to assume that the Seminoles’ goose has been cooked along with your turkey.

In the nether world of Big Boy football, dominated by the thunder claps from Athens and Tuscaloosa and Austin,  or maybe even College Station, it’s easy to overlook the Slumdog billionaires. Or as we know them in gambling circles, the Home Dogs.

If you’re not careful, they will bite you three ways to Saturday,  because you’re not likely to see them coming from Gainesville or Auburn or even from another left field location TBD.

While you’re focusing on the Crimson Tide or the Longhorns or maybe even the Bulldogs, 

these snipers can take  you out. We saw that Saturday in Gainesville and at Auburn and in Norman. These sneaky assassins from the SEC can, and will, eat their own young or old just to spoil the party and, in the name of parity, knock off one of the pretty boys who were hoping to dodge the SEC title game anyway if they could find a backdoor by getting a pink slip and living to fight another day in the 12-team playoff.

Meanwhile, redemption — how sweet it is! — as we return to the glorious feeling of yesteryear in The Swamp and on the Plains. There is life again in Tom Pettyville and on Toomer’s Corner.

Gawd , I Iove Southern football.  

Nick Saban’s quote from the GOAT Diaries that fans “focus too much on outcomes” here in the land of football supremacy was never more true. Yes, maybe this time the patient died, but not only was the operation still a success — he came back to life again. 

I believe there is some sort of religion based on resurrection. 

As that great philosopher Yogi Berra — the Plate-O of baseball — once said: “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.” And even then sometimes it ain’t. So on behalf of frustrated fans and stupid media (including myself) I’d like to apologize to Billy Napier and Brent Venables and maybe even Hugh Freeze — well, maybe not him — for focusing too much on outcomes.

Silly me, I did not get the memo from DaVinci Code board members that you sometimes need a shot or two of pain from those debilitating defeats before you can return to the glories.

The Gators beat ranked teams in back-to-back weeks for the first time since 2008 (FSU-Alabama). And now they start to get noticed. Even though they are not likely to show up in the rankings (No AP Top 25), they are showing up in the recruiting FlippOrRooskis. Word reached Monday that prized Top 100 linebacker Ty Jackson of Seminole Ridge has eschewed Southern Cal in favor of Florida. Then we heard about Class of 2025 WR Muizz Tounkara flipping his commitment from Arizona to Florida, he told @on3recruits

The 6-4 ,195 -pound WR from League City, TX had been Committed to the Wildcats since July.

“Ready to swim with them Gators in the Swamp,” he wrote.

And then, after being committed to Cincinnati since June, 2025 prospect Jahari Medlock has now flipped his commitment to the Florida Gators. This comes after a strong return trip to Gainesville for the victory over No. 9-ranked Ole Miss.

The Swamp and Derek Lagway just keep calling 'em back home.

Welcome to the First Church of Billy  Napier, where he is about to preach on gluttony during Thanksgiving Week. And why it’s dangerous to assume that the Seminoles’ goose has been cooked along with your turkey. But do pass me the cranberries and sweet potato pie while I indulge myself on the last two Saturday menus — Bayou Tiger meat and Mississippi Mud Pie.

On Monday he told the Media: “Yeah, I mean, look, I've stood up here and said this many times. You have to have a very objective way to sum up the game, evaluate the game. What contributed to winning? What did we overcome because we were strong in these areas? We overcame these things.

“I think the LSU game is an indicator, time of possession and play count was out of whack because of the third down issues on defense. But because we did play well in the red zone and we were very explosive on offense, we overcame it.

“This past game was all about red zone scoring, turnover margin, right? Those were the two significant stats in the game. Learning how to win is having a comprehensive understanding of what contributes to winning football. I think the math problem may be a little different each week. It's always a combination of these factors that we talk about every day.

“Sometimes you may have some issues in one area, but you overcome it because you're really strong in another area. How all those contribute to playing winning football I think is key. Ultimately if a guy is in your program for a number of years, he starts to develop an understanding of why those things are so important.”

The Gators opened up as 15-point favorites over Florida State this week. Asked about Mike Norvell’s woes, Napier responded: "I've got my own grass to mow, and my yard is big, and it's got a lot of weeds in it...We're trying to get the Florida Gators better, that's my focus."

With a bowl game and possible winning season for gourmet delights still on the table, how’s this for post-season possibilities? (my list): 

I like the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl (ESPN) vs Clemson or Kansas. 

Others suggest the 

Birmingham Bowl: vs NCST (ESPN)

Liberty Bowl: vs TCU (ESPN)

Gasparilla Bowl: vs West Virginia (CBS).

Go ahead and order that Pumpkin Tiramisu or that Martha Stewart  Pumpkin-Cheesecake Pie With Gingersnap Crust.

It will taste better than anything you have eaten since 2020. I garrrontee you it will!

—

RIP Dom Reynolds 

Services were held at Harden/Pauli Funeral Home in Eustis for Dom Reynolds, stepfather of Franz Beard  on Monday, November 25. 

Interment will be at Antioch Cemetery, Gainesville on Tuesday at 11 AM.  Online Guestbook available at www.hardenpauli.com  Arrangements by Harden/Pauli Funeral Home, Eustis.

In memory of Dom Reynolds Underwood, please consider making a donation to one of the following charities:

• Wounded Warrior Project

• Stephen Siller Tunnel To Towers Foundation