Hoops: Gators face Arizona State; Football: Armstrong off to Houston

Todd Golden anticipates the Gators' toughest game of the year today (Gator Bait Photo by Chris Spears)

The Gators (9-0) get back into action after a 10-day break today, a chance for Todd Golden to find out if his team has kept an even keel with the combination of time off and breaking into the top ten (9th) for the first time. It’s no cupcake for the Gators today (3:30 p.m., SEC Network) in Atlanta. On paper, at least, Arizona State (8-1) is the toughest team the Gators have played this year.

“It's going to be a good challenge for us,” Golden said Thursday. “I think the best team we've played to this point. We've got to play well to beat them.”

The Gators are off to their best start since the 2006 national championship team started 17-0. The Gators have won every game by at least 13 points, their average margin of victory 21.6 per game, which ranks ninth nationally. The Gators average 86.6 points per game, which was more or less expected, but there has been tremendous improvement on the defensive end. The Gators give up just 65 points per game and 30.2 percent from the 3-point line. The Gators have done a good job chasing teams off the 3-point line and making them shoot a tough two instead.

To come away with a win today, the Gators have to match the physical play of Arizona State’s front court duo of 6-9 Basheer Jihad and 7-0 Jayden Quaintance. The two combine for 21.1 points and 13.8 rebounds per game.

“It's going to be a good challenge for our frontcourt,” Napier said. “Obviously, we think we have great depth and we’ve got to be really physical with them. I think that's an area where we’ve got to set the tone and kind of control the paint. If we can do that, it'll help give us a better chance."

Anticipated starting lineupsFLORIDA (9-0): Alex Condon (6-11, 230, SO); Rueben Chinyelu (6-10, 255, SO); Will Richard (6-4, 206, SR); Alijah Martin (6-2, 195, GR); Walter Clayton Jr. (6-2, 195, SR)

Arizona State (8-1): Basheer Jihad (6-9, 239, SR); Jayden Quaintance (7-0, 250, FR); B.J. Freeman (6-6, 200, SR); Adam Miller (6-3, 190, SR); Alston Mason (6-2, 175, SR)

SEC BASKETBALLToday’s gamesNo. 9 FLORIDA (9-0) vs. Arizona State (8-1), in AtlantaNo. 1 Tennessee (9-0) at Illinois (7-2)No. 2 Auburn (8-1) vs. Ohio State (6-3), in AtlantaLouisville (6-4) at No. 5 Kentucky (8-1)Creighton (7-3) at No. 7 Alabama (7-2)No. 13 Oklahoma (9-0) vs. Oklahoma State (6-2), in Oklahoma CityNo. 17 Texas A&M (8-2) vs. No. 11 Purdue (8-2), in IndianapolisNo. 19 Ole Miss (8-1) vs. Southern Miss (4-5), in BiloxiNo. 25 Mississippi State (8-1) vs. McNeese State (5-4), in TupeloGeorgia (8-1) vs. Grand Canyon (6-2), in AtlantaLSU (8-1) vs. SMU (8-2), in Frisco, TXLong Island (4-8) at Missouri (8-1)Arkansas (8-2) vs. Central Arkansas (2-7) in Little RockArkansas-Pine Bluff (2-9) at Texas (8-2) South Carolina Upstate (4-8) at South Carolina (6-3)

Wednesday’s gameAustin Peay (4-5) at Vanderbilt (9-1) 

ARMSTRONG TO HOUSTON AS DC; GEORGE IN PORTAL

The first move in what is expected to be a shakeup of the football coaching staff took place Friday when defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong accepted the defensive coordinator job at Houston. Armstrong came to Florida in 2023 following the departure of Patrick Toney, who left for the NFL Arizona Cardinals. The defense had moderate improvement under Armstrong but still finished 11th in what was then a 14-team Southeastern Conference. After four games in 2024 when the defense did a u-turn, Billy Napier shook up the assignments. Armstrong went to the field and associate head coach Ron Roberts went to the booth. The Gators showed serious improvement, particularly in the last three games (all wins) in which the Gators held LSU, Ole Miss and Florida State to 993 total yards and 44 points while registering 18 sacks and nine takeaways.

Good sources are telling Gator Bait that there will be at least one other defensive staff change. On the offensive side of the ball, at least one change is expected.

That wasn’t the only news. There was one pickup from the transfer portal and one departure. The pickup is Michigan punter Tommy Doman, who averaged 42.61 yards per punt in 2024, 44.26 in 2023. Doman is a hedge since Napier signed punter Hayden Craig from Brigton Academy in Maine. Craig won’t be in Gainesville until June.

The latest Gator to enter the transfer portal is right guard Damieon George Jr., a starter at right tackle in 2023, right guard in 2024. In the final month of the season George saw fewer snaps per game as the Gators turned to Bryce Lovett, who made the SEC All-Freshman team.  

SEC FOOTBALL: PORTAL DEPARTURES/ARRIVALS

Alabama: LB Keanu Koht (RJR) to Vanderbilt; CB Jahlil Hurley (FR); WR Kobe Prentice (JR); DL Jehiem Oatis (JR); WR Kendrick Law (JR); OT Miles McVay (FR); WR Caleb Odom (FR); OT Naquil Betrand RFR); DL Hunter Osborne (FR); TE Danny Lewis Jr. (SO); QB Dylan Lonergan (RFR); LB Braylon Chatman (SO); RB Justice Haynes (SO)

Arkansas: WR Jaedon Wilson (RJR) to UCLA; QB Malachi Singleton (FR); TE Tyrus Washington (SO); TE Var’keyes Gumms (JR); OG Patrick Kutas (JR) to Ole Miss; TE Luke Hasz (SO); S Nico Davillier (JR); WR Kamron Bibby (SO); LB Kaden Henley (SO); LB Alex Sanford (SO); WR Davion Dozier (RFR); S Dallas Young (FR); P Sam Dubwig (FR); RB Emmanuel Crawford (FR); LS Eli Stein; S Tevis Metcalf (SO); CB TJ Metcalf (FR); LB Carson Dean (FR); RB Isaiah Sategna (RSO); OG Joshua Braun (RSR); DL Ty’kieast Crawford (SR); EDGE Brad Spence (SO); OG Addison Nichols (RSO); OT Jac’Qawn McCray (FR) from Oregon; CB Jaylon Braxton (SO) to Ole Miss

Auburn: DL Gage Keys (RJR); TE Grant Hidalgo (RJR); QB Holden Geriner (RSO); OG EJ Harris (SO); P Gabe Russo (FR); WR Camden Brown (JR); TE Micah Riley (SO) to Texas A&M; EDGE T.J. Lindsey (FR); S Caleb Wooden (JR); QB Hank Brown (RFR) to Iowa; CB Antonio Kite (SO); WR Horatio Fields (RJR) from Wake Forest; QB Maalik Murphy (RSO) from Texas; LB Phoenix Jackson (RJR) from Fresno State; LB Laquan Robinson (JR)

FLORIDA: DE Justus Boone (RJR); OL Mike Williams (RFR); EDGE Quincy Ivory (RJR); EDGE Bryce Capers (SO); WR Andy Jean (RFR); CB Ja’Keem Jackson (SO); DL Kelby Collins (SO); OG Christian Williams (RSO); TE Arlis Boardingham (RSO); LB Deuce Spurlock (RSO); QB Parker Leise; EDGE Jack Pyburn (RSO); TE Gavin Hill (RFR); P Tommy Doman (SR) from Michigan

Georgia: CB Julian Humphrey (SO); WR Nitro Tuggle (FR); David Daniel-Sisavanh; WR Michael Jackson III (SR); DL Jamaal Jarrett (SO); EDGE Samuel M’Pemba (SO); LB Troy Bowles (SO); CB Justyn Rhett (RFR)

Kentucky: DL Keeshawn Silver (RJR); LS Walker Himebauch (SO); CB Avery Stuart (FR); WR Dane Key (JR); LB Jayvant Brown (SO); EDGE Tommy Ziesmer (FR); TE Khamari Anderson (SO); TE Tanner Lemaster (FR); OT Courtland Ford (SR); WR Barion Brown (JR); WR Anthony Brown-Stephens (SO); OT Ben Cristman (RJR); EDGE Noah Matthews (SO); EDGE Tyreese Fearby (RSO); QB Gavin Wimsatt (RJR); S Jarard Mosely (JR); RB Chip Trayanum (RSR); EDGE Caleb Redd (FR); WR Brandon White (RSO)

LSU: WR London Ibieta (SO); QB Rickie Collins (RFR); WR CJ Daniels (RJR); S Kylin Jackson (FR); WR Shelton Sampson JR (FR); LB Xavier Atkins (FR); CB JK Johnson (JR); PK Nathan Dibert (JR); S Jordan Allen (RSO); CB Jalailin Johnson (RJR); TE Ka’Morreun Pimpton (SO); CB Bernard Causey (FR); DL Jay’viar Suggs (RSR); S Sage Ryan (; DE Da’Shawn Womack (SO) to Ole Miss; TE Bauer Sharp (JR) from Oklahoma

Mississippi State: QB Chris Parson (RFR); WR Creed Whittemore (SO); WR JJ Harrell (FR); CB Jayven Williams (SO) from Kennesaw State; EDGE Ty Cooper (JR); LB John Lewis (RJR); OT Makylan Pounders (JR); LB Tabias Hinton (FR); WR Antonio Harmon (JR); LB Marcus Ross (JR); WR Mario Craver (FR); CB Raydarious Jones (SR); CB Khamauri Rogers (SO); CB Brice Pollock (SO) to Texas Tech; DL Gabe Moore (FR); LB Jarvae Gilmore (RSO); DL Eric Taylor (SR); Christopher Keys (RSR); QB Michael Van Buren Jr.; EDGE Redd Hibbler (SR) from North Carolina State; S Jahron Manning (JR) from Old Dominion; CB Kevin Coleman (JR) to Missouri; EDGE Nevaeh Sanders (RJR) from Northern Illinois; WR Brenen Thompson (JR) from Oklahoma; WR Jaron Glover (RSO) from Michigan State

Missouri: LB Brayshawn Littlejon (FR); P Will Safris (FR); WR Mekhi Miller (JR); PK Brody Boehm (FR); P Orion Phillips (SO); S Phillip Roche (SO); IOL Jack McGarry (RSO); EDGE Jaylen Brown (FR)CB Kevin Coleman (JR) from Mississippi State; EDGE Williams Nwaneri (FR) to Nebraska; QB Aidan Glover (

Oklahoma: WR Jaquaize Pettaway (SO); QB Jackson Arnold (SO); RB Kalib Hicks (FR); WR Nic Anderson (SO); RB Emeka Megwa (JR); TE Bauer Sharp (JR) to LSU; CB Makari Vickers (SO); RB Chapman McKown (FR); CB Kani Walker (RJR); OG Geirean Hatchett (SR) to Washington; CB Jayden Rowe (SO) to Kansas State; OT Kenny Wermy (RFR); IOL Joshua Bates  (RFR); WR JJ Hester (RSR); WR Jalil Farooq (SR); S Makari Vickers (SO); WR Andrel Anthony (SR); TE Josh Fanuiel (RSO); LB Phil Picciotti (RFR); QB Brendan Zurbrugg (FR); WR Brenen Thompson (JR) to Mississippi State; S Dasan McCullough (JR)

Ole Miss: S Key Lawrence (RSR); QB Walker Howard (RSO) to Louisiana; OT Cam East (RSO); OT Mana Taimani (RSR); OT Jack Mills (SR); LB Rodney Groce Jr. (SR); OT PJ Wilkins (RFR) from Charlotte; EDGE Da’Shawn Womack (SO) from LSU; OG Patrick Kutas (JR) from Arkansas; CB Jaylon Braxton (SO) from Arkansas  

South Carolina: LB Bangally Kamara (RSR) to Kansas; LB Mohamed Kaba (RSR); WR Tyshawn Russell (SO); TE Connor Cox (SO); TE Nick Elksnis (RJR); WR CJ Adams (RFR); QB Robby Ashford (RJR); DL Jamaal Whyce (RSO); DL Elijah Davis (SR)

Tennessee: OG Vysen Lang (FR); RB Khalifa Keith (SO); WR Kaleb Webb (SO) to Wake Forest; CB Jordan Matthews (RFR); LB Jalen Smith (RFR); WR Chas Nimrod (SO); QB Ryan Damron (FR); WR Nathan Leacock (FR); TE Luke Shouse (RSR)

Texas: WR Johntay Cook II (SO); DL Jaray Bledsoe (RSO); DL Aaron Bryant (SO); LB Derion Gullette (FR); EDGE Tausill Akana (FR); DL Tiaoalii Savea (SR); CB Jay’vion Cole (JR); P Jack Bouwmeester (RJR) from Utah; Edge Justice Finkley (

Texas A&M: DL Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy (SO); QB Conner Weigman (RSO) to Houston; WR Cyrus Allen (JR); TE Jaden Platt (FR); QB Jaylen Henderson (JR); OT Aki Ogunbiyi (JR);OT Hunter Erb (SO); CB Kevin Longstreet Jr. (FR); EDGE Malick Sylia (JR); LB Martrell Harris Jr. (JR); WR Micah Tease (SO); OG TJ Shanahan (FR); P Keegan Andrews (JR); LB Chantz Johnson (SO); OG Cam Dewberry (JR); EDGE Josh Celiscar (RSR); QB Jacob Zeno (RSR) from UAB; WR Jake Bostick (RSO); CB Donovan Saunders (; EDGE Enai White (JR); WR Jacob Bostick (RSO); DL Samu Taumanupepe (RFR) to Baylor

Vanderbilt: LB Jeffrey Ugochukwu (JR); QB Nate Johnson (JR); EDGE BJ Diakate (JR); LB Steve Sannieniola (JR); DL Devin Lee (SR); OT Gunnar Hansen (SR); CB Alan Wright (SR); EDGE Darren Agu (JR); TE Tyler Fortenberry; PK Will Faris (SR); WR Ezra McAllister; CB Alvin Williamson Jr. (FR); EDGE Evan Hermann (SO); EDGE Callahan Blair (FR); LB Keanu Koht (RJR) from Alabama