With DJ Lagway (2) at QB, the Gators have a shot at knocking off LSU (Gator Bait Photo by Chris Spears) “Make a game plan and stick with it. Unless it’s not working.” -- Yogi Berra   Monday, DJ Lagway practiced. That’s good news for the Gators, who had Georgia on the ropes a couple of weeks ago before he went down with a soft tissue injury to his hamstring. Lagway suited up for the Texas game last week but a game time decision kept Florida’s stud freshman quarterback on the sideline. Walk-on QB Aidan Warner got the start against Texas and he was about as effective as he was in relief of Lagway after the injury in the Georgia game.   A healthy Lagway gives the Gators a chance to beat LSU, especially if some of the other walking wounded are able to play. The LSU defense has all sorts of trouble with the run, particularly when the opposing quarterback poses a credible threat throwing the ball. With Lagway, the LSU safeties won’t be able to play in the box. With Warner, Florida doesn’t have much of a passing game and that affects the efficiency of the running game.   The game plan needs to be Lagway at quarterback, Chimere Dike and Elijhah Badger at the wide receivers, Jackson and Baugh at the running backs with perhaps Montrell Johnson Jr. if he’s able to go, and a whole bunch of defenders returning healthy.   Success, begins with Lagway.   “Well, good thing is we worked him out this morning and felt good about what we saw,” Florida coach Billy Napier said Monday. “You know, so now, does that mean he's 100 percent? I don't necessarily -- soft tissue is a very subjective issue. I think it's day-to-day.”   LSU is listed as a 4.5-point favorite. Will the money in Las Vegas move more to Florida if indeed Lagway is able to play? Will it increase if the Lagway game plan doesn’t work and plan B (Warner) is implemented?   “It’s like Déjà vu all over again.” -- Yogi Berra   After four weeks of serious progress on the defensive side of the football, the Gators reverted back to the defense of the losses to Miami and Texas A&M. Although the Gators gave up 455 yards and 34 points to Georgia, that wasn’t a case of bad defense. That loss had more to do with the defense wearing down because the offense couldn’t get anything going in the second half. From the outset against Texas, the defense was in deepest and darkest. It’s true there wasn’t a lot of help from the offense until the second half when Ja’Kobi Jackson and Jadan Baugh ran the ball so effectively, but the defense was just plain bad. “I think when we've had point of attack wins we've had good gap integrity, communicated well, played with the right leverage in the secondary, tackled well, in the core, on the perimeter,” Napier said. “I think that's when we have had success playing defense. When we haven't done that is when we've had issues.” The LSU game is winnable. Garrett Nussmeier is prone to throwing interceptions (11 in nine games) and he doesn’t react well to pressure. Can the Gators cover? Can they get pressure? If they can they can win. If they can’t it will be Miami, Texas A&M and Texas all over again.   “Ninety percent of mental errors are in your head.” -- Yogi Berra   In explaining the debacle that was Florida’s 49-17 loss to Texas, Napier spoke Monday about all the mistakes made on the back end of a defense that made Quinn Ewers look like he was channeling his inner Roger Staubach. “ Yeah, no, I think, yeah, all of those were a little bit of some communication errors, some missed assignments, and I think just in general, on the perimeter we didn't tackle well. We missed tackles at inside backer, missed tackles in the secondary. I thought we played with the wrong leverage on a few occasions.”   The problem with the rash of communication errors and missed assignments is the next two games -- LSU this week and Ole Miss the week after. LSU has a sophisticated passing game with Garrett Nussmeier throwing to receivers who are every bit as good as the ones that torched the Gators against Texas. Ole Miss has a better QB in Jaxson Dart and when they’re healthy, the best receivers in the country. This is no time for mental errors, 90 percent of which are in the head. “If you don’t know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else.” -- Yogi Berra   Scott Stricklin believes Billy Napier knows where he’s going, which is why he made it known a week ago that Billy will be back as Florida’s head coach in 2025. It’s either that, or after serious talks with the people who write the big checks, Stricklin believes he either (a) doesn’t have the money it would take to fire Napier and bring in someone new, or (b) thinks the $100 million it would take to clean house with the football program would be better spent keeping DJ Lagway happy by bringing in a few more players capable of playing at a highly competitive SEC level.   That’s right. $100 million. Start with the nearly $45 million it would take to fire Napier, assistants and the slew of analysts who inhabit The Heav and then add what it would take to hire the kind of coach who will appeal to the Gator Nation. Another coach from the Sun Belt (Napier), Mountain West (McElwain) or no head coaching experience (Zook, Muschamp) will not do. By the time the new coach and assistants are hired, plus the new guy hires his own version of the “army” to replace Napier’s “army,” it will cost somewhere around $56 million.   “Listen up because I’ve got nothing to say and I’m only going to say it once.” -- Yogi Berra   There are times when Billy Napier explains things and it makes perfect sense. Then there are far too many when it’s obvious that he worked for Jim McElwain. With McElwain there was no such thing as a straight answer. Napier has days like that when a lot of words are spoken and then you look back and ask yourself, “What the hell did he say?”   It’s a good thing that Napier relates very well to the kids within the program. They love him. One-on-one it’s said he can be extremely engaging. We need to see more of the engaging Billy Napier. If he were to open up, show the human side and maybe get pissed off every now and then, a lot more Florida fans would get behind him.”   COUNTDOWN TO FIRING DAY EXTINCT SPECIES LIST Joe Houston, East Carolina: Obviously, firing Houston has rejuvenated the ECU program. The Pirates are 2-0 and have scored 105 points since Houston was canned. Interim Blake Harrell might make it difficult for ECU to look further for a permanent coach. The Pirates should get a win this week against  Tulsa.   Mike Bloomgren, Rice: When the average freshman has a 1550 SAT score and your decrepit 70,000-seat stadium covers up more than 23,000 seats you’ve got troubles. They’re hoping Vandy offensive coordinator Tim Beck is interested.   Will Hall, Southern Miss: Some folks think Blake Anderson, who was once quite successful at Arkansas State, would be the ideal candidate.   ON LIFE SUPPORT Stan Drayton, Temple: The Owls have given up 108 points in their last two losses. It’s a matter of when not if Drayton gets pink slipped.   Joe Moorhead, Akron: The Zips are 2-7 and the only winnable game in the last three is Kent State. Loser of that game gets fired first. Moorhead needs to go back to being an offensive coordinator. He’s rather good at that.   Kenni Burns, Kent State: Career record 1-20. He’s three games away from a reverse perfect season (0-12).   Trent Dilfer, UAB: It still boggles the mind that Trent Dilfer is a former Super Bowl winning QB. They really don’t have the money to fire him at UAB. Maybe a few bake sales and car washes would give them the cash they need.   Sonny Cumbie, Louisiana Tech: The Bulldogs play in Conference USA and pay Cumbie almost $1 million. They’re losing money and losing a lot of football games (9-23 so far in three years).   Jim McElwain, Central Michigan: The Chips have lost four in a row and could very well lose the last three. If Old Yeller survives he will be on the shortest of leashes next year. The folks in Mount Pleasant are wondering why this guy is being paid more than $1 million a year.   Mike Neu, Ball State: The Cardinals are teetering on the verge of a fourth straight losing season. They love Mike Neu, but enough to keep him with a 40-61 career record?   Ricky Rahne, Old Dominion: The Monarchs are 4-5. They probably lose the last three which means ODU pulls the plug. There is enough talent in Tidewater Virginia that ODU should never have a losing season in the Fun Belt.   ENDANGERED SPECIES LIST Billy Napier, Florida: Athletic director Scott Stricklin let it be known that Billy is going to return next year. It’s easier to pour the $40 million it would take to fire Napier and staff into keeping DJ Lagway, Jadan Baugh and a bunch of other young, talented players. The Gators still have to play LSU and Ole Miss in the next two weeks, but knock off one of the two and FSU in the last week and the Gators make a bowl game. What a concept.   Hugh Freeze, Auburn: Unless Mr. Yella Wood and some of Auburn’s high powered, big money boosters change their minds, Freeze will be back next year. If he intends to be back beyond 2025, he better win and win big.   Don Brown, UMass: The Minutemen could be a power in D1AA like they used to be except they need paycheck games to pay for the non-revenue sports. He’s always endangered.   Sam Pittman, Arkansas: Sam needs one more win to be bowl eligible. That would be an accomplishment and it would appease the masses.   Kevin Wilson, Tulsa: He’s getting paid $1.9 million and folks are starting to ask why? It’s only his second year. He can start to sweat next year.   Mike Norvell, Florida State: The Seminoles won 13 straight last year. They’re 1-9 this year and probably finish 1-11. If someone wanted to hire Norvell, the boosters wouldn’t hold him to the buyout.   Tom Herman, Florida Atlantic: The natives are getting restless. Herman is 6-15 in two seasons. He won at Houston and at Texas. They don’t understand why he isn’t winning at FAU. He’ll get a third season but he better win.

Denzel Aberdeen (11) gets ready to whip a crosscourt pass against Grambling (Gator Bait Photo by Chris Spears) There will be a day of reckoning for Todd Golden, a day when all the evidence is laid out for the whole world to see. Then we will know for sure who’s right and who’s wrong in this messy Title IX complaint that has been filed against the third-year University of Florida basketball coach. Golden has lawyered up and can’t say anything. Scott Stricklin can’t say a word either and since he is the head honcho a not for profit that budgets somewhere in the neighborhood of $200 million yearly, you know he’s lawyered up, too. There wouldn’t be such a thing as Title IX if not for lawyers. So with all parties under a gag order, it was business as usual Monday night at the O-Dome where Golden and the 20th-ranked Gators won their third straight game in blowout fashion. Following Florida’s 86-62 win over Grambling before an announced Veteran’s Day crowd of 7,857, Golden lamented that as much as he would love to sing like the proverbial canary to tell the whole wide world his side of the story, alas, he cannot. Of course, that didn’t put a halt to questions designed to evoke a blockbuster of an answer that would blow the lid off the cone of silence. No matter how the questions were worded, the answers were basically one and the same. Translation: I ain’t talking. That’s my story and I’m sticking with it. When it came to actual basketball questions, Golden was happy to talk about what was start to finish Florida’s best game of this young season. Five Gators scored double figures: Rueben Chiyelu 14, Walter Clayton Jr. 12, Will Richard 12, Sam Alexis 12 and Alex Condon 10. Three others were a shot away: Alijah Martin 9, Thomas Haugh 9 and Denzel Aberdeen 8. Whether in the half court working against a Grambling zone that gave Ole Miss fits (Ole Miss 66, Grambling 64) a few days ago or out in transition, the ball moved unselfishly. Nothing personified the unselfish play more than a steal near midcourt by Will Richard with 5:39 left in the game. Richard, a high riser whose dunks are a rather lethal combo of elevation and artistic interpretation, had enough space to get down and get funky, but he saw Rueben Chinyelu trailing the play. Rather than bring the crowd to its feet with a hammer down dunk, Richard tapped the ball over to his teammate. Chinyelu nearly ripped the rim off the backboard with a rather impressive power slam. Golden was ever so happy to talk about how that one play speaks to the unselfishness of his team. “This team is super unselfish and they play for each other,” Golden said. I think a great example of that was Will Richard’s play in transition when he got the steal run out and had the opportunity to go dunk it ... saw Rueben coming out of the back of his vision, dropped it off to him for a big dunk which was a really, really unselfish play that kind of speaks to our team.” Will Richard dumps off a pass (Gator Bait Photo by Chris Spears) Down at the defensive end, the Gators rarely let Grambling get off a clean shot. Whereas the Gators had their problems getting closeouts to contest 3-pointers in wins over South Florida and Jacksonville, Grambling could only get open looks 12 times and two of those were desperation heaves as the shot clock ticked down to zero. “I thought we guarded the 3-point line the best we have all year, even including our scrimmages,” Golden said. We gave up 12 attempts. Obviously, they made only two. We did a really good job of defending without fouling as well.” Rebounding was a sore source of contention for Golden in the first two games, but that changed against Grambling as the Gators outrebounded the Tigers, 45-24. The Gators did a terrific job of limiting Grambling to one shot. Down at their end of the floor, the Gators grabbed 17 offensive rebounds. In addition to the 45 points they scored on 16-21 shooting overall and 12-16 from the foul line, Florida’s 4-man rotation of big guys grabbed 24 rebounds, blocked five shots and came away with six steals. “I think our guys do a really good job,” Golden said. “Our frontcourt has really a good feel so when they’re able to draw defenders and they feel a little bit of a double team or a little help at the rim, they’re able to play off two and be balanced and drop it off to their fellow big or throw it out to a perimeter guy for a shot.” Chinyelu is 6-10, 255 while Condon is 6-11, 230, Alexis is 6-9, 240 and Haugh is 6-9, 210. Golden describes Chinyelu as the team’s bruiser but added that Condo, Alexis and Haugh “have really good feel and understanding.”    The big guys are a nice complement to a 4-man front court rotation of Clayton, Richard, Martin and Aberdeen. Clayton scored 12 but took only nine shots including a 3-7 game from the 3-point line. Richard had five rebounds and five steals. Martin had seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. Aberdeen had an astonishing first half throw down dunk. This has the makings of a Florida team capable of making a deep run at tournament time in March and yet, it’s still in the early stages of growth. The Gators are still figuring things out and gelling as a unit. Complete games at both ends of the floor like the one against Grambling Monday night are indicative of a team that could be scary good once it has built a real comfort zone in playing together. The Title IX investigation has been going on since September 27. Obviously, if it were ever a real distraction, Golden and the Gators have had more than enough time to work their way through it. In each of the three games so far, the Gators have played with increasing amounts of focus. “We have a mature group and we continue to attack it on a day-to-day basis like we always do,” Golden said. “Our guys are focused. We’ve just poured more into our team, more into our staff and made sure that we were prepared for the night. I thought that our guys did a really good job of playing and executing from start to finish.” Speaking of finish, the last question Golden fielded was if he has a sense on when the Title IX investigation will come to an end. “I cannot comment on that,” Golden said. The cone of silence descended. Associated Press top 25: 1. Kansas 2-0; 2. Alabama 2-0; 3. UConn 2-0; 4. Gonzaga 2-0; 5. Auburn 2-0; 6. Duke 2-0; 7. Iowa State 1-0; 8. Houston 1-1; 9. Arizona 2-0; 10. North Carolina 1-1; 11. Tennessee 2-0; 12. Baylor 1-1; 13. Purdue 2-0; 14. Creighton 2-0; 15. Marquette 2-0; 16. Indiana 2-0; 17. Cincinnati 2-0; 18. Arkansas 1-1; 19. Kentucky 2-0; 20. FLORIDA 2-0; 21. Ohio State 1-0; 22. St. John’s 2-0; 23. Texas A&M 1-1; 24. Rutgers 1-0; 25. Ole Miss 2-0 Coaches top 25: 1. Kansas 2-0; 2. Alabama 2-0; 3. UConn 2-0; 4. Auburn 2-0; 5. Gonzaga 2-0; 6. Duke 2-0; 7. Iowa State 1-0; 8. Arizona 2-0; 9. Tennessee 2-0; 10. Houston 1-1; 11. North Carolina 1-1; 12. Purdue 2-0; 13. Creighton 2-0; 14. Baylor 1-1; 15. Marquette 2-0; 16. Indiana 2-0; 17. Cincinnati 2-0; 18. Kentucky 2-0; 19. FLORIDA 2-0; 20. Illinois 2-0; 21. Arkansas 1-1; 22. Ohio State 1-0; 23. Texas A&M 1-1; 24. Rutgers 1-0; 25. St. John’s 2-0 SEC Basketball Monday’s scores No. 20 FLORIDA (3-0) 86, Grambling (1-2) 62 No. 2 Alabama (3-0) 72, McNeese (1-2) 64 No. 23 Texas A&M 97; Lamar (1-1) 71 Missouri (2-1) 84, Eastern Washington (1-2) 77 Oklahoma (2-0) 73, Northwestern State 57 Tuesday’s games Towson (1-1) at South Carolina (1-1) North Florida (3-0) at Georgia (2-0) Southeastern Louisiana (1-1) at Mississippi State (2-0) Chicago State (0-2) at Texas (1-1) South Alabama (1-1) at No. 25 Ole Miss (2-0) No. 6 Duke (2-0) vs. No. 19 Kentucky (2-0) in Atlanta Wednesday’s games Montana (2-1) at No. 11 Tennessee (2-0) Kent State (2-0) at No. 5 Auburn (2-0) Troy (2-0) at No. 18 Arkansas (1-1) California (2-0) at Vanderbilt (2-0) Thursday’s games Mississippi Valley State (1-1) at Missouri (1-1) LSU (2-0) at Kansas State (2-0) Friday’s games No. 20 FLORIDA (3-0) at Florida State (2-0) No. 2 Alabama (3-0) at No. 13 Purdue (2-0) Georgia (2-0) at Georgia Tech (1-1) Ohio State (2-0) at No. 23 Texas A&M (1-1) Saturday’s games Stetson (1-2) at Oklahoma (1-0) South Carolina (1-1) at No. 16 Indiana (2-0) Jackson State (0-2) at Vanderbilt (2-0) Colorado State (2-0) at No. 25 Ole Miss (2-0) Mississippi Valley State (1-1) at Texas (1-1) Sunday’s games Austin Peay (2-0) at No. 12 Tennessee (2-0) Utah (2-0) at Mississippi State (2-0)

DJ Lagway went down with a hamstring issue against Georgia (Gator Bait Photo by Chris Spears) A few thoughts to jump start your Monday morning: “They could surrender to us, but I wouldn’t count on that.” -- The Sundance Kid in the movie “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” It is entirely possible that a healthy Florida football team could give the Texas Longhorns a run for their money, even in Austin. Give Billy Napier a healthy DJ Lagway, Elijhah Badger, Tre Wilson, Jason Marshall Jr., Devin Moore, Asa Turner, Devon Manuel, Ja’Keem Jackson and Montrell Johnson Jr. and there is a good chance the Gators could play a whole lot better than they did Saturday when the Longhorns hosed them, 49-17. Texas knew all about the rash of Florida injuries but that didn’t stop the Longhorns from feeling the urge to stomp the Gators into oblivion, which they pretty much did. Of course, the Longhorns could have surrendered, but they didn't. Looking back, we could surmise that a healthy Florida team might very well have beaten Tennessee and Georgia. Injuries played a role in losing both those games. Unfortunately, the Gators haven’t been healthy all season which has something to do with a 4-5 record with games remaining against No. 21 LSU, No. 10 Ole Miss and hapless Florida State. The FSU game seems to be the only one the Gators should win, but, of course, the outcome of that one could also be determined by how many healthy bodies Napier has available. This is not an effort to make excuses for Napier and the Gators. He’s been given another year to right the Good Ship Gator. The schedule will be tough again next year when the Gators have to go to Miami, Texas A&M,  LSU and Ole Miss. Georgia, Tennessee and Texas will still be on the schedule. A rash of injuries won’t save his job if he doesn’t produce on the field in 2025. Associated Press top 25: 1. Oregon 9-1; 2. Ohio State 8-1; 3. Texas 8-1; 4. Penn State 8-1; 5. Indiana 10-0; 6. Tennessee 8-1; 7. BYU 9-0; 8. Notre Dame 8-1; 9. Alabama 7-2; 10. Ole Miss 8-2; 11. Georgia 7-2; 12. Miami 9-1; 13. Boise State 8-1; 14. SMU 8-1; 15. Texas A&M 8-1; 16. Army 9-0; 17. Clemson 7-2; 18. Colorado 7-2; 19. Washington State 8-1; 20. Kansas State 7-2; 21. LSU 6-3; 22. Louisville 6-3; 23. South Carolina 6-3; 24. Missouri 7-2; 25. Tulane 8-2 AFCA Coaches top 25: 1. Oregon 9-1; 2. Ohio State 8-1; 3. Texas 8-1; 4. Tennessee 8-1; 5. Penn State 8-1; 6. Indiana 10-0; 7. Notre Dame 8-1; 8. BYU 9-0; 9. Alabama 7-2; 10. Georgia 7-2; 11. Ole Miss 8-2; 12. Miami 9-1; 13. (Tie) Boise State 8-1 and SMU 8-1; 15. Texas A&M 7-2; 16. Clemson 7-2; 17. Army 9-0; 18. Washington State 8-1; 19. Kansas State 7-2; 20. Colorado 7-2; 21. Missouri 7-2; 22. LSU 6-3; 23. South Carolina 6-3; 24. Louisville 6-3; 25. Iowa State 7-2 SEC FOOTBALL No. 9 Alabama (7-2, 4-2 SEC): Jalen Milroe inserted himself back into the Heisman Trophy conversation by throwing for 109 yards while running for 185 and four touchdowns to lead Bama to an easy win over No. 15 LSU.  Next: Mercer (9-1) Arkansas (5-4, 3-3 SEC): The Razorbacks have three shots at bowl eligibility -- Texas, Louisiana Tech and (at) Missouri. Win one of the three and Sam Pittman almost certainly has a job next year. Next: No. 3 Texas (8-1, 4-1 SEC) Auburn (3-6, 1-5 SEC): This is the fourth consecutive year that Auburn has lost at least five SEC games. The last time they lost four straight conference games was 1927-30 when Auburn was a member of the Southern Conference.  Next: Louisiana-Monroe (5-4) No. 11 Georgia (7-2, 5-2 SEC): Georgia has two regular season losses for the first time since 2020 and just the second time since Kirby Smart became the head coach in 2016. Next: No. 6 Tennessee (8-1, 5-1 SEC) Kentucky (3-6, 1-6 SEC): The Wildcats can keep their eight consecutive bowl seasons alive by winning their final three games. Next: Murray State (1-9) No. 21 LSU (6-3, 3-2 SEC): The Tigers were blown out by Alabama, 42-13. Their third loss of the year basically eliminates them from College Football Playoff contention. Next: at FLORIDA (4-5, 2-4 SEC) Mississippi State (2-8, 0-6 SEC): The Bulldogs rank dead last in the SEC and 128th nationally in total defense, giving up 460.8 yards per game.  Next: Open No. 24 Missouri (7-2, 3-2 SEC): Even though the Tigers are ranked 24th in the CFP poll, they are still in the hunt for the playoff since they have only two losses.  Next: at No. 23 South Carolina (6-3, 4-3 SEC) Oklahoma (5-5, 1-5 SEC): The Sooners have gained more than 300 yards just once in six SEC games. In their loss to Missouri, they were held to 257. In eight previous seasons, all in the Big 12, the worst year they had was 450 yards per game. Next: Open No. 10 Ole Miss (8-2, 4-2 SEC): The Rebels sacked Carson Beck five times, picked him off once and forced a pair of fumbles. Ole Miss held Georgia to 245 total yards. The Rebels lead the nation in sacks with 46 and they’re second in rush defense, allowing just 79.9 yards per game.  Next: Open No. 23 South Carolina (6-3, 4-3 SEC): It was a dominant win over Vanderbilt as the Gamecocks ran for 214 yards and passed for 238. Rocket Sanders carried 15 times for 126 yards and two touchdowns plus caught two passes for 52 yards and a TD. Next: No. 24 Missouri (7-2, 3-2 SEC) No. 6 Tennessee (8-1, 5-1 SEC): Quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who left the win over Mississippi State with an upper body injury, is expected to play Saturday when the Vols travel to Georgia. Next: at No. 11 Georgia (7-2, 5-2 SEC) No. 3 Texas (8-1, 4-1 SEC): The Longhorns are 9th nationally in total offense (465.2 yards per game) and 2nd in total defense (251 yards per game). Texas is outscoring opponents 38.9-12.1. Next: at Arkansas (5-4, 3-3 SEC) No. 15 Texas A&M (7-2, 5-1 SEC): With Le’Veon Moss done for the season with a lower body injury, the Aggies are down to two scholarship running backs, Amari Daniels (466 yards, 6 touchdowns) and EJ Smith (107 yards). Next: New Mexico State (1-8) Vanderbilt (6-4, 3-3 SEC): Quarterback Diego Pavia is suing the NCAA, claiming its junior college transfer rules are unlawful and restrict a player’s ability to earn money off NIL when he does get to the Division I level. Next: Open AROUND THE STATE Florida Atlantic (2-7, 0-5 American): The Owls’ only win in their last six games is against D1AA Wagner. In the five games against Division I opponents, they are losing by an average score of 44-22.  Next: at Temple (2-7, 1-4 American) Florida International (3-6, 2-3 Conference USA): The Panthers struggle against the run (196.56 yards per game, 4.68 per carry). This week they face Jacksonville State, which averages 260.89 yards per game and 5.75 per carry.  Next: at Jacksonville State (6-3, 5-0 Conference USA) Florida State (1-9, 1-7 ACC): Mike Norvell is feeling the heat, which is why he fired three assistant coaches -- offensive coordinator/line Alex Atkins, defensive coordinator Adam Fuller and wide receivers Ron Dugans.  Next: Open No. 12 Miami (9-1, 5-1 ACC): Thanks to their loss to Georgia Tech, the Hurricanes are now in a three-way battle for one of two spots in the ACC Championship Game. Right now, it seems only one ACC team will get into the College Football Playoff. Next: Open South Florida (4-5, 2-3 American): The Bulls need to win two out of the last three to be bowl eligible. They will be favored in all three starting Saturday at Charlotte where they are 3-point favorites.  Next: at Charlotte (3-6, 2-3 American) UCF (4-6, 2-5 Big 12): The Knights have to win their last two games to become bowl eligible, at West Virginia in two weeks and then home against Utah in the regular season finale.  Next: Open ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: When he retired as the Florida football coach after the 2001 Orange Bowl, Steve Spurrier commented to Buddy Martin that 12 years at one school seemed to be an acceptable limit. Spurrier went 122-27-1 in his 12 years as Florida’s head coach, winning UF’s first national championship (1996) and six Southeastern Conference titles including the first one that is recognized officially by the SEC in 1991. Spurrier never complained publicly but after years of success that exceeded the wildest dreams of the Gator Nation, he had to grow weary of the weight of expectations. Because the Gators were in the hunt for both the SEC and national championships most years when he was the head ball coach, a sense of entitlement was growing among the Florida fan base. In other words, Florida fans were spoiled by Spurrier’s success. Ron Zook confided that he was basically fired the day he was hired to succeed Spurrier. Urban Meyer resurrected the great expectations for six years to the point that when he called it quits for health reasons after six years, a 65-15 record and national championships in 2006 and 2008, a rather large contingent of Florida fans felt jilted. Meyer indeed had health issues, largely the result of the stress of maintaining the program at such a high level of success. Quite a few Florida fans will go to their graves believing Meyer faked his health issues so he could take the Ohio State job in 2012. Saturday night, LSU was hosed by Alabama, 42-13, a loss that kept Bama’s College Football Playoff hopes alive and all but assures LSU will miss the playoff for the fifth straight year. Bryan Fischer wrote in Sports Illustrated that Kelly “ and LSU, have suddenly reached a crossroads they never anticipated reaching, much less just three years into a decade-long contract. The Tigers’ administration won’t become trigger happy and show him the door like the Texas A&M Aggies did to Jimbo Fisher, but those once-creeping doubts that Kelly wasn’t the solution he was made out to be, well, they’re a full-blown crisis of confidence now.” Brian Kelly is 26-10 at LSU since he was poached from Notre Dame by athletic director Scott Woodward. He has seven years remaining on a 10-year contract that pays him $9,975,000 a year with incremental raises. He has a career record of 289-106-10. At LSU he won 10 games in both 2022 and 2023 with the best quarterback in college football, Jayden Daniels. His 2024 quarterback, Garrett Nussmeier, has NFL first round draft pick written all over him. LSU fans look at the quarterbacks, the 5-9 record against ranked teams, the blowout loss to Georgia in the 2022 SEC Championship Game and the 29-point blowout loss to Alabama Saturday night and they wonder how much bang are we getting for all these bucks? Expectations, shall we say, are through the roof in Baton Rouge. We could say the same thing about Tuscaloosa where Alabama is 7-2 this season. Bama hasn’t lost three regular season games since 2007, which was Nick Saban’s first year on the job. Nick’s gone now, tired of expectations and the problems of NIL and the portal. His replacement is Kalen DeBoer, 111-14 in his coaching career. Had he lost to LSU, you can only imagine how many Alabama fans would be (a) clamoring for DeBoer’s head on a platter and (b) questioning why he’s getting paid $10 million a year. It’s wonderful to have high expectations because they drive success. None of us wants a football program where mediocrity becomes the norm, which is why the highest paid public employee in most states is a head football coach. Millions in salary equate to higher expectations. Money plus higher expectations equates to (a) a sense of entitlement among the fan base and (b) a lack of patience when championships aren’t won. Does that sound familiar?

Todd Golden will be coaching the Gators tonight vs. Grambling (Gator Bait Photo by Chris Spears) A spokesman for the University of Florida confirmed Sunday that Todd Golden will be coaching the 21st-ranked Gators (2-0) tonight when they host Grambling (1-1) at the O-Dome (7 p.m., SEC Network+). Golden is the subject of an investigation dating back to a Title IX complaint filed back on September 27. An article in The Independent Florida Alligator that included a copy of the Title IX complaint alleged a number of sexual improprieties with Golden. Over the weekend, Golden issued a statement that read: “For the last month, I have actively participated in and respected the confidentiality of an ongoing school inquiry. I have recently engaged Ken Turkel to advise me on my ability to bring defamation claims while this confidential investigation is ongoing. My family and I appreciate the support we have received and remain confident the university will continue its efforts to finish its review promptly.” Turkel is a Tampa-based attorney known for taking on and winning high profile cases of defamation. By reputation, Turkel won’t take on a case that he doesn’t (a) completely believe his client and (b) believe he will win. Meanwhile, there is a game to be played Monday and another in Tallahassee Friday night against arch-rival Florida State. Here are the anticipated starting lineups for tonight’s game: FLORIDA (2-0): Alex Condon (6-11, 230, SO); Rueben Chinyelu (6-10, 255, SO); Alijah Martin (6-2, 195, GR); Will Richard (6-4, 206, SR); Walter Clayton Jr. (6-2, 195, SR) GRAMBLING (1-1): Ernest Ross (6-9, 205, SR); James Flippin (6-10, 255, JR); Antwan Burnett (6-5, 205, JR); Kintavious Dozier (6-1, 195, SR); Mikale Stephenson (6-2, 175, JR) SEC BASKETBALL Monday’s games McNeese (1-1) at No. 2 Alabama (2-0) Eastern Washington (1-1) at Missouri (1-1) Lamar (1-0) at No. 13 Texas A&M (1-1) Northwestern State (1-1) at Oklahoma (1-0) Tuesday’s games Towson (1-1) at South Carolina (1-1) North Florida (3-0) at Georgia (2-0) Southeastern Louisiana (1-1) at Mississippi State (2-0) Chicago State (0-2) at No. 19 Texas (1-1) South Alabama (1-1) at No. 24 Ole Miss (2-0) No. 7 Duke (2-0) vs. No. 23 Kentucky (2-0) in Atlanta Wednesday’s games Montana (2-1) at No. 12 Tennessee (2-0) Kent State (2-0) at No. 11 Auburn (2-0) Troy (2-0) at No. 16 Arkansas (1-1) California (2-0) at Vanderbilt (2-0) Thursday’s games Mississippi Valley State (1-1) at Missouri (1-1) LSU (2-0) at Kansas State (2-0) Friday’s games No. 21 FLORIDA (2-0) at Florida State (2-0) No. 2 Alabama (2-0) at No. 14 Purdue (2-0) Georgia (2-0) at Georgia Tech (1-1) Ohio State (1-0) at No. 13 Texas A&M (1-1) Saturday’s games Stetson (1-1) at Oklahoma (1-0) South Carolina (1-1) at No. 17 Indiana (2-0) Jackson State (0-2) at Vanderbilt (2-0) Colorado State (2-0) at No. 24 Ole Miss (2-0) Mississippi Valley State (1-1) at No. 19 Texas (1-1) Sunday’s games Austin Peay (2-0) at No. 12 Tennessee (2-0) Utah (2-0) at Mississippi State (2-0)

Overall Austin is a nice place to visit

Todd Golden (Gator Bait Photo by Chris Spears) Todd Golden has responded to serious allegations of sexual misconduct documented in a Title IX complaint and published by the Independent Florida Alligator student newspaper. In a statement published on Twitter, Golden said: “For the last month, I have actively participated in and respected the confidentiality of an ongoing school inquiry. I have recently engaged Ken Turkel to advise me on my ability to bring defamation claims while this confidential investigation is ongoing. My family and I appreciate the support we have received and remain confident the university will continue its efforts to finish its review promptly.” The Title IX allegations are serious, that, if true, would be the end of Golden’s career. True or not, the allegations alone are an embarrassment to Golden and the University of Florida. The University of Florida’s response is that it cannot comment on ongoing investigations. It should be noted that the complaint was filed on September 27 and Golden has neither been fired nor suspended. Instead he has continued to coach the Gators (2-0), who go after their third win of the season Monday night at the O-Dome against Grambling. By hiring Ken Turkel, Golden has taken off the gloves and is fighting back against the allegations as well as the damage that has been done to his reputation. Turkel is a high powered attorney from Tampa whose significant wins in court include a $115 million judgment for Hulk Hogan for invasion of privacy by Gawker Media LLC. He represented former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin in a  successful appeal to reinstate her libel lawsuit against the New York Times. Turkel’s reputation is that he only takes on cases he knows he will win and then goes scorched earth against his opponent.

Billy Napier is visibly frustrated after Texas rolls up 562 yards against an overwhelmed Florida defense. By Loren Meadows, GatorBaitMedia.com , Football Analyst Coach Billy Napier addresses the media (GatorBait photo) -AUSTIN, TEXAS The Gators rolled into Austin with a limited roster but limitless confidence as their leader Billy Napier received a “vote of confidence” from Athletic Director Scott Stricklin Thursday afternoon. Florida despite a number of injuries had been playing better of late and if one was to compare the outings of Florida and Texas against their last common opponent Georgia there was reason to believe this game could be interesting. Florida would most likely be without highly touted signal caller DJ Lagway limiting what Florida could do offensively particularly in the quarterback run game and downfield throws. If walk-on quarterback Aiden Warner was to be successful a banged up Gator secondary would have to find a way to force Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers into early mistakes and give the Gator offense some short fields to work with and capitalize with points off turnovers. Unfortunately that was not the case.   What We Thought: This would be a tall task for the Florida Gators. Down to their bare bones at cornerback the Gators would be facing a group of wide receivers with experience, ability, and confidence. The Florida Gators found success a week ago getting Carson Beck off his spots with a varied pressures and would look to do the same in order to make Quinn Ewers uncomfortable in the pocket and possibly get the upper hand early in the contest. Texas had surrendered over two sacks per game in their first eight games and the Gators were putting the quarterback down almost 2.5 times per game so this was a matchup worth noting. Ewers had also failed to find his 2023 form failing to pass for 300 yards in any game this season while struggling at times against lesser competition.    Offensively the Gators would need to lean on an improving rushing game to help probable starter Aiden Warner get comfortable in controlling the offense. The duo of Jaden Baugh and Ja’Kobi Jackson had filled in nicely for the Montrell Johnson Jr. in his absence and the offensive line was gaining more confidence throughout the season. Florida was able to find some success against Georgia last week with the run game so that would be the order of the day for the Gators against Texas as well. Could Warner make enough intermediate to short throws to keep the chains moving for the Gators? Would Billy Napier and staff allow for some rhythm throws to get the ball out of Warner'shands quickly and allow him to be decisive with the football.   What We Got: Defense has to travel. In the SEC the level of play is so fierce that if you can’t pack a suitcase full of pass rush, run stopping, and pass defense it’s going to be a long trip. It was certainly a long trip for the Gators yesterday as Quinn Ewers would throw for 333 yards and five touchdowns in a rout of the Florida Gators. Ewers missed on just eight passes and completed touchdown passes to four different receivers in what would be his best performance of the year. After an early sack by Gator TJ Searcy the Gators rarely pressured Ewers and when they did failed to get him to the ground. This led to wide open receivers throughout the day with Texas finding the explosiveness of their offense at the Gators expense. “The rush and the coverage never married up”, Napier stated. “I don’t think we tackled very well”. While Texas has a number of talented receivers it was the running backs who were utilized to take advantage of the Gator linebackers in space. Running back Jaydon Blue and Quintrevion Wisner combined for 6 catches for 126 yards and a touchdown and were hard to handle after the catch for the Gator defense. The Gators were in position on several occasions to make one on one plays against the Texas ball carriers and receivers but failed to make the tackle leading to nine plays of 20 or more yards.   Offensively without the service of Lagway, Aiden Warner struggled to get the Gator offense going consistently. The Gators would also be without the services of receiver Elijah Badger and guard Damieon George Jr. putting the Gator offense at even more of a disadvantage. While there were opportunities to make plays he never seemed comfortable to step up in the pocket and make the throws to move the chains. Warner would throw two costly interceptions both in minus territory which would lead to Texas scores. For the game Warner was 12 of 25 for just 132 yards against the nation’s top pass defense. The Florida running game was not as much a factor as the Gators would have liked with the running totals being somewhat skewed by yards against the Texas reserves making up most of the total 197 yards. Ja’Kobi Jackson did rush for a career high 116 yards while receiver Chimere Dike led all Gator receivers with 5 catches for 95 yards.  Darrel K. Royal Stadium, Austin Texas (GatorBait photo)   The Skinny: This article is named Postgame “Thoughts” instead of “Analysis”, because it is hard to analyze a game where one team was outmatched both physically and schematically before you ever kickoff. Not to say that Napier and staff didn’t have a good plan going into the game but that the tools to complete the plan were not available whatsoever. To ask a walk-on quarterback to make his first career start against the nation’s top defense is a monumental ask. To ask a team with a pieced together secondary to stop an offense led by future pros and a possible first draft day quarterback is rough. The Gators were in position at times to make a play on both sides of the ball and like many times the last three seasons failed to get it done. This was a game that the Gators were not going to win and the frustration visibly shown by Billy Napier is actually a welcome sight for many. Napier was given a vote of confidence this week and while his job may be safe it looked as if he returns in 2025 there will be changes to the “organization”. The near misses on both sides of the ball have become far too common, and in the SEC, those will keep you in the bottom half of the league. Many will point to the absence of Lagway as a reason why the Gators were boat raced in Austin but in reality, after giving up 562 yards of total offense this was a long time coming and had nothing to do with the quarterback. This will be an interesting week in Gainesville as the email sent by Stricklin unfortunately is not the only news in the UAA. There will continue to be a daily evaluation of the future of the program and if Napier should be the man to lead it. The Gators still have home dates with LSU and Ole Miss before traveling to FSU which despite any email could be Billy’s last stand. Napier is finally looking like a coach that has had enough, just enough of what is yet to be seen.   Final Score: Texas 49 Florida 17 (Prediction Texas 35 Florida 14)

For now, let’s stick to football and the odds of surviving the remaining three laps of the Bataan Death March. Perhaps all Gators should adopt amnesia about these past few days in the manner of a defensive back who just got toasted. So, pass the jam and pretend it never happened.   Otherwise, how you gonna face the grim reality of just how badly things suck after sitting down to the table for a week and continually drawing bust hands, then playing them terribly. And I’m not talking about just how badly Texas beat the bejabbers out of Florida.   At least Billy Napier had a good conduct medal going for him, but now the alleged bad conduct in the basketball program threatens to tarnish the whole athletic department.   Having just issued a merciful mulligan to his football program, AD Scott Stricklin now must explain who and how his basketball coach was vetted while he was believed to be indulging in the nefarious activities of an embarrassing Title IX suit.   It’s almost impossible to erase the stench of besmirched character. And it doesn’t play well at box office or offering plate.   For now, let’s stick to football and the odds of surviving the remaining three laps of the Bataan Death March.   Finding two wins in the throes of a schedule that winds up with LSU, Ole Miss and FSU is like trying to add 2+2 and get 6. Although playing LSU at the Swamp after the way the Tigers got manhandled by Alabama, maybe you could squeeze out a 5 ½.   My media friends think we have gone cuckoo down here after the Stricklin manifesto. One of them, from another SEC school, wrote me: “I can’t believe Florida is keeping Napier. Is it just about the money?”   I responded: “Don’t really know, but most of us believe that they want to use some of that $26M to buy players and keep the 70 percent of those on NIL deals to play with Lagway, who is their future. They also don’t have a strong replacement candidate identified. Most Gators I know feel it’s probably the right call, but Scott Stricklin is in jeopardy himself after the Todd Golden scandal.”   And my friend said: “Thanks. The Golden thing is bizarre.”   And I responded: “Very. It’s not a great time to be a Florida Gator.”   How bad was Florida getting beat by Texas in the first two quarters? Texas was up 35-0 at halftime, and the Gators threw an interception on the first possession of the second half.   The ABC broadcast brought The Undertaker (retired wrestler superstar) into the booth right out of halftime.   It didn’t matter, because to quote a friend/analyst of mine, these Gators “couldn’t play dead in a western.”   Some of the social media snipers began suggesting that Stricklin renege on his promise and send them all packing in a purge — including leading the contingent’s parade out of town himself.   “Let’s recant the Thursday statement immediately, Scott.”   Napier had no answers but had to try and explain: “We struggled to get anything going early. Obviously, the first half where they have 353 yards and about 10 yards a play, it just felt like the rushing and the coverage never married up and I don’t think we tackled very well. Just overall fundamentals in technique. Obviously, in the back end we struggled to keep up with them and tackle loose plays. And look, you’re not going to win turning the ball over four times against a team like that.”   Right now, there are no real answers, just excuses. But they’d better find some quickly. Because the next knock at the door will be the Grim Reaper.

Lagway suited up for warmups and did his best to go, but after watching him pregame, the decision was made to sit him. Dazed and confused. That’s how Florida’s version of the Wounded Warrior Project looked at halftime Saturday in Austin. With Matthew McConaghey, one of the stars of the 1993 film “Dazed and Confused” and a University of Texas alum on the sidelines, it seemed that everything the 5th-ranked Longhorns tried worked and everything unranked Florida tried failed. It was 35-0 at the half and probably could have been worse. Even with a two-deep decimated by key injuries the only way to describe what happened at Darrel K. Royal Stadium is a debacle. The Gators not only looked dazed and confused, they played that way. Puzzling. Seriously puzzling. Where was the resistance? Among those on the missing in action list were quarterback DJ Lagway, wide receivers Elijhah Badger and Tre Wilson, right guard Damieon George Jr., backup tackle Devon Manuel and corners Jason Marshall Jr., Devin Moore and Ja’Keem Jackson. Many others who played weren’t 100 percent. The one that hurt most was Lagway, who lit up Kentucky three weeks ago and had Georgia on the ropes when he injured his hamstring last Saturday. Withy Lagway the threat of the deep ball is always there, so opposing safeties have to honor the possibility. Lagway suited up for warmups and did his best to go, but after watching him pregame the decision was made to sit him. Immediately, Florida’s offensive possibilities nosedived. The game hadn’t even begun and the Gators’ chances were dazed and confused.      “ I do think that he probably felt as good as he's felt since the injury today pregame,” Florida coach Billy Napier said. “That's kind of what he voiced to me. But not quite ready. I think there was risk with putting him out there with a soft tissue injury. All of the metrics said he's not quite ready to do it but we're hopeful. He's made some progress and we'll get a good feel for it early next week." With Lagway relegated to sideline cheerleader, walk-on Yale transfer Aidan Warner got his first start since he played high school ball in Winter Park. Warner played better than he did a week ago when he came into the Georgia game cold, but for Florida to have a chance, the Gators would have had to match the Texas offense touchdown-for-touchdown, which meant Warner had to heat up the offense. It didn’t happen. For most of the first half, Warner was deer in the headlights. He completed 7x12 passes for 64 yards but had one pass picked off which Texas converted into a touchdown. He was actually better in the second half because he played with more poise but the numbers were similar -- 5x13 passing for 68 yards with his second interception. Just like the first pick, this one was converted into a Texas touchdown that made the score 42-0. At that point Warner led the Gators on a 15-play, 70-yard drive that culminated in a field goal, thus keeping the streak alive. The Gators haven’t been shut out since 1988. It’s the longest streak of avoiding shutouts in NCAA history. Warner went on to lead the Gators on a 9-play, 56-yard touchdown drive in the third quarter Warner led the Gators on a drive that resulted in a field goal and a 9-play, 56-yard touchdown drive in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, Warner and the Gators drove 67 yards in seven plays for a TD. Napier found it difficult to point fingers of blame at his quarterback. Warner was the third string quarterback when Graham Mertz tore an ACL at Tennessee a month ago. He didn’t start taking reps with the starters until this past week. “Obviously, Aidan fought his tail off out there today,” Napier said. “Some good things for a guy making his first start against a really good defense, one of the better defenses in the country. Good to see him move the team a little bit in the second half, but again, we rushed the ball but in general, we had no continuity. “You go into the game understanding that you're playing with your third quarterback and you know you have to defend them and we did not do that. I think we lost a little bit of our steam there because of that. Just in general, not good enough. Period.” The problem with a Warner-led offense had plenty to do with experience but there was also the problem of arm strength. There isn’t a throw Lagway can’t make. Warner is no threat to go over the top or throw it on a rope to complete a 15-yard out pattern. Toss in the absence of Badger, second in the nation in yards per catch, and the Texas defense could play the safeties within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. The only thing that kept the outcome from getting further out of hand was a running game that pounded out 123 second half yards, somewhat of a surprise since Texas came into the game allowing only 105.5 yards per game and 3.14 per carry. For the game, the Gators ran for 197 yards, averaging 4.8 per carry. A week ago against Georgia they averaged only 3.03 yards per carry. Ja’Kobi Jackson had his best game as a Gator, running for 116 yards, scoring on a 7-yard run in the fourth quarter. Jadan Baugh ran for 88, scoring on a 2-yard run in the third quarter. Without them, the final score would have been much, much worse. By the time the Gators figured out they could consistently run the ball on the Longhorns with any measure of consistency, the game was out of hand. On the field goal drive, which covered 70 yards on 15 plays, Baugh carried five times for 27 yards and caught a pass for seven. Jackson carried four times for 21. On Florida’s first touchdown drive, Jackson carried five times for 27 yards with Baugh getting the last four including the TD on two carries. On that drive, Warner was 2-2 throwing the ball for 25 yards. In the fourth quarter, Jackson, Warner and Chimere Dike accounted for all the yards. Jackson carried four times for 31 yards, scoring on a 7-yard run. Warner completed two passes in three attempts, both to Dike for 36 yards. Dike finished his night with five catches for 95 yards. From an offensive standpoint, Florida’s first half left plenty to be desired. The Gators managed only 138 yards (Texas had 353) in the first half. In the second half once they got the running game established, the Gators had a much more respectable 191 yards to finish the game with 329. This was the first game all season in which Texas allowed more than 294 yards. The offense at least found some footing in the second half. The defense struggled bell-to-bell. Some of that had to do with the injuries, but this proved to be Florida’s worst tackling and coverage game since the blowout loss to Texas A&M. Against Florida’s patchwork secondary, Quinn Ewers completed 19 of 27 passes for 333 yards and Defensively is where the injuries took their biggest toll on the Gators. Texas QB Quinn Ewers took advantage of Florida’s patchwork secondary, completing 19-27 passes for 333 yards (12.33 per attempt) and five touchdowns. Poor coverage, poor tackling, no pass rush overshadowed good efforts from some guys in the secondary. “Let me tell you something, I appreciate the toughness,” Napier said. “DD, Cormani, Trikweze ... they played today through some things, but just in general I didn't think we covered well, and again, the rush is not landing. The loose plays, the perimeter tackling, we didn't play the perimeter plays well at all -- and obviously that's the secondary.” The Gators managed only one sack and were credited with only one quarterback pressure. The Texas passing game opened up running lanes. Only once all year have the Gators done a good job of stuffing the run (UCF), but Texas (210 yards) had the best day running the ball against UF since the Mississippi State game. Gainesville native Jerrick Gibson led Texas with 100 yards and a TD. Florida’s defense, which had shown marked improvement since the Mississippi State game, took two very big steps backward Saturday. Now, even if the defense had played with above average effort, this was a game that Florida probably couldn’t  have won. The reasons were numerous. "I didn't think we tackled well,” Napier said. “I didn't think we played the perimeter plays well, and I don't think when it was pocket-pass, we're not landing. We didn't affect the quarterback. That's one of the things we've been doing well. We've been affecting the quarterback, and the rush and coverage have been working well together. We did not do that well today. That paired with some of the tackling and the way we played on the perimeter, that's when you look up and it's 10 yards a play in the first half.” Injuries had something to do with the way the Gators played against Texas. This was like showing up for a gun fight with a pocket knife. The personnel differential was that great. Even so, Florida could have compensated but instead of a consistent effort the Gators spent far too much of the game playing like they were dazed and confused. You don’t win games like that in the Southeastern Conference.

Will he or won't he? The health and availability of DJ Lagway looms over the Gators visit to Austin   By Loren Meadows, GatorBaitMedia.com , Football Analyst Quaterback DJ Lagway (Chris Spears photo) Texas Offense   Key Players-#3 QB Quin Ewers (6-2, 210, Jr.), #16 QB Arch Manning (6-4, 225, R-Fr) #26 Quintrevion Wisner (6-0, 200, So.) #23 RB Jaydon Blue (6-0, 200, Jr.) #9 RB Jerrick Gibson (5-10, 205, Fr.), #7 WR Isaiah Bond (5-11, 180, Jr./Alabama), #2 WR Matthew Golden (6-0, 190, Jr./Houston), #5 WR Ryan Wingo (6-2, 210, Fr.), #85 TE Gunnar Helm (6-5, 250, Sr.)   Matchups To Watch: Texas Receivers v. Florida’s Makeshift Secondary, Texas Offensive Line v. Florida Defensive Line   The Texas offense has been up and down and could be on its way to a quarterback controversy heading into the back end of the season. After throwing for 300 yards six times last season quarterback Quinn Ewers has yet to throw for 300 yards in the six games that he has played in in 2024. Ewers has thrown for 1,389 yards, 14 touchdowns, and six interceptions. It is the six interceptions along with two key fumbles in Texas’ loss to Georgia that has many thinking that Ewers may soon be supplanted by redshirt freshman Arch Manning. Manning has played well in relief of Ewers, throwing for 920 yards and nine touchdowns against two interceptions. Ewers showed improvement against Vanderbilt where he completed 17 straight passes for three touchdowns after an early interception. Texas coach Steve Sarkisian likes the experience of Ewers versus Manning and looks to be confident his quarterback will continue to round into his 2023 form.    Ewers targets are a balanced group of big play targets that are healthy and available for the week. While Florida deals with injuries in the secondary the Texas group of Isaiah Bond, Matthew Golden, Ryan Wingo, and Gunnar Helm will be ready to go Saturday. Bond, Golden, and Wingo have combined for 64 catches, 1,040 yards, and 10 touchdowns. Bond was a favorite target of Jalen Milroe last season, leading Alabama with 48 catches for 668 yards and four touchdowns in 2023. Tight end Gunnar Helm leads Texas in receiving with 31 catches, 419 yards and two touchdowns. The Englewood, Colo. native was named Honorable Mention Big 12 in 2023 and has caught at least one pass in every game this season. The top four receivers perform well no matter who is running the Texas offense but have found more down the field success when Manning is at the helm.    The running game for the Longhorns is solid attack that utilizes a running back by committee approach to get it done. Texas took an early season hit in its backfield when CJ Baxter and Christian Clark were lost for the season during preseason camp. This has caused the group to take a step back but they continue to provide some production. Texas is ranked 65th nationally in rushing averaging 158.4 yards per game. These numbers are not overly impressive but a rushing average of five yards per carry for the group is more than acceptable for a team with high-profile signal callers. Quintrevion Wisner leads the group with 409 rushing yards, and two touchdowns on 77 carries. Junior running back Jaydon Blue is right behind Wisner with 316 yards on 71 carries and four touchdowns. The third man in the rotation is Gainesville native Jerrick Gibson, who is having a solid freshman campaign with 227 yards on 48 carries with three touchdowns. Gibson spent his freshman year at Gainesville High School, another at Mundy Mill High School in Georgia before transferring to IMG Academy for his last two seasons. The injuries have forced the trio to carry the load more than expected but they have been more than serviceable. I   The Florida defense continues to improve as the season progresses. Once the laughing stock of the SEC the Florida defense has put the conference on notice playing well in their last three conference tests. The Gators will look to hold the line against a Texas offense that has scored points in buckets at times but self-admittedly has not found the rhythm that was expected this season. Texas had a week off after an up and down win against Vanderbilt in Nashville while the Gators are coming off a physical and emotionally taxing loss in the Cocktail Party. Can the Gators find it one more week against Texas on the road or will the loss of key personnel finally catch up to what has become a very scrappy bunch? The Gators finished the Cocktail Party down to their 5th and 6th cornerbacks but held their own. The return of Dijon Johnson for this week will be key to allow Trikweze Bridges to return to safety where he continues to improve. Johnson was listed as questionable on Florida’s availability report and his return would be good news for the Gators. The Gators are healthy in the front seven and have been able to handle the running game of their opponents fairly well in recent weeks. Shemar James and Pup Howard continue to improve at linebacker and they will be called upon to assist in stopping arguably the most versatile offense they have seen thus far. If there is a glaring blemish on the Texas offense, is they surrender a little over two sacks per game on par with the Gators pass rush.  Aaron Gates will be key in stopping the Texas receivers (Chris Spears photo)   Texas Defense Key Players-#0 LB Anthony Hill Jr. (6-3, 235, So.), #10 LB David Gbenda (6-0, 235, Jr.), #16 DB Michael Taafe (6-0, 195, Jr.), #7 DB Jahdae Barron (5-11, 200, Sr.) #3 DB Jaylon Guilbeau (6-0, 190, Jr.), #7 DB Jahdae Barron (5-11, 200, Sr.), #4 DB Andrew Mukuba (6-0, 190, Sr./Clemson), #11 EDGE Colin Simmons (6-3, 245, Fr.), #88 DL Barryn Sorrell (6-4, 260, Sr.), #95 DL Alfred Collins (6-5, 320, Sr.)   Matchups To Watch:  Florida QB’s v. Texas Pass Defense, Florida Offensive Line vs. Texas Defensive Line   The Texas Longhorns are playing historically well under defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski. The Longhorns rank in the Top 3 nationally in total defense, scoring defense, and pass defense. The unit is allowing just over 11 points per game and is solid at all three levels. The linebacker corps is deep and is led by sophomore Anthony Hill Jr. and junior David Gbenda. Hill was co-Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year in 2023 and leads Texas with 58 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. Hill is one of the nation’s most athletic linebackers with sprinters speed and a knack for the football. Gbenda is the elder statesman of the duo with 40 appearances in his five seasons at Texas. Gbenda is extremely physical at the point of attack and a great complement to Hill.   The job of keeping folks off of Hill and Gbenda falls on a solid defensive line that has good size and improving depth. 5th year senior Alfred Collins anchors a unit that has been stout against the run all season. Collins has great size and is adept at managing double teams to allow the Texas linebackers to roam free. He is also skilled at getting his hands up to disrupt passes with three breakups this season. Barryn Sorrel is third on the team in tackles for loss and sacks. Another member of the defensive line with experience the edge rusher from New Orleans has appeared in a total of 38 games with 29 starts. An Honorable Mention All-Big 12 selection last season Sorrel has helped the Texas defense flourish in their inaugural SEC season. With all the experience along the defensive front freshman Colin Simmons looks to be star in the making with 23 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, and four sacks. This week Simmons was named a semifinalist for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year and his play has been beyond the expectations of the Texas staff when he signed with the Longhorns out of Texas high school power Duncanville, Texas.   The most dynamic unit on the entire Texas team could be the secondary. Texas features real NFL talent on the back end and they are a connected group that can play in space and finish against the run. Safety Michael Taafe immediately shows up on tape as a downhill player that is no stranger to contact. Taafe leads the secondary in tackles and is versatile enough to play both tight ends and slot receivers. This season he has four pass break-ups, 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one interception, and one quarterback hurry. Look for him to be that extra man in the box or even spy DJ Lagway should he be available for Florida.   After Taafe the secondary is full of athleticism, experience and leadership. Fifth-year senior Jahdae Barron spurned the NFL Draft to return to Austin and in turn has made himself into a possible first round draft pick. The Thorpe Award semifinalist has shot up the draft boards with the ability to affect the game from all three secondary positions. Primarily playing at the STAR (nickel) position Barron is a utility belt in Kwiatkowski’s defense. Barron leads the team with three interceptions and six pass breakups and Pro Football Focus rates him the top Power Four cornerback in the country this season. Under the leadership of Taafe and Barron first-year starter Jaylon Gilbeau has found a home in the Texas back line. Fourth on the team in tackles Gilbeau is becoming a solid player on the outside.   The glue of the secondary could be Austin native Andrew Mukuba who returned home after four seasons at Clemson. Mukuba missed the Texas trip to Vanderbilt two weeks ago but his return would be welcomed by the Texas faithful. Mukuba was the first true freshman defensive back to start the season opener since 1972 and started more games than any true freshman defensive back in the modern era. His experience and ability are one of the reasons that Texas is on a historical defensive run.    No matter who plays quarterback the Florida offense will be up against the toughest defense they have faced for the third straight week. If Kentucky was the appetizer, Georgia was the main course, then Texas is a that dessert at the carry-in that you don’t want any part of. Texas is full of playmakers and as mentioned before play a connected brand of football. Despite the loss the Texas defense was able to force Carson Beck into three interceptions while holding Vanderbilt to 269 yards of total offense. If Warner is the starter in place of DJ Lagway, then it will be imperative that he is decisive, and gets the ball out quickly with confidence. Should Lagway play then he will certainly need to be well enough to once again allow his feet to be the difference as finding opportunities for the long ball could be few and far between. If the Gators can continue to get the run game going with their bevy of backs, they may be able to sneak one over the top late. The Gator offensive line has improved and ran the ball effectively against the stalwart defensive lines of Kentucky and Georgia.   The Skinny: The Gator football program received some news yesterday that Billy Napier will return for the 2025 season. Whether the news is good or bad would depend on who you ask. What you do have is a team that is totally bought into what Napier is selling and the team has consistently raised its level of play since early October. Going on the road and throwing up duds looks to be a thing of the past for this football team and a trip to Austin could be another example that Napier may be heading in the right direction. Unfortunately for the Gators they may have to try to go at it with CEO in the making Yale transfer Aiden Warner at quarterback. The offense took a visible step back when Lagway left the game last week but the team moral did not and that is admirable. Down to putting spectators Quincy Wilson and Teez Tabor in the game, the cornerback position was on life support as well. Despite that the team played hard and I suspect that they will do so again regardless if Lagway is available for the early start. Games like this are tough because the prediction should come with an asterisk. If Lagway plays and can move, the Gators could find a way to keep it interesting.  If he doesn’t the defense of Texas and either quarterback may be too much for Napier and company this time. See you next year in Gainesville Longhorns, it could be a different story.   Prediction: Texas 35 Florida 14/*Texas 35 Florida 27   *If Lagway plays

DJ Lagway still a game time decision. By Loren Meadows, GatorBaitMedia.com , Football Analyst -Austin, Texas Going into todays games against the Texas Longhorns all the focus has been placed on the availability of freshman quarterback DJ Lagway who left the Georgia game with a hamstring injury in the 2nd Quarter. Lagway warmed up with the team and while the arm is still there his mobility looked limited and his prospects for the game still seem to be up in the air. The Gators offense did receive a double blow on the offensive side of the ball as it was announced that receiver Elijah Badger and offensive lineman Damien George Jr. would be out today's contest. That gives the Gators a total of 12 players unavailable for today's contest in Austin. Should Lagway be unable to go it looks like walk-on quarterback Aiden Warner will be the Gator starter and take on the nations top defense. The Gators do have transfer quarterback Clay Millen available to take snaps as well. Millen started more than 10 games during his time at Colorado State and will be available if needed. Defensively the Gators will be limited in the secondary without Jason Marshall Jr., Devin Moore, and Jakeem Jackson. The Gators will have cornerback Dijon Johnson available in some capacity but how effective he will be is yet to be seen. Johnson left the game with an undisclosed injury in the second half of the Georgia game. A win today would give Billy Napier his highest ranked win of his Florida tenure. Napier received a vote of confidence from Athletic Director Scott Stricklen who noted in an email to fans that Napier is likely to return for the 2025 season. Kickoff is set for 11am Central Time/12pm Eastern.