Kelly Rae Finley enters year four with two more All-Americans to bolster a talented versatile roster. By Loren Meadows, GatorBaitMedia.com Kelly Rae Finley and guard Kenza Salgues (Chris Spears photo) The Florida Gators enter the 2024-2025 season with arguably the most talented roster in school history. The roster a collection of experienced players, solid transfers, and highly touted freshman has made the Florida Gators one of the most intriguing teams in the SEC. In her fourth season Kelly Rae Finley continues to preach aggressive defense accompanied by free-flowing offense to create a basketball team that is self-less and plays with control. In their exhibition game against Flagler last Wednesday the Gators received scoring from 11 of 12 players to dominate Flagler 85-46 in an impressive opening effort.    Under Finley the Gators have experienced historic success winning 57 percent of their games advancing to the postseason in three consecutive years. The Gators advanced to the quarterfinals of the SEC tournament for the second time in two years and secured two wins in the tournament for the first time in 27 years. Last years graduating class was highlighted by three players playing professionally with Leilani Correa being named the SEC Sixth Woman of the Year before being drafted by the Indiana Fever in the WNBA draft.   The Gators have also experienced recruiting success under Finley signing three of the four McDonald’s All-Americans in school history and the tenth best recruiting class in 2024. For 2024 Finley signed Liv McGill, the highest rated recruit in program history as well as fellow All-American Me’Arah O’Neal and highly touted Kylee Kitts from Oviedo, Florida. Finley has also excelled at recruiting international talent with players from France, Spain and Switzerland on the roster and transfers that add scoring and depth to the roster.    Probable Starters: G Liv McGill (Fr.), G Laila “LaiRey” Reynolds (So.), G Jeriah Warren (Sr.), G/F Me’Arah “Meezy” O’Neal (Fr.), C Ra’Shaya “Big Shay” Kyle (Sr.)   Reserves: F Alexia Gassett (Sr.) F Eriny Kindred (Sr.), G Daviane “ Davi” Mindoudi Ongkabahoumb (Fr.), G Kenza Salgues (Gr.), G Alexia Dizeko (Sr.), G Paige Clausen (Sr.), G/F Kylee Kitts (Fr.)   2024-2025 Roster   #3 Alexia Gassett (6-2, Senior): A transfer from Louisville, Ohio native Alexia Gassett brings an athletic, physical brand of basketball to the Gators. Gassett played in 31 games at Louisville and her experience and high basketball IQ make her a nice complement to her teammates on the floor. A willing rebounder and defender, Gassett grabbed over 1,000 rebounds in high school. She is also one of the Gators faster players and will be an asset in the Gators transition heavy offense. Coach Finley describes Gassett as “a positive high energy player that values rebounding”.   #5 Kylee Kitts (6-4, Freshman)- Kitts is a versatile player that can play both the guard and forward positions. Ranked the #25 player in the Class of 2025, Kitts reclassified to the Class of 2024. In 2022 Kitts led Faith Christian Academy to the Florida state championship with 10 pints, 10 rebounds and three blocks. If not for her reclassification Kitts would have possibly been the fourth McDonalds All-American recruited by Finley during her tenure at Florida.    #6 Kenza Salgues­ (5-9, Graduate):  Hailing from Montpelier, France Salgues is one of the returning players for Finley’s team who will play a more expanded role this season. Salgues will play the combo guard role managing both the point and two guards spots for the Gators. One of the more vocal players on the team Salgues brings experience to the roster as well as the ability to knock down three-point shots. An ability that will be key for the Gators this season.    #8 Me’Arah O’Neal (6-4, Freshman)- Me’Arah has a versatile game that fits well in the Gators system. Me’Arah possesses the ability to handle the ball, shoot from deep and midrange, post up and is a gifted passer. She also has the ability to block and effect shots on defense and recorded two block in the exhibition game against Flagler. Me’Arah was rated the 3rd best prospect in the state of Texas and led Episcopal High School in Houston to the Southwest Preparatory Conference 4A state title. She was selected to the 2024 McDonald’s All-American Game and the 2024 Jordan Brand Classic. By the way she CAN shoot free throws.    #9 Alexia Dizeko (5-11, Senior):  Arguably the most athletic player for the Gators, former juco All-American Dizeko is another athletic player in Finley’s stable of guards. Dizeko is a great on the ball defender and excels in the open floor. Dizeko is tough enough to play the power forward position for the Gators in smaller lineups according to Finley and with Warren gives the Gators two athletic wing defenders. Dizeko was junior college All-American who was named the 2023 WBCA Two-Year College Player of the Year. She was also a member of the 2019 Angolan National Team that competed in the 2019 Women’s AfroBasket Tournament.    #12 Daviane “Davi” Mindoudi Ongkabahoumb (6-1, Freshman)- “Davi is a great shooter and super athletic and fits our style of play”, according to Finley. The 6-1 freshman from Bilbao, Spain arrived just in time for fall practice and is beginning to learn the type of basketball the Gators want to play. Davi is known for her playmaking and ability to finish at the rim.  She plays with good pace and will only get better as she continues to grow under the tutelage of the Gator staff. Davi most recently played with the Barcelona-based team, Segle XXI, where she ranked in her team's top 5 for most points, assists, steals, blocks, and rebounds.    #13 Laila Reynolds (6-1, Sophomore):  Laila Reynolds is an athletic wing that can play all five positions on the floor for the Gators. A willing defender and passer, Reynolds will be called upon to provide more scoring in her second season with the Gators. The 2023 McDonald’s All-American and just the second in program history started 31 of 32 games last season and was named to SEC’s All Freshman Team. Laila has the ability to drive the basketball as well as the creativeiness to get her own shot in midrange isolation situations. Late last season she also recorded a career-high five blocks against Ole Miss in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament.    #20 Jeriah Warren (6-0, Senior):  Known as one of the SEC’s best wing defenders. Warren, the 2021 Louisiana Miss Basketball will be called upon to provide more offensive punch for the Gators this season. A 1,500 point scorer in high school, Warren has the tools to score in double figures consistently while still maintaining her “defense first” mentality. Warren has the athletic ability to drive by defenders as well as the outside touch to force teams to respect her beyond the arc. In the exhibition against Flagler Warren scored 14 points on 5 of 10 shooting and grabbed 11 rebounds.    #21 Eriny Kindred (6-1, Senior): Avid gardener and plant lover Eriny Kindred brings size and athleticism for the Gators. With the ability to defend all five positions on the floor, the former high school track star is able to provide rebounding on both ends as well as the ability to run the floor finish at the rim. Kindred also provides veteran leadership to the Gators appearing in 60 games during her collegiate career. Kindred is the leading free throw shooter among returners on the roster shooting 77 percent last season.    #22 Paige Clausen (6-0, Senior):  A former walk-on, Clausen earned a scholarship following the 2022-2023 season. Clausen is hard worker who was a star prep player in southwest Florida. Paige brings a lunch-pail mentality to the Gators and is respected by her teammates and coaches. A great student and fan favorite, Paige spent the summer as an intern with an RBC Capital Markets in New York and has been offered to return as a full time employee after graduation.    #23 Liv McGill (5-9, Freshman): The highest rated recruit ever to sign at Florida, Liv McGill is a true point guard whose game resembles Isiah Thomas and Dawn Staley. Described as the “ultimate teammate” by Finley, McGill will be tasked as the primary ball handler and catalyst for the Gator offense. Rated as the nation’s seventh ranked recruit Liv was a McDonald’s All-American and Jordan Brand Classic participant in 2024. As a prep star she led Hopkins High School in Minneapolis to the 4A state title game in 2022 and 2023, winning the title in 2022. This summer Liv represented USA Basketball as a member of the FIFA U18 Women’s Basketball AmeriCup Team that won gold in Bucaramanga, Colombia. Liv plays with pace, and is extremely vocal despite this being her first collegiate season.    #24 Ra Shaya Kyle (6-6, Senior):  “Big Shay” returns from a season-ending knee injury in 2023 prepared to pick up where she left off. The former 5-star recruit from Marion, Indiana is one the SEC’s best post-players and prior to injury was on her way to possible post season honors. The 6-6 center has been applauded by coaches for her attitude, communication on the floor, and leadership off it. Shay returned with a 21 point outing in the Gators exhibition game against Flagler and adding 10 rebounds. A traditional center Shay has developed a mid-range shot to complement her post play. Before her injury Shay had scored in double figures in 79% of the games she played, shooting 58.1 percent from the field, with seven double-doubles in 7 of 14 games last season.    Florida center Ra Shaya "Big Shay" Kyle (Chris Spears photo) Quotables:   Kelly Rae Finley on her team- “We want to create elite habits for our freshman. Defense and rebounding will be something that we continue to harp on”.   The Florida Gators open the season tonight against Florida Atlantic at 7pm in the O’Connell Center.

Walter Clayton Jr. (1) takes on the role of point guard for the 21st-ranked Gators (UAA Photo) The Gators open their 2024-25 basketball season tonight (8:30 p.m., SEC Network) in Jacksonville with South Florida with expectations as high as they’ve been in five years. Florida starts the new season ranked 21st, the first time the Gators have started a season ranked since 2019-20 when they began ranked sixth.   That team, coached by Mike White, never played to its potential. By the time December rolled around, the Gators were unranked, never to regain a place in the top 25 again. Despite a talented roster that included future NBA players Andrew Nembhard, Keyontae Johnson and Tre Mann, the season ended in disappointment, the combination of a 19-12 season and the entire postseason nationally cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.   So much has changed since then. White left Florida for the Georgia job after losing to Texas A&M in the 2022 SEC Basketball Tournament in Tampa. Todd Golden was hired from San Francisco and after two years of steady improvement, he has the Gators poised to take the next steps toward regaining Florida’s status as one of the nation’s elite programs.   Golden’s teams have never had a problem scoring points but getting stops hasn’t always been easy. That’s why so much emphasis has been placed on defense in the preseason. Golden still expects the Gators to play fast and score plenty, but he also expects better effort on the defensive end.   “Our goal internally is to be a top 40 defense,” Golden said last week. “I think we were 91, 92 or 93 last year on KenPom, so that’s a big jump. That’s not going to be easy to do, but I think that if we’re able to accomplish that, it’ll give us a good landing spot where we want to go.”   Where the Gators want to go is deep into the NCAA Tournament. Last season ended in the first round when the Gators lost to a good Colorado team 102-100 on a last second shot. In that game, the Gators shot 51.5 percent overall from the field and 44 percent from the 3-point line. That should have been good enough to score a win, but Colorado shot 63 percent overall and 60 percent from the 3-point line.   In preparation for the season, the Gators played two scrimmages, the first against Florida International and the second against College of Charleston. Against FIU, Golden thought the Gators needed better rebounding and defense. There was marked improvement in those areas against Charleston.   “I thought we weren’t necessarily great in our first scrimmage, some positive things, but some things we could do better,” Golden said. “I thought we were better this past Saturday, just more complete, a little more physical, better on the glass. Looked more like the group we want to be over the course of the year.”   Last year’s leading rebounder Tyrese Samuel used up his eligibility and 7-1 Micah Handlogten will take a redshirt this year as he continues to rehab and strengthen a leg broken against Auburn in the SEC Tournament championship game. The replacements in the starting lineup will be sophomore Alex Condon and Washington State transfer Rueben Chinyelu. Condon and Chinyelu are both good rim protectors. Condon is expected to take a big leap when it comes to scoring, while Chinyelu is very defensive minded in the paint. They are backed up by 6-9 Thomas Hauck and 6-9 Chattanooga transfer Sam Alexis.   On the perimeter, the Gators will go with a starting lineup of Walter Clayton Jr. at the point with Will Richard and Florida Atlantic transfer Alijah Martin on the wings. Clayton, who led the Gators in scoring a year ago (17.6 per game), will spend more time at the point this year after spending last year as a combo. Martin averaged 13.1 points and 5.9 rebounds for a Florida Atlantic team that was a  year removed from a Final Four appearance. Richard, who averaged 11.4 per game, has rectified some mechanical issues that caused him to be a streaky shooter a year ago. A regular in the rotation will be junior Denzel Aberdeen, who plays the point primarily but can sub all three perimeter positions.      FLORIDA: 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)   SOUTH FLORIDA: Jamille Reynolds (6-11, 275, SR); Brandon Stroud (6-6, 215, GR); Kobe Knox (6-5, 195, RJR); Kasen Jennings (6-3, 202, GR); Jayden Reid (5-10, 161, SO)

Ja'Kobi Jackson scores on a 15-yard run in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 20-20 (Gator Bait Photo by Chris Spears) JACKSONVILLE -- Saturday, Georgia did what it came to Jacksonville to do, which was beat the Florida Gators for the fourth straight year and seventh time in the last eight meetings. The Bulldogs are the No. 2 ranked team in the country. They’re supposed to beat unranked teams and they left EverBank Stadium with a 34-20 win. They came within one yard (455-228) of doubling up Florida’s offensive output and held a 7-minute advantage in time of possession.   On paper, that’s domination, but if you watched the game, whether at the stadium or on your big screen at home, it had a different feel to it even after DJ Lagway was carted off the field in the second quarter with what Billy Napier termed a soft tissue injury. The Gators were ahead 10-3 when Lagway left the game with 5:06  remaining in the first half. That should have spelled curtains for the Gators, who had to rely on redshirt freshman Aidan Warner, a walk-on transfer from Ivy League Yale the rest of the way.   But a funny thing happened on the way to unmitigated disaster for the Gators. They hung in there. Even with a limited passing game once Lagway was gone. Even with a bad snap on a field goal that skidded 30 yards past holder Jeremy Crawshaw and kicker Trey Smack that might have given the Gators a 16-13 lead in the third quarter. Even with corners and safeties that kept dropping like flies on an already injury-decimated roster.   Florida hung in there. “I think our plan was working well, and really continued to work well on defense and the kicking game, and even on offense to some degree at times,” Napier said. “I thought third down was a challenge today. But, yeah, just overall the effort, the physicality, fundamentals at the point of attack, I thought we were in position for sure.” It wasn’t until the final five minutes of the game that Georgia fans could start plotting a celebration rendzevous at Stuckey’s in Hahira. Florida finally wore down allowing Georgia to score a couple of touchdowns in the final five minutes to seal the win allowing Georgia (7-1, 5-1 SEC) to move a step closer to playing in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game and the College Football Playoff.   Georgia can spin this all it wants that it was simply a tough win over a fired-up opponent in a rivalry game, but this much we know: Florida went toe-to-toe with Georgia and despite some insisting that it was a bad day at the office for the Bulldogs doesn’t change the fact the Gators (4-4, 2-3 SEC) had a legitimate chance to win this football game. Luck had nothing to do with it either. Basically, the only thing luck had to something to do with was injuries, which made the Gators look like a team in serious need of a M*A*S*H unit. On one series, for example, three members of the secondary went down.   Yet with all the Florida injuries, Georgia didn’t know it had the game in the bag until a couple of minutes before the scoreboard clocks flatlined at 00:00. Although badly bruised and worn down, the Gators refused to quit.   For quite some time we’ve been hearing Billy Napier insist that he has Florida on the right track to put the football program back on the championship footing it enjoyed from 1990-2010. Saturday might have swayed some of the naysayers into believing that even with a depleted roster the Gators are capable of hanging with the best teams in the Southeastern Conference. Put a healthy Florida team on the field and the Gators just might be capable of finishing the deal and beating any team in the league.   Florida could have won this game with the two-headed quarterback monster of Graham Mertz and Lagway. Florida could have won the game with only Lagway. Florida damn near won the game with a Yalie who threw two of the worst looking passes any Florida quarterback has thrown since the days of Bobby Sablehaus.   Florida’s defense may have given up 455 yards including 309 through the air, but they picked off Carson Beck three times. In the second quarter the Georgia QB couldn’t have read a defense spelled cat if you had spotted him the c, the a and the t. When Lagway went down, the Gators had Georgia on the ropes. A Devin Moore interception and 32-yard runback led to a 43-yard Lagway-to-Aidan Mizell bomb for the TD that put the Gators ahead 7-3 with 13:42 left in the half.   On Georgia’s next possession, Aaron Gates picked off Beck, which led to the Gators driving all the way to the Georgia 14. When the drive stalled three yards and three plays later, Smack came on to kick a 32-yard field goal with 7:02 remaining in the half for a 10-3 lead.   One series after the Lagway injury, the offense gave Georgia a short field to work with, but once again the defense wouldn’t break, forcing Georgia to kick a 53-yard field goal with 43 seconds left in the half. The Gators had an answer for that, too. Ja’Kobi Jackson, whose role has increased due to injuries to Montrell Johnson Jr. and Treyaun Webb, ran for 32 yards and Warner completed a 9-yard pass to Chimere Dike to set up a 53-yard field goal by Smack with three seconds left in the half.   A 13-6 lead with Warner at QB seemed precarious, especially in the third quarter when the offensive limitations kept the defense out there way too long. Georgia outscored the Gators 14-0 and had a yardage advantage of 136-10, but the Bulldogs couldn’t put the game away.   When it was 13-13, the Gators had a chance to regain the lead, but then came the disaster on special teams when Rocco Underwood skidded a rocket of a snap past Crawshaw and Smack on what would have been a 51-yard field goal attempt. With possession back at the Florida 36, Georgia converted the short field into a 3-play touchdown drive for a 20-13 lead. Aidan Warner (16) gets a clean pocket to work with in the fourth quarter (Gator Bait Photo by Chris Spears) At that point it seemed the Gators were on the ropes, weak-kneed and ready to drop, but they rallied. Warner and Elijhah Badger connected for 26 yards and Jackson did the rest, finishing off a 5-play drive with a 15-yard touchdown run with 7:29 left.   This is when the Gators finally gave out of gas. Georgia drove 75 yards on seven plays, its only impressive scoring drive of the day to take the lead at 27-20. The final touchdown was a gimme in desperation time.     Georgia’s bad boys who most likely lead the country in arrests won the game. That can’t be disputed, but Florida could have and perhaps should have won even with all the injuries. Imagine what could happen if the Gators were healthy. Perhaps there is something to Napier’s belief that the game hasn’t evolved to the point that championships are unattainable with rosters filled with Boy Scouts. “I think we have really impressive kids,” Napier said. “I think we have some unbelievable human beings on our team. We don't have a distraction. We don't have one guy that's not compliant. We have no discipline issues. “We got a group that shows up on time; they work. I think the leaders on our team have done a great job holding people accountable. It's becoming the expectation. Ultimately, when it starts to work and you play toe to toe with some of the better teams you start to believe. For the first time since I've been the head coach here we showed up and we believed we could beat that team.” Winning starts with believing and belief removes doubt. The Gators who were so decisively beaten by Miami and Texas A&M played like a team filled with doubts. The team that should have beaten Tennessee played like a team beginning to believe in itself. The team that had Georgia on the ropes believed but in the end the rash of injuries did them in. “I think ultimately belief is probably the most powerful in the final value relative to what we teach,” Napier said. “You got to have integrity. You got to be together. You got to have discipline. You got to have effort and toughness. If you do all of those things consistently, then the product starts to look the way it should look and there is a level of belief that comes with that. “I think we have gotten to that point.” However powerful belief may be, is it enough to carry the Gators to at least one win from the 3-game gauntlet that begins next Saturday at No. 5 Texas followed by home games with No. 14 LSU and No. 16 Ole Miss? Is there enough belief among the boosters that write big checks and the Florida administration that Billy Napier has the Gators moving in the right direction that they will cut him some slack? Only time will tell, but for a Saturday afternoon in Jacksonville, the Gators stated their case that they not only believe, but they're capable of sticking with the No. 2 team in the country.

Florida shows grit and determination despite key injuries to take Georgia to the brink. By Loren Meadows, GatorBaitMedia.com , Football Analyst Derek Wingo and the Florida defense made life hard for Carson Beck (Chris Spears photo) Florida arrived at the Cocktail Party without it’s starting quarterback, running back, two corners and a Partridge in a pear tree with a mindset to make a statement regardless of who was suiting up. Losers of three straight in this series, the Gators have clearly been playing better of late and coming off a bye week was preceded by a dominant performance against Kentucky. The Gators were poised to go toe to toe with the #2 team in the nation and put the rest of the SEC on notice. While Billy Napier has been under fire for most of the season, his team has continued to play with energy, a commitment to one another, steadily becoming one of the SEC’s most improved teams. DJ Lagway would be making just his second conference start but has displayed a confidence not seen by many freshman and definitely not those in the SEC. Florida would play well in this game and make life difficult for the Georgia Bulldogs in what would be an entertaining game.    What We Thought: The Gators have been playing much better on both sides of the ball but the defense had shown the most improvement. Playing a simpler brand of football, the defense was playing with better alignment and technique leading to a more physical, aggressive bunch. Napier had changed the way the team practices, creating a more competitive environment built on accountability which seemed to benefit the team as a whole. In Georgia, the Gators would be facing a highly skilled bunch led by quarterback Carson Beck who had struggled to find a rhythm early in games throwing nine interceptions this season. The Gators would look to force Beck into off-platform throws that would lead to mistakes that would keep Florida in the game despite being matched up against a more talented team. Georgia had also struggled to run the football and if Florida could continue to play well against the run the defense could force Georgia to become one-dimensional and stay in attack mode creating havoc in the Georgia backfield on passing downs.   Offensively, DJ Lagway would be making his first start in this rivalry and despite the talent of the Georgia defense his dual-threat ability would be key. While Lagway was leading the FBS in throws of 20+ yards, it would be his legs that would prove to be key. With Montrell Johnson Jr. not ready to return and Jaden Baugh and Jakobi Jackson playing well, Lagway as a runner would be another part of the offensive gameplan that Georgia would have to account for. If the running game could be successful Lagway would be able to get the ball to Chimere Dike and Elijah Badger over the top of the Florida defense and keep the Georgia defense guessing.    What We Got: The Florida Gators had a solid game plan and looked on their way to possibly changing their fortunes. Then the injuries started to pile up and none was more important than Lagway who left the game in the second quarter with what looked like a hamstring injury. Until that point the Gators led 10-3, surrendered no sacks and had forced Carson Beck into two interceptions where he looked under attack and confused. The loss of Lagway left the Gators with walk-on Aiden Warner to lead the team. While Warner did produce two drives that produced ten points, the loss of arguably the best freshman signal-caller at Florida since Tebow was tough on the offense. Defensively, the “creeper” defense was playing some of its best football again. The Gators pressured Beck and were able to keep the running game at bay in order to force Beck into third and long situations and get off the field on key third downs. The defense, like the offense, was bitten by the injury bug and that proved to be key in the game. The Gators found themselves without their top for corners by the end of the contest and were so depleted that Trikweze Bridges, a natural safety, was moved to corner to finish the game. While Carson Beck was 25 of 40 for 309 yards and two touchdowns, it was the three interceptions that made Beck’s day look like empty calories if not for the injuries. The loss of Lagway and others clearly determined the outcome of this game. Freshman running back Jaden Baugh (Chris Spears photo) The Skinny: “We are at the University of Florida, no moral victories”, stated receiver Chimere Dike. The Florida-Georgia game is a must win, and a fourth straight loss will not sit well with those that love and support this program. There is however an asterisk that can be applied to the 2024 edition and that is what could have and what should have been. In sports there are moments where on one day it all comes together. All the planets align, and every bounce of the ball seems to go your way. It looked like the Gators were headed for one of those magical nights and then the football gods reared their ugly head once again. When asked if his team was snake bit Napier responded “I don’t believe in that.” What Napier does believe in is the systems that his organization has in place and the group of young men that he has in his locker room. While many have been critical of Napier and even called him aloof, the team has improved and you can visibly observe a football team that believes in what the coaching staff is teaching. The Gators showed up at the playground ready to take out their next door neighbor and nearly pulled off the feat. While Georgia has also dealt with key injuries, those have been injuries that have allowed the team to deal with over time. The Gators lost their ammo in real time and unfortunately it was tough to reload on the fly. Napier spoke of the character and ability of his team stating, “Ultimately, when it starts to work and you play toe to toe with some of the better teams you start to believe. For the first time since I've been the head coach here, we showed up and we believed we could beat that team.” Nothing could have been more honest. Maybe the things that the outside world never gets to see that are going on inside the Heavener Center are leaning toward a program that is on the cusp of a major turnaround. A belief in one another, a team that plays with poise, character and truly understands the next man up mentality. While it is normal to analyze the x and o’s, lets tip our hat to the jimmy’s and joe’s. What could have been, but hey, what might be?   Final Score: Georgia 34 Florida 20 (Prediction Georgia 35 Florida 17)

Billy tried to look at it philosophically, but it was a painful gut punch.

Florida is looking to snap a three-game skid in the series. By Loren Meadows, GatorBaitMedia.com , Football Analyst JACKSONVILLE--The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party is center stage in Duval County and both teams arrived with the fanfare that brought back memories at the height of this rivalry. Both teams are coming of bye weeks that followed big conference wins. Georgia looks to have righted the ship a little after the early conference loss to Alabama. While the Gators are in the middle of a possible rebound, with its offense and defense playing much better in the last four contests. Florida quarterback DJ Lagway has become the full-time starter for the Gators due to the abscence of Graham Mertz. Lagway was impressive in his first SEC start two weeks ago, throwing for 259 against Kentucky which at the time had the SEC's third best passing defense. Lagway completed throws of 40 yards or more to three different receivers and leads the FBS in 20-plus-yard completion percentage at 63.2%. Chimere Dike and Elijah Badger have emerged as Lagway's top targets and the Gators have six different receivers that have caught a touchdown pass. Badger leads the FBS with 23.8 yards per catch while Dike ranks fifth (20.0). The running game should recieve a boost from the return of Montrell Johnson, who has been the lead back for the Gators the past two seasons and was absent against Kentucky. The loss of Johnson for the week allowed freshman Jaden Baugh to make his presence known in epic fashion. Baugh rushed for 106 yards and five touchdowns against Kentucky, tying a school record that was held by Trey Burton and Tim Tebow. In their first starts together, Lagway and Baugh became the first freshmen to start in the backfield together in school history. Georgia is looking to play mistake-free football in an effort not to give the Florida defense any momentum early in the game. Georgia has struggled to run the football and the Gators have had their share of struggles stopping it. Something will need to give in that area. For the Gators, hot starts have not been a problem in the past few seasons, but holding on has. They will look to make their freshman signal caller as comfortable as they can with a simplistic but agressive attack and take advantage of his ability to get the ball down field. If Lagway can limit mistakes and keep the Georgia defense at bay, then the Gator defense could be in a good position to play rested and with the energy they have shown in the past three weeks. Who ends up being left with the bill at the Cocktail Party?

The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party will be a tough one for the Gators and their young quarterback to have a good time. By Loren Meadows, GatorBaitMedia.com , Football Analyst Albert The Alligator (Chris Spears photo) Georgia Offense   Key Players-#15 QB Carson Beck (6-4, 220, Sr.), #1 RB Trevor Etienne (5-9, 205, Jr.) #3 RB Nate Frazier (5-10, 210 Fr.), #11 WR Arian Smith (6-0, 185, Sr.), #6 WR Dominic Lovett (5-10, 187, Sr.), #86 WR Dillon Bell (6-1, 210, Jr.), #7 TE Lawson Luckie (6-4, 240, So.) #69 OL Tate Ratledge (6-6, 320, Sr.)   Matchups To Watch: Trevor Etienne v. Florida Linebackers, Beck v. Armstrong and Roberts   The personnel that Georgia is able to put on the field reads like a who’s who of former five star recruits who have all enjoyed success early and often in their careers. Carson Beck was an early Heisman candidate and leads one of the nation’s top offenses. Beck is long with a compact release and despite early struggles is still thought to be one of the nation’s top QB’s when he is at the top of his game. Beck has been hot and cold in games indicated by his less than 2 to 1 touchdown to interception ratio (15 TD, 8 int). Despite his struggles, which often happen early in games, Beck has mastered the ability to right the ship and get the Georgia offense going.    A familiar if not unpopular face leads the Georgia rushing attack in former Gator Trevor Etienne. The controversial transfer has found a home in the Georgia backfield and leads Georgia in every rushing category this season. Thought by many to be a transcendent back in line with Gator greats Etienne broke the hearts of many with is unexpected decision to leave Gainesville. Now in Athens Etienne can also affect the game as a pass catcher with 20 catches on the season and providing a safety valve for Beck on key third downs. Beck’s main targets are a quartet of able bodied fast and physical receivers. Arian Smith, Dominic Lovett, and Dillon Bell all average more than ten yards per catch and have become the focal point of an improving Georgia passing attack. Smith is more adept on the outside and is a solid route runner. Lovett does most of his damage in the slot and with 42 collegiate games under his belt is no stranger to big boy football. Bell is the biggest of the trio and along with 26 receptions will carry the ball on jet sweeps and other gadget plays. Lawson Luckie takes over at tight end for former Georgia and current Las Vegas Raider Brock Bowers. In his first year as a starter Lawson has 12 catches for 162 yards and three touchdowns. The Georgia offensive line could receive a boost as Preseason All-American guard Tate Ratledge could make his return after a four week absence. Listed as probable for The Cocktail Party his availability could help a Georgia rushing attack ranked 14th in the SEC.    The Florida defense has been playing better the last few weeks of this season. So well that the Gators could be on a four game winning streak going in to this contest. Word is that the defense went through a major simplification at the request of the players themselves. While many may question the process, the ability to listen to the combatants themselves is admirable in a coaching staff and the results speak for themselves. Georgia however is a different animal and with a future first rounder at quarterback and one of the best offensive lines in the country, this will be the best the Gators have faced this season. Georgia creates mismatches with formations and motions that gave the Gators fits against other opponents this season and the Gators have yet to play well against a solid passer as well. Etienne can be a nightmare in the open field but struggled during his time in Gainesville to be a consistent pass blocker. Look for Austin Armstrong and Ron Roberts to try to get to third down and find out if Etienne has improved. It is tough to believe that Shemar James and others won’t be looking forward to meeting their former teammate in the backfield. The versatility of edge rusher George Gumbs to rush and drop into coverage could be key in disguising fronts and coverages and possibly force Beck into mistakes early. Unfortunately the Gators will be without two of its top three corners as Ja’Keem Jackson and Jason Marshall Jr. are out for this week. This leaves Devin Moore, Dijon Johnson and Cormani McClain to handle the experienced Georgia receivers. The key to all of it could be the Gator defensive line that has been improved lately. Can they stop the run and make the Georgia offense one dimensional?   Georgia Defense Key Players-#13 DL Mykel Williams (6-5, 265, Jr.) #24 S Malaki Starks (6-1, 205, Jr.) #17 DB Dan Jackson (6-1, 195, R-Sr.) #11 LB Jalon Walker (6-2, 245, Jr.), #78 Nazir Stackhouse (6-3, 320, Sr.) #3 LB CJ Allen (6-1, 235, So.), #98 DL Tyrien Dawkins-Ingram (6-5, 280, R-Jr.) #6 DB Daylen Everette (6-1, 190, Jr.)   Matchups To Watch:  DJ Lagway v. Kirby (Smart), Mykel Williams v. Florida Tackles, Dike and Badger v. Georgia Secondary   The depth and talent are plentiful with this group. The have the best defensive line in the SEC if not the country and the emergence of Mykell Williams as one of the nation’s top edge rushers has given the group even more punch. The group is big, fast, and disciplined. A great combination for a defense but bad news for the opponent. Nazir Stackhouse anchors a group that is giving up just 107 yards per game rushing and averaging almost seven tackles for loss. The defense has been without defensive mainstays Smael Mondon and Warren Brinson most of the season but Tyrien Dawkins-Ingram has emerged with three sacks and eight tackles for loss. The linebackers remain solid despite Mondon’s absence. Jalon Walker has 5.5 sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss and continues to improve. Linebacker CJ Allen is also playing well in his first season as a starter, and had six tackles in the Georgia win over Texas.    The secondary is full of playmakers and it begins and ends with Malaki Starks. Essentially a starter for Georgia since his first day on campus Starks has been one of the nation’s best for three seasons. He is on every major award list outside of the Heisman Trophy and leads Georgia in both tackles and interceptions. Dan Jackson is a head hunter on the back end and is a nice complement to the star power of Starks. Cornerback Daylen Everette is one of the SEC’s top corners and has over 20 starts in his career. He had a forced fumble, fumble recovery, and an interception in the win against Texas.    While the Kentucky defense was the appetizer, Georgia is the main course. This will be best defense the Gators have faced all season despite what the numbers may indicate. While some defenses may be better with the first offering it’s the side dishes that make the Georgia crew top notch. The defensive line is six to seven deep, linebackers four to five players deep, and the secondary can throw eight capable bodies at any offense. The individual matchups will be key here. Tackle Austin Barber will be in his hometown of Jacksonville facing the nation’s best in Williams. Center Jake Slaughter will be looking to throw down with Dawkins-Ingram and Stackhouse. The Gator running backs will have a hefty task when it comes to finding running room against Walker and Allen. Can Chimere Dike and Elijah Badger continue to make big plays against Starks and Everette and the depth of the Georgia secondary? The main event will be freshman DJ Lagway in his first Cocktail Party against Kirby Smart has made life hard on more seasoned quarterbacks and Lagway will certainly have to adjust to pre and post snap looks he has certainly never seen before. Georgia will look to confuse Lagway early and allow the talent of the defense to take over. Billy Napier and his staff will be challenged to find a gameplan that can utilize the feet of his quarterback while consistently staying on schedule with the offensive gameplan.   Lagway and company will be tested on Saturday (Chris Spears photo) The Skinny: This is the 102nd meeting between the two teams and the 92nd time the game will be played on the banks of the St. Johns River. While Georgia has dominated lately the struggles of Georgia offensively have many believing that if the ball bounces a certain way Florida could spring an upset. The Gators looked impressive in dominating a team that Georgia beat by one point in Kentucky but I encourage those that may be using comparative analysis to beware, Football doesn’t work that way. Styles make fights, and Georgia is built to hit all the pressure points of the Gator offense and defense. Bigger more physical football teams have had their way with the Gators under Billy Napier and outside of 2022’s Utah contest, 2023 Tennessee, and Kentucky two weeks ago the gators have shown up to most contest such as this failing to land any body blows or counterpunches for that matter. Napier and staff deserve all the credit for holding this team together while many have been waiting for the Sunday after Thanksgiving for the winds to change. The team and his “organization” believe in what they are doing and the players have even shown empowerment from it. Unfortunately for the Gators the St. Johns River is one of seven major rivers in the U.S. to flow upstream and upstream is where they will need to play to pull this off. The crew is willing but the ship just isn’t quite ready to make the trip. The Gators show up but Georgia has too much bite and pulls away late.    Prediction: Georgia 35 Florida 17

Let’s start with the obvious. Whether you’re in Jacksonville Saturday or soaking up the Florida-Georgia game on your big screen at home, you’ll see countless Georgia fans emblazoned with D-a-w-g-s across their chests. As a Gator fan you have the right to feel a bit snooty when you see that. We are Gators. We went to college. It’s D-o-g-s. Let the big dog spell.   If we go by the oddsmakers in Las Vegas who believe 2nd-ranked Georgia (6-1, 4-1 SEC) is going to obliterate the unranked Florida Gators (4-3, 2-2 SEC) then feeling snooty about Florida’s academics and overall superior athletic department might be the only win the Gators secure this weekend. Georgia is favored by 14.5 points but it should be noted that the spread has dipped 3.5 points just since Sunday. So, the money says the Gators will be a teensy bit more competitive in Jacksonville.   Competitive enough to spring an upset? Georgia fans and most of the national media would tell you that would take a miracle of walking on the water proportions. Weren’t we thinking the same thing when Vanderbilt knocked off Alabama just one week after the Crimson Tide kneecapped Georgia, 41-34?   So it’s possible. Probable? Hardly, but possible for sure.   There was a time when Georgia fans thought the same thing about the Florida Gators. From 1990-2010 Steve Spurrier (11-1), Ron Zook (2-1) and Urban Meyer made it one of their life goals to do whatever it took to crush Georgia like cockroaches. Since Urb called it quits as a Gator, things have tilted strongly in Georgia’s favor, particularly since Kirby Smart took over in 2016. Kirby is 6-2 against Florida and he brings a 3-game winning streak into Saturday’s game (3:30 p.m., ABC).   Kirby is irritating and not just because he’s had Florida’s number in such a big way or that he’s won national championships (2021, 2022) while the Gator Nation languishes in the thought that Billy Napier could very well become the fourth consecutive coach to go down in flames before reaching the end date on his contract. Kirby is irritating because his fine collection of big, fast human beings seem to have no regard whatsoever for the law. Break the law and Kirby might make the perp run a couple of extra laps after practice. Kirby’s seemingly nonchalant attitude about the plethora of arrests is indeed irritating but let’s face it, he understands that the majority of college football championships are won by teams who do the best job of integrating a handful of high character Boy Scouts with a locker room of borderline psychopaths. He’s got a locker room filled with guys who fit that profile perfectly.   At Florida, Billy Napier seems to have the Boy Scout thing down pat. Gators go to class and they’re good citizens. Can these same good citizens  foam at the mouth as soon as they take the field? Back in the day, Florida  had the ultimate Boy Scout and more than a few who were all too familiar with a police blotter. It was easy to overlook the transgressions because the Gators were winning.   If you took a poll of Georgia fans, most would probably blame the media for blowing all the arrests out of proportion. Boys will be boys and they’ve got way too much testosterone, which is why they’re such good football players.  They do indeed think Florida’s irritation with Kirby is nothing more than a case of jealousy, claiming Kirby is simply following Urban Meyer’s uber-successful plan to win. Urban had two national championships in six years, going 65-15 without the benefit of the College Football Playoff. Kirby has two national championships in eight years and the playoff has gotten him to the national championship game two other times.   For now, at least, Georgia is what Jerry Clower once called “the tall hog at the trough.” Georgia is indeed the tallest hog in the SEC. Everybody else is trying to catch up. It has taken Kirby Smart eight years to achieve icon status in Athens. He’s 100-17 in just eight years on the job. Georgia legend Vince Dooley needed 25 years to go 201-77-10 and he only won one national championship.   Kirby has it going so well that Georgia ranks fifth nationally in athletic department revenue (approximately $210 million). Florida, meanwhile isn’t floundering, but the $189 million UF brings in pales in comparison, not just to Georgia but to SEC financial behomoths Texas A&M ($279 million) and Texas ($271 million). Now, Texas A&M and Texas are in a different stratosphere since they can ask boosters to drill another oil well or frack up some natural gas. Georgia’s $21 million advantage over Florida has everything to do with winning football games.   Ron Zook, who recruited so many of Steve Spurrier’s 1996 national championship team and 20 of the 22 starters on Urban Meyer’s first national title, said, “It’s not the Xs and Os, it’s the Jesses and Joes” that make championship teams. Georgia spent $5.3 million a year ago to bring in its latest crop of Jesses and Joes. Florida, on the other hand, spent $2,892,538. Georgia is in the national championship hunt. Again. Florida is hunting a catfish bowl game that will pit a pair break even teams in a bottom feeder game that will be played before January 1.   Because of championship success, Georgia has money to burn so the Gators see a playing field that isn’t anywhere close to level. Georgia starts out with a clearcut advantage because it spends more money to lure the best prospects to play in Athens. Florida increased its spending by $1.2 million from 2022 to 2023, but even with the increase Georgia still doubles Florida’s recruiting budget. Think of Georgia’s recruiting machine as a Ferrari. Think of Florida’s as a Honda Accord. Accords are certainly nice cars that will get you from point A to point B comfortably but the Ferrari will get you there in style and so much faster.   That brings us to Saturday. Can Florida’s Honda Accord somehow get to the finish line before the Georgia Ferrari? From a pure talent perspective Georgia’s Ferrari might have to throw a piston. Win or lose, Kirby Smart won’t feel the heat although the Bulldogs will have to go 4-0 the rest of November to make the College Football Playoff.   Florida, on the other hand, desperately needs to break the Georgia cycle of dominance on the field. For Florida to return to college football prominence it has to start winning big games against teams with winning records. The Gators’ have yet to beat a team with a winning record. Georgia has the look of a team ready to steamroll anything that gets in its path.   A steamroll loss will ignite the fires that burn among alumni who have given up on the notion that Billy Napier can inflate the Florida program back to a championship level. Napier needs two wins to make a bowl game, but more important, he needs to beat Georgia. Napier’s coaching seat is blowtorch hot and a win over the Bulldogs is no guarantee that he will be coaching the Gators next year. A win would, however, go a long way toward greasing the return skids among the people who write the biggest checks. A well-played close call loss might even pause some of the fire Billy rhetoric, particularly if the Gators can get to break even in their final four games.   A 6-6 season can be had if the Gators win one of the next four games (Georgia, at Texas, LSU and Ole Miss) and close out by piling on a few tons of misery to the country cousins in Tallahassee. Given the difficulty of the schedule, the improvement since the loss to Texas A&M and the potential of a light it up offense led by DJ Lagway and Jadan Baugh, a 6-6 record will almost certainly assure Napier that he will return for 2025.   But what happens if Georgia does what it’s done the last three years against the Gators and has the game won by halftime? A cash call might be in order. Napier has a $26 million buyout. Assistant coaches are on 2-year contracts so they’ll require buyout money as well, plus there is Napier’s army of analysts, consultants and recruiting specialists. Figure it will take a minimum of $40 million to jettison Napier. The ensuing coaching search and all that entails bringing in a new HBC, assistants and his personal army of analysts, consultants and recruiting specialists will require at least $50 million. Depending on the profile of the new coach, the cost could reach $60 million.   This puts Saturday’s game in a totally different light. For Georgia, it’s just another stepping stone on the way to a possible third national championship in eight years. A loss would hurt but won’t kill Georgia’s chances of the playoff or even a run at a national championship. Georgia won’t be denied a spot in the 12-team playoff field if it can finish the regular season 10-2.     Florida’s perspectives are far different. This is a potential $100 million game. A win and Billy Napier probably saves his job while also saving the UAA and boosters a cool $100 million. Florida isn’t poverty stricken and wouldn’t have to hold bake sales and car washes to fork over $100 million, but it would hurt the bottom line in a very big way.   Can the Gators do it? Can they spring the upset? The oddsmakers don’t seem to think so. You would be hard pressed to find any talking head on the networks who believe the Gators can finish the deal with a win over Georgia.   Florida’s margin for error is very small. The Gators have to play a near perfect game to leave Jacksonville with a win. They can’t turn it over. They have to effectively block the edge so that Lagway has time to throw. The defense can’t miss tackles, has to get pressure on Carson Beck and has to stuff Trevor Etienne at or near the line of scrimmage.   More important, Napier can’t afford brain fog moments like the fourth down jet sweep or the decision to kick the extra point instead of going for the win against Tennessee 20 days ago in Knoxville. This is a game in which Napier can’t roll snake eyes when he makes big decisions or else he and his band of Boy Scouts are going to lose the best chance the Gators have had to beat Georgia since 2020. He needs to coach as if he's got $100 million on the line. Win and Gator fans have a reason to feel snooty once again. Lose it and those annoying Georgia fans are going to be barking out D-a-w-g-s. They can’t spell and they’re so obnoxious.