Prediction: Florida comes to play but falls short in the Backup Bowl. By Loren Meadows, GatorBaitMedia.com, Football Analyst Florida welcomes the #5 Florida State Seminoles for an in-state showdown that throws the records out of the window. The Seminoles are looking for a berth in the College Football Playoff and would love nothing better than to cap off an undefeated season at the hands of their bitter in-state rival. This year’s game could be dubbed the “The BackUp Bowl” as both teams will turn to their second string signal callers. Florida lost quarterback Graham Mertz to a broken collarbone, while Florida State will be without quarterback Jordan Travis due to a broken leg. This twist of fate could put a different spin on both offenses and force the opposing defenses to scramble for tape that may show what both backups are capable off. Despite the loss of Travis Florida State is still equipped with one of the nation’s best run games as well as a defensive front that features two future early round drafts picks. Florida will have to find a way to breathe life into its non-existent pass rush force at least two turnovers to even the playing field. While the attention will be on the quarterbacks, the defenses are almost certain to determine the outcome of the game. Florida State Offense Key Players: #3 RB Trey Benson (6-1, 233, R-Jr.), #18 QB Tate Rodemaker (6-4, 196, R-Jr.), #9 RB Lawrence Toafili (6-0, 188, R-Jr.) WR #4 Keon Coleman (6-4, 215, Jr.) #14 WR Johnny Wilson (6-7, 237, R-Jr.) #6 TE Jaheim Bell (6-3, 239, R-Jr.) Backup quarterback Tate Rodemaker will have the nation’s 18th ranked offense at his disposal when he makes his first start on Saturday. While many of the Seminoles offensive numbers can be attributed to Travis, look for the Florida State to lean heavy on Trey Benson to carry the load. The Seminoles average rushing for 162 yards per game and will look to establish the run early to take the pressure off Rodemaker. Lawrence Toafili is a change-of-pace back and his 21 catches are the fourth highest total on the team. When the Florida State does elect to pass, the Gators will be tasked with defending arguably the best trio of receivers they have seen this season. Keon Coleman and Johnny Wilsonhave combined for over 70 catches and 13 total touchdowns. Coleman transferred from Michigan State this season and is an All-American and Biletnikoff candidate. Wilson at 6-7 presents matchup issues for any secondary but can be prone to drops. To complement the duo, out wide the Seminoles were able to lure swiss army knife Jaheim Bell from South Carolina. While listed at tight end, Bell has the versatility to line up at running back, as well as quarterback and could be called upon to change the tempo behind center with the loss of Travis’ running ability. The Gators have been less than impressive on defense all season and it will take its best effort of the season keep Florida State out of the end zone. Benson could be the best back the Gators have faced all year and his ability to run through tackles and break the home run play could be big as Florida State adjust its offensive scheme. Giving up almost 400 yards per contest, Florida has to find a way to improve on their seven total turnovers which is ranked 127th nationally. With the absence of Travis and Rodemaker less of a threat to run, the Gators will almost certainly sell out against the run and force the Seminoles to make their money through the air. Florida Head Football Coach Billy Napier (Chris Spears photo) Florida State Defense Key Players: #5 DE Jared Verse (6-4, 260, R-Jr.), #0 DT Fabian Lovett (6-4, 318, R-Jr.), #15 LB Tatum Bethune (6-1, 230, R-Sr.), #4 LB Kalen Deloach (6-1, 212, R-Sr.), #38 Shyheim Brown (6-2, 205, R-So.) This will arguably be the best defensive front the Gators have faced all season. Florida State is ranked 14th nationally in sacks and averages over six tackles for loss per game. Jared Verse has developed from Division II standout to first round draft pick. Fabian Lovett is not far behind. The duo has combined for over 27 tackles for loss and 14 sacks the past two seasons and are just as good against the run as they are rushing the passer. Behind them are two solid very experienced linebackers who have accumulated 114 tackles to lead the team. Kalen Deloach is the team’s leading tackler, and sack man. Tatum Bethune is just as adept at the position with 55 tackles, and four for loss. The pair is given free reign in defensive coordinator Adam Fuller's blitz happy scheme and could make life hard for Max Brown in his first career start. In the secondary, Lake City native Shyheim Brown has emerged as the most productive member of a unit that allows just 183 yards passing which is 15th best in the country while ranking fifth in passing efficiency defense. Coach Billy Napier expressed that it would be important to make sure that the offensive coaches found what quarterback Max Brown can do best and implement that into the game plan for Saturday. The Gators will need to make sure they stress the eye discipline of the Seminoles and allow the athletic ability of Brown to flourish. This should mean incorporating Brown in to the run game and picking their spots in the passing game. The Gators had success against the Seminoles on the ground in last year’s game and Montrell Johnson Jr. and Trevor Etienne will be tasked with getting tough yards against the Seminole front. Florida could actually find success down the field as the Florida State secondary will certainly be in the face of the Gator receivers and challenge the Gators to beat them over the top. While it can be frustrating for some the Gators will look to the horizontal passing attack that has been the most successful facet of the offense this season. Florida running back Montrell Johnson Jr. (Chris Spears photo) The Skinny: Florida needs to find a way to win this game. A bowl berth and bragging rights would put a totally different spin on the Gators' 2023 season. Despite the loss of Travis, Florida State still sees itself as a playoff and national championship contender and the Gators are simply another roadblock to overcome. This game has had some of college football’s most memorable games and moments to the benefit of both programs. This season the Seminoles have the better roster, better players, and despite the Travis’ injury the better quarterback. This is not to say Max Brown will not play well, the Gator defense unfortunately tends to make the opposing offense look better. If Graham Mertz was taking the field on Saturday and the Gator defense was playing average football, this may be a good time to call an upset. For this year’s game that is not the case and Florida State is the better football team. The crowd will be a factor early but the Seminoles take care of business and head to next week’s ACC Championship game undefeated. Prediction: Florida State 38 Florida 17

Urban Meyer | Buddy Martin | Brenden Martin talks about the Gator chances on Saturday in the Swamp

The Florida football team released its depth chart ahead of Saturday's regular season finale against Florida State. Here are some notes and observations as the Gators welcome in the No. 5 Seminoles.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Florida football team is gearing up for its final home game of the 2023 season at The Swamp, facing No. 5 Florida State in a highly anticipated matchup with a 7 p.m. kickoff. Here's your essential guide to the game: Key Details: Date and Time: Saturday, 7 p.m. Location: The Swamp, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, Fla. Event: Florida Gators vs Florida State Seminoles Pregame Festivities: Seniors Celebration: UF will honor its seniors, and fans are encouraged to wear blue. Gator Walk: Begins 2 hours and 20 minutes before kickoff. Special Guests: Gator Great Tim Tebow and Brandon Spikes as Florida State's "Mr. Two Bits." Enhanced Team Entrance: Expect flame towers, lights, and smoke on the field. Gatorland Fan Fest: Opens at 3 p.m. with live music, giveaways, and the chance to receive a blue Gators hand fan or orange & blue shaker. Refuel at "Grab N Go Gators": A new 4,000-square-foot concession store inside Gate 18. Social Media Engagement: Share your moments with #OnlyinTheSwamp. Gators 50|50 Raffle: Enter starting at 8 a.m. every Wednesday prior to home games. Game Day Tips: Gates Open: General public gates at 5:30 p.m.; premium areas at 5 p.m. Mobile Tickets: Add to your digital wallet for efficient gate access. Parking: Utilize the Waze Traffic App for game day directions and road closures. Shuttles: Limited public parking; utilize available shuttles with tickets from the GoRTS Fares Transit app. In-Stadium Experience: Grab N Go Gators: New concession store for a variety of beverages and snacks. Gators 50|50 Raffle: Participate for a chance to win and support Gators student-athletes. Hydration: Fans can bring one empty plastic water bottle (max 20 oz) to fill up at stadium filling stations. Restrooms: Multiple locations inside and outside the stadium, including mobile restroom units. Traditions and Honors: "I Won't Back Down": Fans sing Tom Petty's hit between the third and fourth quarters. UF Marching Band: Halftime performance featuring the University of Florida's Fightin' Gator Marching Band and the Florida State University Marching Chiefs. Honorary Two Bits: Brandon Spikes to serve as this week’s honorary “Mr. Two Bits.” Tim Tebow NFF 2023 Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute: A special honor for the legendary 2023 College Football Hall of Fame electee. Senior Day and Future Seasons: Senior Day: Eighteen Florida football players to be celebrated; ceremonies begin at approximately 6:55 p.m. 2024 Season Tickets: Secure your seat for the 2024 season with a $100 deposit.

Nelson Mandela: “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising everytime we fall.”

The Florida Gators are gearing up for the Sunshine Showdown in their last game of the 2023 season at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Their opponent, the fifth-ranked Florida State Seminoles, stands undefeated at 11-0 and is in contention for the College Football Playoff. It's an opportunity for the Gators to salvage their season and potentially spoil their rival's Saturday night, in a game where UF has nothing to lose while Florida State has everything to lose.

In what seemed like a blink of an eye, the final regular season game of the year is upon us. While the game itself carries a lot of weight, with the Gators looking to become bowl eligible and the Seminoles thirsty for a CFP berth, the pregame festivities will be just as important. Eighteen Gators will be honored during the pregame Senior Day celebration that is set to take place right before kickoff on Saturday. According to the media release, the ceremony will begin at approximately 6:57 p.m. The list below is each Florida football player who will be recognized during the ceremony. It is important to note that those included on the list are student-athletes who will be earning their degree during the 2023-24 academic year. Some of these players still have eligibility remaining. 2023 Senior Day Ceremony Participants: Eddie Battle Daniel Cross Kingsley Eguakun Jaydon Hill Lyndell Hudson II Jaelin Humphries Carlson Joseph Jalen Kimber Micah Leon Micah Mazzccua Teradja Mitchell Jonathan Odom Ricky Pearsall Justin Pelic Jacob Watkins Ja'Markis Weston Dante Zanders Keon Zipperer

Yes, you can go home again. Sort of. Walter Clayton Jr., who spent the first two years of his collegiate basketball career at Iona, and Tyreese Samuel, four years at Seton Hall, weren’t exactly in their old haunts Wednesday night, but the Barclays Center in Brooklyn was close enough for comfort. With Clayton having one of those shooter’s coma nights when it seemed everything he heaved up at the rim unconsciously found its way to the bottom of the net, and Samuel dominating the paint, Florida (4-1) handed previously unbeaten Pittsburgh (4-1) of the Atlantic Coast Conference its first loss of the season, 86-71, in the NIT Season Tip-Off. Clayton lit up the Panthers for 28 points, hitting 6-8 of his 3-pointers while grabbing five rebounds to go with two assists, two steals and a blocked shot. Samuel hit 9-11 of his shots from the field and grabbed 10 rebounds along with three assists, three blocks shots and three steals. Help came in the form of freshman Alex Condon with 11 points, six rebounds, one assist, one steal and one blocked shot; 10 points, two rebounds, eight assists and a steal from Zyon Pullin; seven points, five rebounds, an assist and a blocked shot from freshman Thomas Haugh; and five points, two rebounds, six assists and two steals from Riley Kugel. When 7-1 Micah Handlogten went down with an apparent ankle injury just 39 seconds into the game, it seemed a rather bad omen for Florida. Pitt led, 7-0, straight out of the gate and held a 19-10 lead that seemed to have the Gators playing on their heels with 12:14 to go in the half. That is about the time Clayton got his mojo working. His 3-pointer with 11:34 to go sparked an 8-0 run that got the Gators back into it. It was a Clayton layup with 9:58 to go that tied the score for the first time since 0-0 at 20-20. Pitt hit just enough shots to stay in the lead but in the final 1:32 the Gators outscored the Panthers 8-0 the rest of the way. A 3-pointer by Clayton with 52 seconds to go tied the score at 34-34, then Pullin got a steal and the assist on a Clayton layup 13 seconds later for Florida’s first lead of the game. For good measure Haugh drilled a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Gators a 39-34 halftime lead. “Tommy (Haugh) hit that big three right before halftime, which I thought gave us a lot of momentum going the second half,” Florida coach Todd Golden said. Pitt outscored the Gators 8-3 to start the second half, but that 42-41 lead with 17:01 to go in the game was the last time the Panthers held the lead. That was erased by a Clayton 3-ball with 16:29 to go and was followed up by a steal and a coast-to-coast fastbreak layup by Samuel with 16:02 to go. Those two plays seemed to deflate the Panthers who were never closer than four. It was a combination of Florida’s hot second half shooting (16-30, 53.8 percent) and smothering defense that turned the game into a comfortable Florida win. In the second half, the Gators forced nine turnovers while holding the Panthers to 12-33 shooting overall (36.4 percent) and 5-17 from the 3-point line (29.4 percent). “I thought we just wore them down a little bit,” Golden said. “I thought we did a really good job defensively all night, held them to 35 [percent] from the field, gave up too many 3-point attempts, but guarded the line pretty well and forced 14 turnovers. Obviously, that kind of spearheaded our run in the second half.” The combination of Florida’s defensive pressure and quickness advantage turned the final 10 minutes into somewhat of a track meet. The Gators scored 17 fast break points in the second half and finished the game with a 24-2 advantage. “They’re a good team and they did a good job of putting pressure on us, on the glass, which kind of limited our opportunities,” Golden said. “But once we started getting those clean rebounds in the second half we have multiple guys who can bring it and make decisions, and that allows us to really push and play with really good tempo. They just weren't getting back as well as the game went on, as they were early on. I thought we did a good job taking advantage of that." The Gators outscored Pitt 44-26 in the paint and 28-11 off the bench. The Gators scored 19 points off Pittsburgh turnovers while the Panthers managed only seven. Florida’s unselfishness had plenty to do with the outcome. The Gators had 24 assists on 31 made baskets. “We had, what: 24 assists?” Clayton asked post game. “We were just finding each other tonight and glad the shots were falling.” Golden was particularly pleased by the way the Gators responded while playing shorthanded. Handlogten never returned after his injury, so the Gators played a man down on their interior rotation against a Pittsburgh team that had the overall size advantage. Playing with only three interior guys, Samuel (1) and Condon (2) stayed out of foul trouble. Haugh picked up a couple of cheap fouls late in the game before fouling out. “Obviously, we got off to a slow start, losing Micah in the first minute and a half, not something that was scripted for us,” Golden said. “But I was really proud of the way our guys stepped up.” The Gators will have Thanksgiving Day off before returning to action Friday at 5:30 p.m. against 13th-ranked Baylor (5-0), which advanced to the championship with an 88-72 win over Oregon State (3-2). SEC basketball Wednesday’s scores: FLORIDA (4-1) 86, Pittsburgh (4-1) 71; No. 1 Kansas (5-1) 69; No. 7 Tennessee (4-2) 60; No. 20 Arkansas (4-1) 77, Stanford (3-2) 74, OT; Ole Miss (5-0) 77, Temple (3-2) 76; Missouri (4-2) 82, South Carolina State (2-4) 59 Today’s games: Penn State (4-0) vs. No. 12 Texas A&M (4-0) at Kissimmee, FL; No. 20 Arkansas (4-1) vs. Memphis (4-0) at Nassau, Bahamas; North Carolina State (3-0) vs. Vanderbilt (3-1) at Las Vegas Friday’s games: FLORIDA (4-1) vs. No. 13 Baylor (5-0) at Brooklyn, NY; Nicholls (3-2) at No. 25 Mississippi State (5-0); Winthrop (4-2) at Georgia (2-3); Marshall (2-3) at No. 16 Kentucky (4-1); No. 17 Alabama (4-0) vs. Ohio State (3-1) at Destin, FL; North Florida (4-2) at LSU (3-2)

The Florida Gators take down a tough Columbia squad at the buxzzer to go 2-0 at Baha Mar. By Loren Meadows, GatorBaitMedia.com Aliyah Matharu scored 26 points including the game winner as Florida bested Columbia 83-81 at the Baha Mar Hoops Pink Flamingo Championship in Nassau, Bahamas. In a game that saw twelve lead changes including six in the last quarter, Florida needed every second on the score clock to take down its Ivy League opponent. Trailing 81-80 after a Columbia layup with 1.6 seconds to go. Florida Coach Kelly Rae Finley drew up a play that was designed for a lob pass to center Ra’Shaya Kyle. Columbia had done their homework and was ready for the play. “The play was a lob to Shay, unfortunately we had run that play to a lot of success against Florida State so it was on tape.” With Kyle double teamed under the basket the ball was inbounded to Matharu who took one dribble turned to her right and knocked down the deciding shot. The Florida bench erupted in celebration of the and Matharu can now add a buzzer beater to her basketball resume’. “I’ve never hit a buzzer beater, ever”. Matharu gleefully stated. Florida point guard Aliyah Matharu (Chris Spears photo) With a clear size advantage it looked as if Florida would be able to impose their will on the much smaller Columbia team. The scrappy Columbia team instead used quickness and tenacity to outrebound Florida 34 to 28 including 12 to 9 on the offensive glass. It was some of those rebounds that allowed Columbia to have several extended possessions many which led to a few of Columbia’s eleven three-pointers. Florida was able to counter the Columbia rebounding advantage with tenacious defense. The Gators were able to gather 9 steals, 4 blocks, and force Columbia into 19 turnovers. More impressive was the Gators ability to play defense without fouling. Only freshman Laila Reynolds had more than two fouls which is a testament to the continued emphasis of the Gators to be efficient on the defensive end. The victory was a culmination of week that saw the Gators rebound from a close loss at home against Florida State to go undefeated in the Bahamas. On Monday afternoon Florida defeated Purdue 52-49 to begin the championship. Matharu again led the Gators in scoring with 14 points while shooting 7 of 7 from the free throw line. After taking down Columbia the Gators sit at 5-1 on the season. Florida guard Leilani Correa (Chris Spears photo) To round out the scoring in today’s win the Gators got 18 points from Kyle, 14 from Leilani Correa, and 10 from Faith Dut. The Gators will return home to Gainesville for the next 6 days before heading to Atlanta to face Georgia Tech in the ACC/SEC Challenge. In a special twist, for Thanksgiving dinner the team will be treated to a home cooked meal prepared by the Gators assistant coaches and staff.