Considering how hard they fought to overcome the 14-0 deficit that Arkansas pasted on them in the first three minutes and then scratch their way back to a 36-33 lead only to lose 39-36, it’s a pity to have to say “Epic Fail.” Last weekend it was a case of getting beat by a vastly superior team. This weekend it was a case of getting beat by a vastly inferior team. You can’t sell that as progress. And it’s tough to expect patience from rank and file Gators. They see pieces of the puzzle on the table, but can’t envision the picture on the box cover. At home, with a raucous crowd behind them, not only did these Gators not win or cover the spread, but with three ranked teams left on the schedule, it appears unlikely that they will even qualify for a bowl this season. Shame on these Gators. It would be easier and perhaps more gentlemanly to turn the other cheek and say how hard these Gators played in storming back from an instantaneous 14-0 black hole in the first 184 seconds of the game and then taking the visiting Razorbacks to the mat before succumbing to misfortune, a couple of bad no-calls and a rare miss by their kicker. But that’s not Alabama or Georgia in the white – that’s lowly Arkansas, losers of six straight in the SEC. That’s not going to fly around here, so you are now officially on the clock, Billy Napier, one step removed from the hot seat.
 This is called swimming for the isle of desperation. Never mind the injuries, bad breaks, bad calls or oopsies by young players. In the ninth game of the year, when you can’t even get the right unit on the field in a critical moment — despite a coaching staff that’s way bigger than your SEC traveling squad — then it could be time for heads to roll. Maybe time to hire a player personnel director — somebody to count noses and keep count of substitutions.
This is when it gets hard to justify anything but victory. And good luck, explaining why this team has not met expectations in the final half of the season. So far. If ever. For certain, time to reset expectations. With three ranked teams left on the schedule, don’t get your hopes up; at best, it’s eye candy.

Lower those expectations and quit comparing yourself to Georgia. I don’t want to disparage the Hope of loyal and dedicated Gator fans who are still out there scratching, clawing, hoping and praying, but Hope is not a game plan, just an emotion. So strap it on for the long haul, because it’s just clearly going to be a few minutes — or, pick one (hours, days, weeks,
months, years) — until this storm passes and the program under Napier can compete consistently at an SEC level. Perhaps you should learn to enjoy Florida Football for what it is now — 
a rebuilding program, a work in progress, not ready for prime time. Think Vandy or Kentucky or Auburn or Texas A&M.

 Mediocrity. Can you handle that? I’m not saying Napier is a bad coach, or that he should be fired because we have seen how that Rent-A-Coach system works around here. But clearly the system he brought to Gainesville – somebody called it a Nick Saban Starter Kit – is not the way to go. Adjustments must be made. Staff turnover is necessary and if that means hiring a special teams coach, or play caller, then so be it, because we are now officially fresh out of excuses. I was wrong about this team and this season because I thought Florida had a chance to win eight games this year, well above the 5 1/2 wins projected by Vegas.
That was a pipe dream. So status quo is no longer acceptable. Allowing a feeble team without an SEC victory to come in The Swamp and land a knockout punch like that is downright disgraceful and has now opened up the Sniper’s Gallery for any and all grousers to take their cheap shots. So get ready for the diatribe because now all those caustic comments have been validated. The true identity of the 2023 Florida Gator football team has emerged and whatever’s behind Door No. 3 isn’t going to save the day, or the season. Considering how hard they fought to overcome the 14-0 deficit that Arkansas pasted on them in the first three minutes and then fight their way back to a 36-33 lead only to lose 39-36, it’s a pity to have to say this, but barring a colossal upset over LSU, Missouri or FSU, Billy Napier’s 2023 season must be branded “Epic Fail.” Really there is no other way to say it. I hope you’re the kind of Gator who can live up to the credo to survive in all kinds of weather, because the skies are darkening and the storms are coming. As much as I’d like to pump you some Sunshine.

Graham Mertz didn’t try to sugar coat things Saturday afternoon. He offered no excuses for Florida’s disappointing 39-36 loss to Arkansas.

There are few answers to glaring questions as Florida fails to gain bowl eligibility with loss. By Loren Meadows, GatorBaitMedia.com, Football Analyst The Florida Gators honored America’s military and first responders by wearing black uniforms for the first time in school history. Instead of the last name of each player, the back of the jerseys had a mix of the words Integrity, Commitment, Excellence, Honor and Courage representing the core values of America’'s Armed Forces. While excitement was in the air for the Gators to unveil the new gear, that excitement turned to dismay as the Gators spotted Arkansas 14 points on the way to an up-and-down game that saw Arkansas win 36-33 in overtime. leaving The Swamp with their first conference win of the season and the first by the school in Gainesville. The loss cost the Gators their sixth win and an opportunity to gain all-important bowl eligibility. The loss also dropped Head Coach Billy Napier to 11-11 at Florida with many questioning his ability to complete the “so-called” rebuild with the Gators. What We Thought-Florida was in prime position to win the football game. The Gators were undefeated at home this season and had played extremely well in front of their home crowd. Quarterback Graham Mertz has been exceptional this season and his battery of receivers seemed to be growing confidence. The Florida running game had been absent the past two contests but had been far better at home and this game would be an opportunity to return to offensive balance. Offensively, Arkansas installed Kenny Guiton as its new offensive coordinator during the bye week as the Razorbacks would look to simplify their offensive attack to allow quarterback KJ Jefferson to process information faster and utilize his athleticism. For the Razorbacks, all roads begin and end with Jefferson. Ultimately the Florida defense would most likely decide the game. The defensive front of the Gators would be tasked with keeping Jefferson in check against an offensive line that was surrendering close to four sacks a game. To help Jefferson would be the return of running back Rocket Sanders who, if healthy, adds a different tone to the offense. What We Got: From the opening bell Guiton was in his bag and Arkansas executed a well-designed seven-play drive that might have well been against air. The Razorbacks used the threat of Jefferson to affect the eye discipline of the Gator defense as all four pass completions on the drive were uncontested. Florida failed to answer the scoring drive when on the next play from scrimmage receiver Ricky Pearsall Jr. was stripped by Jaylon Braxton, who returned the ball 33 yards for a score to put the visitors up, 14-0. Florida would fight to get back in the game, scoring the next 14 points that highlighted the ability of the Gators to make plays at times. As expected, Jefferson was the heartbeat of the Razorback offense accounting for 355 total yards and three touchdowns. Sanders returned with a solid performance rushing for 103 yards on 18 carries. The performances of Jefferson and Sanders exposed a Florida defensive unit that has seemed to regress as the season progresses. The 33 points surrendered by the defense was the most at home this season while surrendering 481 yards to an offense averaging 306 yards per game. While Coach Billy Napier pointed to “wrinkles” utilized by Guiton (which should have been expected), the Florida defense failed to tackle in space and cover consistently on third down. The Gators did produce five sacks, but they failed to generate any meaningful momentum. Offensively, the Gators started slow but managed to right themselves to get back in the game. Napier did a good job of getting Eugene Wilson III involved in the game early but when the game was in its most crucial moments there was a stretch that saw little involvement in the offense by the freshman receiver. Special teams and clock management continue to be an issue for the Gators as Florida had to utilize two crucial timeouts on the same drive due to miscommunication issues from the sideline. The lack of at least one of those timeouts would affect the final play of regulation by the Gators as the field goal unit prematurely ran on the field after a clear first down leading to an illegal substitution penalty that possibly distracted kicker Trey Smack causing him to miss the game winning chip shot field goal. The Skinny: This a frustrating loss for all involved with the Florida program and at this point there is very little the Gator faithful can find to be optimistic about. Certainly Napier has done very little to encourage patience in the fan base and stated on Saturday that “preaching patience" is not his job. Napier did state that his job is to coach the team and right now coaching may be the biggest issue in the program. A staff that is one of the best in the SEC by resume has failed to get consistent results from this group on a consistent week to week basis. Too many times the Gators have failed to show up ready to play and lack the fire that you see from good teams. A missed field goal by the Razorbacks Saturday was a microcosm of the Gators possibly taking on the mentality of their stoic coach. Upon the missed field goal only one player on the field was observed showing emotion with the stop almost representing a sigh of relief as opposed to a job well done. While Napier has assembled a number of recruits that could lead Florida back to stability, he has also assembled an army of individuals who were supposed to eliminate many of the issues that reared its ugly head on Saturday. With three games to go in this season, possibly a review of the “Army” may be the first order of business when the season culminates. As it looks now, Napier will have most of December to make those assessments as the Gators are looking home for the holidays square in the face. Final Score: Arkansas Razorbacks 36 Florida Gators 33 (Prediction Florida 31 Arkansas 21)

Year two of the Todd Golden era for Florida basketball tips off tonight when the Gators face Loyola (Maryland) at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center (8 p.m., SEC Network+), the second game of a doubleheader that features the UF women in their season opener against North Florida (5:30 p.m., SEC Network+). The Gators went 16-17 in Golden’s first year on the job, earning an NIT bid along the way. This is a totally revamped Florida roster that will feature five transfers and three freshmen to go with returnees Riley Kugel, Will Richard, Denzel Aberdeen and Aleks Szymczyk. Golden has two legitimate scoring threats from last season in Riley Kugel (6-5, 207, SO), who averaged 17.3 points in Florida’s final 10 games a year ago, and Will Richard (6-4, 206, JR), the team’s second leading scorer at 10.4 per game. Kugel was selected preseason first team All-SEC by the league’s coaches. Richard, who often had to play power forward due to Florida’s vertical challenges, averaged 4.5 rebounds per game. He shot an impressive 39.8 percent on 3-pointers. Transfers Walter Clayton Jr. (6-2, 195, JR) and Zyon Pullin (6-4, 206, GR) bring ball handling and scoring. Clayton (16.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists) was the leading scorer on Rick Pitino’s Iona team that made the NCAA Tournament last year. Clayton, who can play wing or point, hit a superb 43.1 percent of his 3-pointers. Pullin (18.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists) isn’t a volume 3-point shooter, but he hit 39.4 percent on his 66 3-point attempts. Pullin will miss Florida’s first three games due to an NCAA suspension for playing in an NBA pre-draft game. Adding depth to the perimeter are San Francisco transfer Julian Rishwain (6-5, 200, GR), returnee Denzel Aberdeen (6-5, 190, SO) and Kajus Kublickas (6-2, 171, FR). Rishwain, who was recently given the okay to play after recovering from knee surgery, played for Golden at San Francisco where he was a career 35.6 percent 3-point shooter. Aberdeen played sparingly at the point last year, but is considered one of the most improved players on the team. Kublickas is a pure point who brings international experience from the Lithuanian national 19-and-under team. Size and inside depth were issues a year ago, so Golden added transfer bigs Tyreese Samuel (6-10, 239, GR) from Seton Hall and Micah Handlogten (7-1, 235, SO) from Marshall. Samuel averaged 11 points and 5.9 rebounds per game in the rugged Big East last year, while Handlogten averaged 7.6 points and 9.8 rebounds for Marshall while blocking 75 shots, 11th nationally. Additionally, Golden brought in freshmen Alex Condon (6-11, 230) and Thomas Haugh (6-9, 205). Sophomore Aleks Szymczyk (6-10, 250) is recovering from a broken foot. He is recently out of a boot and could be practicing again by Thanksgiving and perhaps available to play around December 1. Florida preview: Better shooting on the perimeter and depth on the interior were Golden’s priorities in the offseason and he addressed both issues in the transfer portal. Clayton and Pullin give the Gators outstanding firepower to go with Kugel and Richard. Other than Richard, the Gators lacked consistency from the outside a year ago. Kugel is a slasher who can volume score both off the bounce and outside when he gets hot. On the interior Samuel and Handlogten give UF size and experience. Handlogten and Condon are legitimate rim protectors whole Samuel is a power player who is very tough around the rim. Haugh has power forward size and small forward skills. In two preseason closed door scrimmages, the Gators came away with impressive wins. Florida knocked off Miami, which returns most of its Final Four roster from a year ago, in Coral Gables, then followed that up with a blowout win over Florida International. Although it’s a tougher schedule than a year ago with the likes of Virginia, Baylor and Michigan to go with Kentucky, Arkansas, Alabama, Texas A&M, Missouri and Auburn from a Southeastern Conference that might be the toughest league in the country top to bottom, this should be a much-improved Florida team. Most preseason pundits predict the Gators will take the next step in their development by making the NCAA Tournament. About the opponent: The Greyhounds of the Patriot League, who are coached by former Georgia Tech assistant Tavares Hardy, finished 13-20 a year ago. They were much improved from February onward, going 5-5 in their final 10 games. Point guard Deon Perry is Loyola’s best player. He averaged 11.4 points per game as a freshman, but poured in 17.5 per game over the final 12 games. Alonzo Faure averaged 8.9 points and 6.1 rebounds while Golden Dike averaged 6.7 points and 7.3 rebounds. Probable starting lineups: Loyola: PG Deon Perry (5-8, 160, SO); WG D’Angelo Stines (6-2, 185, JR); WG Tyson Commander (6-4, 185, SO); PF Alonzo Faure (6-10, 230, SR); C Golden Dike (6-10, 248, GR) Florida: PG Walter Clayton Jr. (6-2, 195, JR); WG Riley Kugel (6-5, 207, SO); WG Will Richard (6-4, 206, JR); C Tyreese Samuel (6-10, 239, GR); PF Alex Condon (6-11, 230, FR)

The Florida Gators suffered, debatably, the hardest loss of the Billy Napier era on Saturday when the two-win Arkansas Razorbacks rolled into town and got their first ever win in The Swamp.

Satirday was the highly anticipated blackout game for Florida. Head coach Billy Napier took a moment to reflect on the upcoming match, emphasizing the critical elements that will contribute to the final outcome. He stressed the importance of assessing performance, effective recruitment, maintaining a consistent system, and fostering player development. Napier also pointed out the value of building depth, creating healthy competition, and establishing a robust walk-on program.

After a disappointing loss to Georgia in Jacksonville a week ago, Billy Napier, his staff and his team made it clear that their focus was on Arkansas and not on the past. Unfortunately for the Gators, early on it appeared their focus was still on the past, or potentially the future. Regardless, it was not on the Arkansas game, and it potentially cost the Gators bowl eligibility. Before fans were even in the stadium, Florida trailed 14-0. Give credit to Napier and his team, who were trailing by 14 less than five minutes in, they rallied back. Eugene Wilson III scored two (almost three) touchdowns to even the score. Wilson has been a focal point of the Gators' offense, and surged Florida back into the game. The Gators then forced an interception on the next drive, but all of the momentum appeared to disappear and both teams headed to the locker room knotted at 17. As for the second half, things started a bit slower, with just one touchdown in the first seven drives, but it was Florida who found the end zone first and took a 23-20 lead after a Ricky Pearsall touchdown. From that point, it appeared like a chess match. Both teams traded punches, with a field goal by both sides followed by a KJ Jefferson touchdown run to put the Razorbacks up 30-26. Luckily for the Orange & Blue, Trevor Etienne busted a 41 yard run into Arkansas territory and proceeded to score on a 26 yard rush. With the Gators leading by three with just over three minutes to play, the Razorbacks took over. It took just three plays for Arkansas to get into Florida territory but two Razorback penalties set Arkansas behind the chains. That appeared to be the last bright moment for the Gators, who hoped that would push the visitors out of field goal range. Unfortunately, a hooking field goal with 44 seconds to go knotted the score again. Florida quickly moved down the field with no timeouts, much in part due to Arlis Boardingham who has three catches for 39 yards in the span of three plays. The Gators special teams unit headed out for a 38 yarder, but the offense stayed on the field and a penalty was called. That set Florida back from a 38 yard field goal to a 44 yarder. Unofficially, the 38 yarder would've been good, however the 44 yard field goal was wide and the game entered overtime. Arkansas won the toss. Florida received first. Three and out. The Gators offense was stangant for much of the second half, including in some of the biggest moments late in the game. Florida settles for a field goal on the first possession of overtime, while the Razorbacks took just four plays to walk off as winners in Gainesville. Bookend the penultimate home game for the 2023 season with poor play on both sides of the ball. Not to mention, Florida is not yet bowl eligible and will now play three ranked teams (two on the road) in their final three games. Notable Team Stats Rushing Yards Florida: 112 Arkansas: 226 Passing Yards Florida: 282 Arkansas: 255 Total Yards Florida: 394 Arkansas: 481 Penalties (Yards lost) Florida: 7 (55 yards) Arkansas: 6 (45 yards) Third Down Conversions Florida: 8/17 Arkansas: 8/18 Notable Individual Stats Graham Mertz: 26/42 282 yds, 3 TDs Eugene Wilson III: 8 rec 90 yds 2 Tds Ricky Pearsall: 5 rec 55 yds 1 TD Arlis Boardingham: 4 rec 49 yds Trevor Etienne: 12 carries 80 yds 1 TD

watch The Buddy Martin Show Pregame Show Gators vs Razorbacks

The Florida Gators are ready to go with a mix of experience and newcomers that love to play. By Loren Meadows, GatorBaitMedia.com Basketball Coach Kelly Rae Finley (UAA photo) Prior to Wednesday night’s 93-43 exhibition win over the Florida Southern University Mocs at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center, Florida coach Kelly Rae Finley described her team as a group of women that “truly love the game.” Her comments aren't to say that this team is more committed than the previous two, but simply a representation of the counting cultural change that is being built in Gainesville. The Gators had six players in double figures while shooting almost fifty percent from the field. The Gators dominated the Mocs on the glass 51-27, adding six blocks, and committing just six turnovers. They held Florida Southern to fewer than 10 points in both the second (8) and fourth (6) quarters. Here is look at the Florida roster for year three of the Kelly Rae Finley era. Probable Starters: G Aliyah Matharu, G Aberte Rimdal, G Leilani Correa, F Faith Dut, C Ra Shaya Kyle Reserves: G Zippy Broughton, G Laila Reynolds, F Eriny Kindred, G Jeriah Warren, G Kenza Salgues, G Alexia Dizeko, G Paige Clausen #2 Aliyah Matharu (5-7, Senior): The Texas transfer was impressive in her Gator debut. Matharu was 10-19 from the field scoring 20 points, with three assists and six steals. Slated to be the team’s starting point guard, Matharu brings defensive tenacity to a team making defense and scoring in transition a priority. Matharu was one of the best three-point shooters in the Big 12 as a junior shooting more than 42 percent from behind the arc. She was also fourth in the conference in steals that season. #5 Alberte Rimdal (5-9, Junior): The addition of Matharu should free up the sharp shooting guard to play off the ball more this season and find open space on the perimeter. Rimdal and Matharu played very well together on Wednesday with Rimdal cashing in on 50 percent of her three-point attempts in the game. A year more mature and stronger after spending time with the Danish national team this summer Rimdal should be one of the top shooters in the SEC. #23 Leilani Correa (6-0, Senior): Correa returns to give the Gators a playmaker on the wing. Correa averaged 11.8 points last season after a 1,000-point career at St. Johns. After dealing with lower body injuries a year ago, Correa looks primed to have possibly her best collegiate season. Correa is a volume scorer who hit 24 points twice last year and has eclipsed 30 points nine times in her career. Correa’s ability to play off the dribble and move without the basketball puts constant pressure on opposing defenses and adds versatility to the Gators attack. #25 Faith Dut (6-4, Senior): Dut is one of the team's emotional leaders in addition to her shot blocking and rebounding abilities. With more than 80 starts for the Gators, Dut is a career 45 percent shooter who can knock down 3-pointers. A Vancouver, Canada native Dut is an athletic forward with the ability to defend all areas of the floor and runs extremely well in transition. #24 Ra Shaya Kyle (6-6, Senior): “Big Shay” could possibly be the most improved player this season. Kyle has improved her physique, footwork and speed in the offseason and is poised for a big year. Kyle shot nearly 50 percent from the field and 70 percent from the line a year ago, numbers that should improve this season. #4 Zippy Broughton (5-7, Senior): Broughton was sorely missed last season when an upper body injury forced her to miss the entire year. Her return adds a scoring option and a valuable team leader. “Zippy da Hippie” averaged double figure against SEC opponents in 2022 including 11 straight games of 10 or more in conference play. Broughton brings athleticism as well as the ability to score inside or outside. She has a game with six 3-pointers on her Florida her resume. When healthy Broughton has the ability to be one of the best combo guards in the SEC. #13 Laila Reynolds (6-1, Freshman): The 19th-ranked player in the 2023 recruiting class, Reynolds was a McDonalds All-American as a high school senior. She is an athletic wing who can initiate the offense and affect the game defensively as well. Reynolds scored 11 points in her Gator debut. She can get to the basket off the bounce and create her own shots. Reynolds is also a willing rebounder who will continue to improve as the game slows down for her. #20 Jeriah Warren (6-0, Junior): Defense is Warren's calling card. An athletic, intelligent defender, she is often assigned to take on the opponents' leading wing scorer. Warren snagged eight rebounds in 19 minutes in Wednesdays exhibition. Warren averaged 17 points per game in high school and has shown improvement in her offensive game this offseason. #6 Kenza Salgues­ (5-9, Graduate): The French-born Salgues brings four years of collegiate experience to the Florida program. A fifth-year transfer for the University of Miami, Salgues has battled injuries throughout her career. Now healthy, Salgues is very adept at communicating with her teammates on both ends of the floor and is not afraid to take open shots when given the opportunity. #21 Eriny Kindred (6-1, Junior): A transfer from Texas A&M, Kindred played in 28 games for the Aggies last season, scoring 77 points. Kindred is a two-way player that can defend all five positions on the floor and score outside and inside the paint. #9 Alexia Dizeko (5-11, Junior): Originally from Switzerland, Dizeko was a member of the Angola national team in the 2019 FIBA AfroBasket Tournament. A juco transfer, Dizeko was the 2023 WBCA Division II player of the year. A career 33 percent three-point shooter, Dizeko gives the Gators another athlete that can spread the floor and score in transition. #22 Paige Clausen (6-0, Junior): A former walk-on, Clausen earned a scholarship following the 2022-2023 season. Clausen averaged a double-double as a high school senior scoring 22.7 points and grabbing 10.9 rebounds a game. Florida guard Zippy Broughton (UAA photo) Quotables Aaliyah Matharu on the Gators team chemistry and love for the game: “We have an organic chemistry and it just flows so well together. I feel like we all just have that love for the game, it really just shows on the floor.” Matharu’s thoughts on 5-star freshman Laila Reynolds: “It will be a scary sight once it clicks for her.”All we can do is motivate her the best we can.” Final Thoughts : With the commitment of 5-star point guard Alivia McGill (Hopkins, MN), Coach Kelly Rae Finley has been able to attract a 5-star recruit to Gainesville for the second straight year. Finley has also done a great job attracting and developing international talent as represented by the improvement of both Dut and Rimdal. If Florida can stay healthy and get Broughton back by the conference season, this team is very capable of finishing in the top half of the SEC and making the NCAA tournament. Coach Finley is making Florida relevant again assembling an experienced staff that is good on the floor and on the recruiting trail. The addition of WNBA star and Olympian Rhyne Howard to the staff bolsters the group even more. If a couple more recruiting targets find their way to Gainesville look for the Gators to take the next step in the near future. The Gators open the 2023-2024 season at home against North Florida on November 6th at 5:30 p.m.

The Gators have secured a commitment from Mark Faircloth, a promising lineman from Florida State University School, who will join UF as a preferred walk-on. A 3-year starter at FSU-University School, Faircloth is the fifth O-line commitment for 2024. Faircloth, 6-5-1/2, 305 pounds, has played both left and right tackle. He is unranked by the major recruiting services, but has received scholarship offers from Florida Atlantic, UAB and Middle Tennessee State among others. Both Georgia and Clemson were interested in Faircloth as a preferred walk-on. The Gators have scholarship commitments from Fletcher Westphal (6-8, 335, Leesburg, VA Tuscarora), Mike Williams (6-7, 310, Upper Marlboro, MD Charles Herbert Flowers), Marcus Mascoll (6-4.5, 292, Snellville, GA South Gwinnett) and Noel Portnjagin (6-5, 334, Germany). The Gators recently elevated defensive lineman Keenan Landry and wide receiver Taylor Spierto to scholarship status. There are 33 walk-ons on the Florida roster, of which 14 have played in at least one game.