Gators (5-3, 3-2) Razorbacks (2-6, 0-5) Arkansas coach Sam Pittman's teams have always played physical despite lesser talent at certain positions. By Loren Meadows, GatorBaitMedia.com, Football Analyst Saturday at high noon, Florida welcomes the Arkansas Razorbacks to the Swamp for what is a special afternoon for the Florida program. To honor the military and first responders, the Gators will wear black jerseys for the first time in school history. Arkansas comes into the contest on a six-game losing streak with five of the six losses coming by less than 10 points. Picked by many to finish in the top half of the SEC West, Arkansas has found itself without key players on both offense and defense throughout the season. Florida is coming off a tough loss at the hands of the Georgia Bulldogs which exposed the deficiencies that exist in the Gator program. While Florida escaped the game in decent health, except for the loss of Shemar James, it will be interesting to see the affect the emotional atmosphere of this game in The Swamp will have. The Gators looks to win their sixth game of the season and become bowl eligible. Both teams will be looking to right the ship after not so impressive performances in their last outings. Will Florida remain the team it has been at home all season or will Arkansas find a way to end their woes at the expense of the Gators? Arkansas Offense Key Players: #1 QB KJ Jefferson (6-3, 247, R-Sr.), #7 RB Rashod Dubinion (5-10, 216, So.), #0 RB AJ Green (5-11, 205, Jr.), #2 WR Andrew Armstrong (6-4, 201, R-Sr.), #4 WR Isaac TeSlaa (6-4, 216, Sr.) #8 TE Ty Washington (6-4, 247, R-Fr.) #5 RB Rocket Sanders (6-2, 242, Jr.) At this point, everything flows through the arms and legs of quarterback KJ Jefferson. While not the most impressive passer from inside the pocket, Jefferson’s ability to extend plays is his most valuable asset. A willing runner who possesses great speed for his size, Jefferson easily adds two to three yards to every run with his ability to finish run plays with athleticism and physicality. During the off week, the Razorback offense committed themselves to a focus on fundamentals as newly named offensive coordinator Kenny Guiton looked to simplify the offense. This simplification will most likely lead to a return to some of the run-pass options that the Razorbacks found success with a year ago as Guiton looks to slow the game down for Jefferson. The offense could get a boost this week from the return of Rocket Sanders to the backfield. Sanders has been hampered with a knee injury since the opener and is listed as questionable for the game Saturday. His return would put more pressure on a struggling Florida defense as Sanders is a big back who complements the play making ability of Jefferson well. Without Sanders, the running game has suffered as Rashod Dubinion and AJ Green have failed to replace the output of Sanders. In the passing game, the Jefferson has two transfers who have played well for the Razorbacks this season. Andrew Armstrong was the first 1,000-yard receiver at Texas A&M-Commerce since 2014 and currently leads the Razorbacks in catches, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. Isaac TeSlaa was the Great Midwestern Athletic Offensive Player of the Year at Hillsdale College in Michigan. TeSlaa was a standout in the weight room this Spring and possesses elite athleticism for his size. At 6-4, both receivers will challenge the Gators as the secondary has struggled against taller receivers all season. Where the offense is the most vulnerable is in their ability to protect the quarterback. Arkansas ranks 123rd nationally allowing six sacks per game. Unfortunately the Gators have the lowest rated pass rush in the SEC. The Gators will need to generate pressure and finish against Jefferson. His ability to extend plays will be the difference as many of the Razorback’s chunk plays come on the heels of his ability to escape the pocket. While Arkansas sits at the bottom of the conference offensively, the Gators have been subpar on defense against their last five opponents. Their ability (or inability) to tackle in space and get stops will be the most important piece in determining the outcome of the game. Arkansas Defense Key Players: #40 DE Landon Jackson (6-7, 281, Jr.), #27 LB Chris Paul Jr. (6-1, 233, R-So.), #28 LB Jaheim Thomas (6-4, 240, R-Jr.), #2 CB Dwight McGlothern (6-2, 188, Sr.), #7 DL Trajan Jeffcoat (6-4, 281, R-Sr.) Defensively, the Razorbacks have been solid throughout this season. Despite six straight losses the Razorbacks are ranked in the top half of the SEC in total defense, pass defense, sacks, and takeaways. Defensive end Landon Jackson has been a stalwart on the edge and is currently fifth in the SEC ins sacks with 5.5 to go along with 10.5 tackles for loss. Jackson is a long physical player that will look to take advantage of the Florida offensive tackles that have struggled recently. Missouri transfer Trajan Jeffcoat has changed sides of the conference and brings experience and depth to the Arkansas front. With over 47 starts to his credit at Missouri, Jeffcoat will look to avenge the loss he suffered as a member of the Tiger squad that fell in Gainesville last season. Linebackers Jaheim Thomas and Chris Paul Jr. lead the team in tackles with over 120 combined. Paul Jr. continues to improve and registered 12 tackles in Arkansas’ last outing against Mississippi State. The Razorbacks could benefit from the return of top cornerback Dwight McGlothern. An All-SEC performer a year ago, McGlothern is still working his way back into the lineup and may emerge from the bye-week ready to go. If McGlothern is healthy it gives an athletic Razorback secondary an NFL-caliber player to challenge a Florida passing attack that is playing with a lot of confidence. Through different injuries the Razorbacks have been solid against the pass giving up a little over 200 yards a game and leaning on a consistent pass rush. The Razorbacks can be a very disruptive on Saturday as the Gator have struggled to protect Graham Metz particularly from the edge. It will be imperative for Florida to run the ball effectively early to slow down Jackson and Jeffcoat. Look for Florida to establish Montrell Johnson Jr. and Trevor Etienne early to allow the play action passing game to flourish. Florida was able to move the ball at times against the Georgia front but did not always finish those drives. The Arkansas defense has very little quit in them despite the losses and will look to punch Florida early and take the crowd out of the game. The Skinny Don’t look at their record, as the Razorbacks could easily be 6-2 if not for a couple bad breaks. Defensively Arkansas is equal to Tennessee and Kentucky and its edge rushers may be slightly better. While limited offensively, Jefferson is the most athletic quarterback the Gators will possibly face all year and is a seriously tough to bring down. All signs point to a very tough physical game. Arkansas coach Sam Pittman is cut from the Georgia cloth and his Arkansas teams have always played physical despite lesser talent at certain positions. The bye-week allowed the Razorbacks to hit the reset button and reassess the direction they have been going. The Gators are coming of an emotional loss where they were man-handled in every phase of the game by a bitter rival no less. A home game where is just what the doctor ordered. Instead of a noon game in Fayetteville, it just happens this game will be played in The Swamp, where hopefully only the Gators will get out alive. Mertz throws for two, Johnson and Etienne each find the end zone for a score. Prediction: Florida Gators 31 Arkansas Razorbacks 21

Welcome Back to The Swamp! The Florida Gators face the Arkansas Razorbacks at The Swamp this Saturday in the 'Saluting Those Who Serve' game, presented by VyStar Credit Union. The game, encouraging fans to wear black, kicks off at noon. Special Features: - The Gators will don black uniforms for the first time. - Military, veterans, and first responders will be honored. - Gator Walk begins 2 hours and 20 minutes before kickoff. - Enhanced team entrance with flame towers, lights, and smoke. - Gatorland Fan Fest offers giveaways. - New videos for Gators Always, Swamp Open, & Thunderstruck. - The first 2,000 students get a black Rowdy Reptowel at Gate 12. Know Before You Go: - Gates open at 10:30 a.m., premium locations at 10 a.m. - Use the Waze App for directions and road closures. - Add Mobile Tickets to your digital wallet for efficient access. - Kickoff is at noon. - Ask game day questions to Albert. Pregame Fun: - Tailgating, Gator Walk Village, and Gatorland Fan Fest start at 9 a.m. - Interactive photo stream with #OnlyinTheSwamp. - Gators 50|50 Raffle presented by the UF Bookstore starts at 8 a.m. Wednesday. - VIP experiences available through Swamp Moments. Food & Concessions: - New Grab “N” Go Gators store at Gate 18. - Variety of food options at Gators Food Patio and Dos Equis Helix. - Food trucks open at 9 a.m. on West University Avenue. Mobile Tickets: - All tickets accessed through the Florida Gators App. - Screenshots not accepted; ticket office at Gate 1 opens 3 hours prior. Parking on Gameday: - Use Waze App for routes to parking. - Road closures around campus; more info at (352) 375-4683 ext. 5000. Shuttles: - Game ride tickets available on the GoRTS Fares Transit app. Tailgating: - Begins at 6 a.m.; follow UF Tailgating policies. Campus Access: - Restrictions start 3 hours prior to kickoff. Staying Cool & Hydrated: - Bring an empty 20 oz plastic water bottle for refilling. Restrooms: - Available inside and outside the stadium; open at 8 a.m. In-Game Experience: - Traditions include "I Won't Back Down," "We are the Boys," and "Orange and Blue." Game-Day Safety: - No bags larger than 12x12x12 inches; use clear bags or clutches. - Masks optional but recommended in indoor areas. - Notify staff of medical emergencies. Enjoy the game and Go Gators!

A few thoughts to jump start your Thursday morning: In an absolutely perfect world, Billy Napier would have spent all day Wednesday going from one position coach to the next in preparation for Saturday’s game in The Swamp with the Arkansas Razorbacks (2-6, 0-5 SEC). It’s not a perfect world, so some of Napier’s time was allocated for personnel issues. He’s got the No. 3 recruiting class on paper, but it still has to be nailed down on national signing day. And then there is the matter of the transfer portal. Napier still doesn’t know how many transfers he will pursue but mid-December will be here in a matter of weeks so his personnel people have to make sure they’re ready to go immediately on the first day the portal opens. “I think ultimately a lot of that is to be determined,” Napier said at his Wednesday evening press conference. “I think ultimately for me, where we're at as we approach signing day and then when the portal window approaches, ultimately the players available determine a lot of your decisions, if that makes sense. But this is a bigger math problem. We used to be kind of, it was Algebra 1. It was 25 initials, 85 scholarships. That was the variables. Then midyear spots was a big deal. How many midyear spots did you have available? “Now you've got portal, which is not only players in but it's players out, and then you have NIL, which ultimately I think affects things in a significant way. So, now we're approaching Calculus, if that makes sense. I'm getting my doctorate right now … and I think that I could do math today, but the numbers that we're putting in are going to change. So, we've got good people. We actually met on it today briefly, the personnel department. So, there's just a ton of things that contribute to that. I miss those Algebra days. I miss those days." Shemar James out for the season Sophomore linebacker Shemar James is done for the year with a dislocated kneecap. Surgery was performed Wednesday. Napier said it’s a 4-month recovery process so James won’t be available again until spring. “He's our leading tackler,” Napier said. “More than that, Shemar, he's a great example – his practice habits, his character. He's developed a voice. You know, that's something that I think, in particular, as of late, he really was getting comfortable from a leadership standpoint of being vocal. So that's the unfortunate part.” Gators have to contain KJ Jefferson Jefferson was rated no worse than the No. 2 quarterback in the SEC when the season began. Although his numbers are off, in large part because Arkansas has lost six games in a row, Napier know the key to beating the Razorbacks is containing Jefferson. “He’s just a physical player and he's tough to get on the ground,” Napier said. “You may get to him but he's like a lot of these bigger quarterbacks who have played throughout the years. This is a big man (6-3, 247). Ultimately, it's tough to get him on the ground as a runner and when you do try to finish on him, he's a challenge in that regard and he is an athlete, there's no question about it. He's developed as a passer and he's got a good group of skill around him and when you start talking about defending Arkansas, it starts with him and his mobility is a part of the equation." Injuries on the D-line With both starting nose tackle Cam Jackson and starting end Tyreak Sapp questionable for Arkansas for what is being described as upper body injuries, young guys will have to step up Saturday. “You're going to see Kelby Collins more often, you'll see Jack Pyburn more often, you're going to see Jamari (Lyons) more often, Chris McClellan more often,” Napier said. “So, all the guys that have been playing will continue to play. They'll just play a little bit more. And let me tell you, them guys, they're flying around out there because they know their role is going to increased and they're excited about it. So I think ultimately, sometimes that can be a good thing." PRACTICE THIS WEEK "I thought we were a little … we started a little slow yesterday but we finished really well,” Napier said. “I thought the energy kinda improved as we knocked the rust off. Tuesdays are typically that way because we don't practice on Monday. And then today we hit the ground running. I mean, I thought we started faster today than we have in a long time. I thought the good-on-good periods, in particular, were very competitive. So, I think that's a good indication. “Now like I've told you many times before, does that mean we're going to play well on Saturday? We'll see, but I do think they're going about it the right way. I believe in this group, I like the makeup of this group. I think we're still searching for consistency. We’re still trying to put the best performances together from all parts of our team. Ultimately, that's the goal. And, you know, this will not be easy Saturday. I know the record may indicate that, but turn the tape on, this group can play." SEC football No. 8 Alabama (7-1, 5-0 SEC): On the SEC Coaches Teleconference, Nick Saban praised the way LSU uses motion and multiple formations to make its offense so explosive. Saban said, “So they do a great job with formations, they do a great job with motions, which creates opportunities for the defense to have to adjust. And then be able to play not only the route combinations, but also the run game they have which is at times similar to the triple option.” Arkansas (2-6, 0-5 SEC): Arkansas may get a lift for its offense Saturday against Florida if running back Raheim “Rocket” Sanders (knee injury) is able to play for the first time since game three. “There’s a chance that he’ll be available,” head coach Sam Pittman said on the SEC Coaches Teleconference. “He has practiced Monday and Tuesday, limited basis but he has practiced. So, we’re hopeful that he’ll be available on Saturday.” Auburn (4-4, 1-4 SEC): Quarterback Payton Thorne had his best game of the season in the win over Mississippi State, completing 20-26 passes for 230 yards with three touchdowns. That prompted Hugh Freeze to remark on the SEC Coaches Teleconference, “I think we protected him better. I think our receivers are playing better and the plan is better.” No. 1 Georgia (8-0, 5-0 SEC): Kirby Smart is impressed with Missouri’s defensive line. On Wednesday’s SEC Coaches Teleconference, Smart said, “It’s very demanding, it takes great communication, it takes being on the same page. They create difficulties. They understand what you’re doing protection wise. They try to get the best matchups and create confusion.” Kentucky (5-3, 3-2 SEC): Mark Stoops has never beaten Mississippi State in Starkville, one of the reasons that Kentucky is only a 3.5-point favorite over the Bulldogs Saturday. Speaking about the MSU defense and the challenge of Starkville, Stoops said, “Defensively, Mississippi State is much like they always are. Very disruptive, very multiple in the things they do … It’ll be a very big challenge and historically we haven’t played well down there, so hopefully we can get that changed and play a bit better this week.” No. 13 LSU (6-2, 4-1 SEC): CBS college football analyst is predicting LSU will beat Alabama Saturday because of its high powered offense. “This reminds me of 2019, this offense for LSU … This offense is Cajun hot … Whoever has it last is going to win. I’m going with the Tigers.” Mississippi State (4-4, 1-4 SEC): There is still no word on who will play quarterback against Auburn Saturday. Zach Arnett is playing it close to the vest with Will Rogers (shoulder injury) and backup Mike Wright. No. 14 Missouri (7-1, 3-1 SEC): Eli Drinkwitz knows he’s going against the No. 1 team in the country Saturday in Georgia, but he says the goal for his team each week is “not to make any one game bigger than the next. This game is important to us, but it’s not any more important than the Vanderbilt game was, or the Kentucky game was, or the homecoming against South Carolina was. They all have a level of significance to them and so we’re just trying to approach it with that mindset and worry about being 1-0 this week.” No. 12 Ole Miss (7-1, 3-1 SEC): Texas A&M has lost its last eight games on the road against ranked teams, prompting Lane Kiffin to remark “I hope it keeps going” on the SEC Coaches Teleconference. Kiffin said the Aggies play better at home because Kyle Field is “one of the loudest places to play in the country, probably the loudest continual place for an entire game in the country.” South Carolina (2-6, 1-5 SEC): Shane Beamer is hoping wide receiver Juice Wells will be able to go Saturday in a non-conference game against Jacksonville State. A year ago, Wells caught 68 passes for 928 yards and six touchdowns. Limited to three games this year because of injury, Wells has caught only three passes for 37 yards and a TD. No. 19 Tennessee (6-2, 3-2 SEC): The Vols will honor the late Pat Summitt Saturday when they play UConn in a non-conference game at Neyland Stadium. Summitt won seven national championships coaching Lady Vols basketball. She died of Alzheimers in 2016. Saturday commemorative Summitt cups will be sold at Neyland with $1 of each sale being donated to Alzheimers research. Texas A&M (5-3, 3-2 SEC): The challenge for the Aggies will be to contain Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart, who averages 260 passing yards per game but has also run for 326 yards and seven touchdowns. The Aggies give up only 173 passing yards per game and their run defense gives up 96 yards per game and 2.85 per carry. Jimbo Fisher said Dart “does a great job of keeping plays alive and in their quarterback runs in which they do whether they run inside or outside.” Vanderbilt (2-6, 0-5 SEC): Apparently AJ Swann is the odd man out at quarterback. On the SEC Coaches Teleconference Wednesday, head coach Clark Lea said his plan for the Auburn game is for both Ken Seals and Walt Taylor to play. Seals apparently will get the start. ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: Bob Knight passed away Wednesday at the age of 83 from complications of dementia and other illnesses that had hospitalized him for several months. During a legendary coaching career that saw him win three national championships at Indiana and post a career record of 902-371, Knight was an old school hardliner known for getting in the face of officials and yelling at his players. He was forced out at Indiana where he won 661 games in 2000 because he grabbed the arm of a freshman student who Knight said called him by his last name. Knight thought it was a sign of disrespect. The Indiana administration considered it the last straw and dismissed him. He coached another six years at Texas Tech, winning at least 20 games in five seasons. I’m old school myself, so I never was offended by Bob Knight. He yelled, he screamed, he even threw a chair across the floor. I cut my sports writing teeth on Al McGuire, Norm Sloan, Lefty Driesell, Bones McKinney, Adolph Rupp and Frank McGuire. In a lot of ways, Bob Knight seemed rather tame by comparison to some of the outbursts by these guys. Here’s what I remember about Bob Knight and it’s similar in so many ways to how I remember my late friend Al McGuire. Bob Knight and Al McGuire pushed kids and pushed them hard. They expected nothing less than 100 percent at all times. They got in their players faces and never once worried that they might be hurting someone’s feelings. Kids who couldn’t handle it, got the hell out of Dodge. The kids who stuck it out, graduated, became better people and most of them unqualified successes in their chosen professions once basketball ended. I once heard Quinn Buckner, the point guard on the last collegiate team to ever run the table unbeaten (Indiana 1976), speak about Bob Knight. I don’t recall word-for-word exactly what he said, but it went something like this: Sure he yelled at you and yes, he pushed you hard, but he knows what life is like in the real world, and ultimately, that’s what he was preparing us to do. That’s how I will remember Bob Knight and a lot of old school coaches who wouldn't survive in today's I'm okay, you're okay world. I like these guys better than most of today's coaches.

A few thoughts to jump start your Wednesday morning:

The Gators defense took a big hit Wednesday when Billy Napier announced that starting linebacker Shemar James would miss the remainder of the season with a knee injury.

Florida baseball held its third intrasquad scrimmage of the preseason on Tuesday, open to the public. Fresh from a victory in Jacksonville against Georgia the previous night, the team demonstrated precision on the field, with no errors over six innings of play between the orange and blue teams. Liam Peterson, ranked eighth overall as a right-handed pitcher by Perfect Game, started for the blue team and pitched two scoreless innings. Peterson, a freshman, was highly sought after and was once considered for direct entry into the draft. He has lived up to expectations in the preseason, not allowing any runs from Georgia in his performance. Jac Caglianone, the Gators' versatile star and one of the nation's top players, took the mound for the orange team. Caglianone adjusted his release during the offseason and demonstrated control of his fastball in his two scoreless innings, reaching a top speed of 99 MPH. Armando Albert ignited the third inning for the orange team with a single to the left field gap off Ryan Slater. Albert, a 55-game starter for Florida Atlantic last year, was a valuable addition for Kevin O'Sullivan in the offseason. Albert later scored on an RBI single from another transfer, Colby Shelton. Shelton, Alabama's home run leader last year, outperformed Slater, bringing the speedy Albert home for the first runs of the day. Brandon Neely then replaced Caglianone and made a standout play in the bottom of the third. Neely, a key contributor to the Gators' Omaha run a few months ago, fielded a groundball shot back to the pitcher's mound, managing to pick it between his legs and make the throw to first to end the inning. After three innings, the two transfers were responsible for the lone run on the board for team orange, leading 1-0. The transfers continued to make an impact in the fourth inning. Landon Russell, a transfer from Gulf Coast Community College, had an outstanding performance for the orange team. In the top of the fourth, Russell displayed his power with a no-doubt opposite-field home run off Slater, extending the lead to 2-0 for orange. This marked the end of Slater's time on the mound. The blue team managed to recover some ground in the bottom of the fourth with a Cade Kurland home run off Brandon Neely. Kurland, a freshman All-American, aims to build on his impressive freshman campaign and demonstrated skill both at the plate and in the field throughout the day. Following the Kurland home run, Tyler Shelnut kept the momentum going with a single but was subsequently thrown out attempting to steal second on a precise throw from Luke Heyman. After a scoreless fifth inning for both teams, the orange team sealed the victory in the sixth. Landon Russell reached base once again, sparking a scoring frenzy that resulted in three more runs for orange. Blake Purnell entered and closed out the game in the bottom of the sixth, securing a final score of 5-1 in favor of the orange team. The key takeaway from the intrasquad scrimmage is that transfers are making a significant impact not only in football but also in baseball. The transfer portal has become a pivotal tool, and coaches across all sports are adapting and reloading rather than rebuilding. Despite the loss of production from last year's National Championship runner-up team, O'Sullivan and his team appear to have reloaded with both talented freshmen and transfers. While familiar names like Jac Caglianone and Cade Kurland will undoubtedly continue to excel for the Gators this season, it won't be long before Landon Russell and Armando Albert also leave their mark on the field.

A few thoughts to jump start your Tuesday morning:

Entering the annual Florida-Georgia rivalry matchup, Gator fans and members of the Florida football team alike had their minds set on beating the Dogs and potentially ending up in the SEC Championship. Just two days and a 43-20 loss later, both of those hopes are out the window.

After transferring from Wisconsin, many questioned whether or not quarterback Graham Mertz would be the answer for the Florida offense. That has not stopped the redshirt junior from posting career numbers and solidifying a spot in the Davey O’Brien QB Class of 2023.

For the first time in Florida football history, the Gators will wear black uniforms for Saturday's game against Arkansas. While many programs across the SEC and college football as a whole have debuted black jerseys in the past, Billy Napier wants to ensure that fans and players alike do not "lose sight of the intent here."