(Photo by Chris Spears) Even before Billy Napier was fired, the Florida Gators would have been given a fighting chance to spring an upset over 5 th -ranked Georgia Saturday in Jacksonville (3:30 p.m., ABC). The Gators (3-4, 2-2 SEC) have this nagging habit of bringing out the worst in opponents while Georgia (6-1, 4-1 SEC) remains a mystery. Are the Bulldogs like an avalanche, picking up momentum enough to bury anyone in their path as the regular season begins its final month, or are they a flawed team that is capable of losing to four of their final five opponents?   Florida was supposed to be good this year, but the Gators have gone belly up four times. But it’s not like the Gators have been blown out. In all four losses, Florida was within a field goal or a touchdown at the beginning of the fourth quarter. These were all winnable games but either the Gators simply ran out of gas or Napier succeeded at punching the wrong buttons at the wrong time, crashing whatever chances there were of a Florida victory. Rather than give Napier a chance to solve a mystery of his own creation, athletic director Scott Stricklin pulled the plug 45 games into his Florida coaching tenure.   Georgia is ranked fifth, which is exactly where the Bulldogs were when the season began. Their one loss was by three points to then 17 th -ranked Alabama (now No. 4). The Bulldogs own a come from behind overtime win over 15 th -ranked Tennessee in Knoxville, were gifted a 20-10 win over Auburn in large part because of an SEC referee who continued the trend of screwing up to prevent Auburn from winning a game, and a rather impressive comeback win over then 5 th -ranked Ole Miss. The Bulldogs are either a team that is finally figuring things out or else one that has for reasons unknown gotten more favorable breaks than any team in the SEC.   Florida’s issues are not due to a lack of talent. Injuries have certainly played a part in losing games but even with sometime ridiculous battle casualty reports the Gators have been good enough to hang with highly regarded teams. No team in the country has faced a schedule as tough. The Gators have losses to then No. 3 LSU, then No. 4 Miami and then No. 5 (now No. 3) Texas A&M. The fourth loss is to highly regarded South Florida. The Gators own a win over then No. 9 Texas.   The roller coaster ride led to the demise of Napier and the elevation of wide receivers coach Billy Gonzales to interim head coach. Typically, two things happen when there is a in-season coaching change. Either the team goes in the tank or comes out playing like a team on a mission. We won’t know until Saturday which Florida team will show up.   As for the Bulldogs, this is the weakest and most vulnerable Georgia team since the 2020 COVID year when they went 8-2, losing big to No. 1 Alabama (by 17 points) and No. 10 Florida (by 16). The defense has continued a 2-year downward trend and the offense seems to be searching for an identity. Are the Bulldogs a passing team or a ground and pound run it down opponents’ throats team?   This is a game Florida can win but Billy Gonzales and the Florida coaching staff has to eliminate the inconsistencies and the trend of late game collapses. It’s too late in the season to make a wholesale change to Napier’s playbook, but the play calls can change to make the Gators far less predictable. Napier rarely took downfield shots in the passing game even though the Gators have one of the most talented and fastest groups of receivers in the SEC. Deep shots could definitely loosen defenses that have loaded up the box to make the Florida offense very pedestrian.   Will Gonzales take an aggressive approach that can set the Bulldogs on their heels? If he does the Gators will have a fighting chance. They’re only 7.5-point underdogs so obviously the people in Las Vegas believe Gonzales will take a nothing to lose approach against a Georgia defense that Tennessee torched for 371 passing yards and Alabama 280.   Georgia’s game plan has to center around punishing with a brutal ground attack that opens up the passing game. The Bulldogs have to establish the run early and grind the Gators into submission if they’re going to win the game.   The Gators took down Texas with a relentless pass rush and the best offense of the season. It will take a similar effort for Florida to win this football game. The good news for the Gators is that Napier’s firing served as a pressure release. All the pressure is squarely on Georgia’s shoulders. The Bulldogs already have one SEC loss. A second loss in league play probably eliminates them from a shot at the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta. It might also take them out of playoff consideration.   The Gators can win this game, but will they? Georgia has been playing on the edge. Will that come back to bite them? The pick: Georgia but white knuckles until the final whistle.   SEC FOOTBALL South Carolina (3-5, 1-5 SEC) at No. 7 Ole Miss (7-1, 4-1 SEC): On paper, Lane Kiffin has one of the easier paths to 11 regular season wins as anyone in the country. Standing in the way is South Carolina, which has this habit of bringing everyone down to the Gamecocks’ level. That means an ugly game could be dialed up Saturday in Oxford. The Gamecocks have the worst offense in the SEC, which should be a huge break for an Ole Miss defense that has had some struggles lately. Ole Miss should hold the Gamecocks to 20 or fewer points. Can the Ole Miss offense deliver four touchdowns against a South Carolina defense that gets after the quarterback and ranks fifth in the SEC in pass defense? Look for Ole Miss to go ground and pound and try to throw efficiently. If the Rebels don’t turn it over, chances are they come away with win No. 8. The Rebels are favored by 12.5 points. Close early but Ole Miss should pull away late. The pick: Ole Miss   No. 9 Vanderbilt (7-1, 3-1 SEC) at No. 20 Texas (6-2, 3-1 SEC): Arch Manning is sstill under concussion protocol and is listed as questionable for Vanderbilt. If Manning plays, Texas has a legitimate shot to beat the 9 th -ranked Commodores. If he doesn’t play, Vandy probably wins again and remains in the hunt for both the SEC title and College Football Playoff. Every game is an elimination game for Texas, which will start Troy transfer Matt Caldwell in the event Manning is a no go. The Texas offense is inconsistent even with a healthy Manning. If Manning can’t pass protocol, Caldwell will get the start. Whether it’s Manning or Caldwell, the Longhorns are going to have problems with the Vandy defense. The Texas defense gave up 382 passing yards to Mississippi State’s Blake Shapen a week ago. Vandy QB Diego Pavia is far more difficult to defend. If he’s healthy and upright, Texas is going to have its hands full. Texas is favored by 3.5 points. The Longhorns desperately need Manning healthy and able to play at a high level. If not, any remaining title aspirations will go down the tubes.   The pick: Vanderbilt   No. 18 Oklahoma (6-2, 2-2 SEC)No. 14 Tennessee (6-2, 3-2 SEC) at No. 14 Tennessee (6-2, 3-2 SEC): The Tennessee defense is the cure for the miserable offense. Oklahoma is going to put some points on the board against the Vols. The question is can they get enough stops on defense to eliminate the Vols from the College Football Playoff hunt. The Vols have the No. 3 offense in the country. The Sooners have the No. 5 defense. Something has to give here. Tennessee has run the ball very well but the Oklahoma defense is 6 th in the country stopping the run. If the Vols can generate any kind of a running game, they probably win the game. Oklahoma lacks a running game which makes QB John Mateer vulnerable. With a running threat he is as good a quarterback as there is in the SEC but he can be very average without the run. The game is in Norman which should give Oklahoma a decisive advantage, but the Sooners are 2.5-point underdogs. This feels like Tennessee staying in the CFP hunt while eliminating the Sooners. The pick: Tennessee   Kentucky (2-5, 0-5 SEC) at Auburn (4-4, 1-4 SEC): The coach who wins this one might not last the season but he probably punches his ticket to coach another game. Mark Stoops might be the winningest coach in Kentucky history but the Wildcats haven’t finished in the top half of the SEC in total offense in more than 10 years. If the Wildcats were at least exciting Stoops might be a bit more secure. His nearly $40 million buyout is hefty but do-able per big money people at UK. Hugh Freeze finally won an SEC game last week, but all it did was buy him a week. Lose to Kentucky and chances are good will flies out the window. Hugh finally figured out he wasn’t going to win games with Jackson Arnold last week so he turned things over to Stanford transfer Ashton Daniels and got his first SEC win. Can Daniels deliver for a second straight week? If he does, then Hugh Freeze will be within a game of bowl eligibility, making it that much harder to fire him, particularly since D1AA Mercer is one of the last three games. The pick: Auburn   Mississippi State (4-4, 0-4 SEC) at Arkansas (2-6, 0-4 SEC): The winner of this one is guaranteed to avoid the dreaded reverse run of the table. Neither team has an SEC win although Mississippi State has the three closest calls – overtime losses to Tennessee and Texas, a 2-point loss to Florida. Arkansas is capable of putting up points on anyone. The problem with the Razorbacks is they are capable of being scored on by anyone.  Although Arkansas is favored by 4.5 points, the thought here is that Mississippi State has the advantage. The Bulldogs are fourth in the SEC in turnovers gained (14) while Arkansas leads the league in most turnovers (15). Arkansas QB Taylen Green is an enormous talent but he completes passes to the other team and he puts the ball on the ground. This is Mississippi State’s game to win if the Bulldogs can avoid turnovers. The pick: Mississippi State

The Gators are hoping quarterback D.J. Lagway finds a new comfort zone with a new play-caller. By Carlton Reese, GatorBait Media As crazy as it may seem, there is real football to be played on the field Saturday, and it is annually the biggest game on Florida’s schedule. Amid all the noise surrounding the pink slips of coaches from Happy Valley to Gainesville to Baton Rouge, one must not forget the importance of what takes place in Jacksonville this weekend – results on the field matter, and they are the reason we seem to care so much about which melon dons the headset on our sidelines. Is Lane Kiffin going to leave Ole Miss? If he does, will it be for Florida or LSU? Is James Franklin a viable option anywhere? Does anyone know who Alex Golesh is? Such questions are dominating all the talk instead of the crucial ones: Is the UF secondary up to handling the Georgia receiving corps that no longer includes Colby Young? Will the Gator pass rush put the heat on Gunner Stockton the way it did Carson Beck a year ago? Can D.J. Lagway pick up where he left off against the Dawgs when he went down to injury against them a year ago? These are the most important questions, because this is the most important game of the season for Florida. Beating Georgia sets the Gators up with a chance to not only salvage this season, but to make last year’s end run seem like an exhibition jaunt. And although there are many who have given up on what’s happening on the field in favor of following the chase for the Lane Train, Florida’s chances of beating Georgia are very real. This game matters. This is the seventh time in 41 years that the UF head ball coach has been fired in the middle of the season, but most of the times the next game was not of such significance. In 2004, Ron Zook was fired two weeks before the Georgia game, but he stayed on for the rest of the year. Incidentally, Florida played an inspired game that day against the 7 th -ranked Dawgs and fell 31-24. Saturday’s game in Jacksonville was going to be a difficult one under any circumstances, but perhaps the circumstances became a tad bit better with Billy Napier’s dismissal. On paper, Florida’s offense looks like a juggernaut – a racehorse bucking in the starting gate before it opens – instead, we have seen a unit striking little fear into any opponent. It’s been quite popular and rather easy to blame Napier, who refused to relinquish play-calling duties despite the struggles of the offense. So, here goes: I blame Napier and his play-calling. There is nowhere to go but up. Florida’s offense is certainly not an issue of personnel, so it must be either schematics, preparation, or gameday play-calling. Since schematics seem to vary little from place to place, the only answer could be Napier’s inability to prepare during the week or dial up the right play at the right time. With Napier gone, it’s someone else’s chance to dial up the right plays and I give him at least as good a shot if not better than Napier at achieving this goal. And against Georgia, the timing couldn’t be more perfect. The man of the hour will be Ryan O’Hara, Florida’s quarterbacks coach who will be in the booth Saturday calling the plays. He’ll even get some sideline help from Steve Spurrier Jr., offensive analyst. Such a new twist should have Gator fans on the edge of their seats, anticipating a structural change more exciting to watch than another press conference of Lane Kiffin saying nothing. This will be fun to watch and could very well blow up in Florida’s face in an ugly way. If it does, so what? So, Florida loses to Georgia – stop traffic. But what if Lagway hits his stride whilst enjoying a comfort zone orchestrated by the coach with whom he is closest? What if a new energy consumes the Gators and sparks a sudden renaissance that blindsides Georgia? It’s all possible, because Georgia is beatable; Georgia is no juggernaut; Georgia is there for the taking. What would a loss to Georgia mean, though? Likely that there is not much more to play for the rest of the way except trying to beat your rivals, Tennessee and Florida State. But a win? That could lead to some momentum that carries through Kentucky and even a fighting chance at Ole Miss with Tennessee and FSU very winnable. Think about it, a Georgia win makes a 6-2 SEC record a real possibility. Some say I’m crazy; some call me a silly dreamer, but is it not such eternal optimism that breeds success? On paper, no one will ever convince me this Florida team does not have what it takes to be very good, and it has shown glimpses. Despite the glimpses into its futility at too many points this season, there is hope that the talent on this roster may finally be unleashed – addition through subtraction, as the saying goes. Booting out your head coach is not generally something that instills confidence in a team moving forward, but in this case, there is reason to believe such a shake-up might actually translate into a better performance. For anyone who cried about Billy Napier’s gameday play-calling, this is your day; this is the time we get to put your theory to the test. The playbook will be the same, the personnel will be the same – only the play-calling and perhaps the attitude will change. Let’s hope change is a good thing. I’ll worry about the next guy wearing the head set after we take care of business at hand on the field.

Ole Miss took a crucial step forward in the SEC race with last Saturday’s 34-26 win at Oklahoma, powered by Kewan Lacy’s late touchdowns and 315 passing yards from Trinidad Chambliss. The victory not only lifted the No. 8 Rebels to 7-1, but also triggered an automatic extension for head coach Lane Kiffin—arriving just as the coaching carousel hit full speed across the conference. Watch the Buddy Martin Show Tonight | link at the bottom Social media frenzied after the game over an on-field audio clip, with fans convinced Kiffin had emphatically pledged to stick with the Rebels. In reality, the coach quickly clarified he had simply told the crowd, “We’ll be back here to this stadium,” forecasting future SEC matchups against Oklahoma and defusing speculation about his own status. “Emotional atmospheres can lead to misheard comments,” Kiffin said, brushing off job rumors as an annual tradition and refocusing his team’s attention on performance. Yet with vacancies at LSU and Florida dominating college football headlines, Kiffin remains at the heart of every insider conversation. The Rebels’ win activated a major contract extension—now through 2029 at $9 million a year—while the school’s boosters double down on support. Still, industry sources say both LSU and Florida see Kiffin atop their wish lists, citing his turnaround with Ole Miss and established SEC recruiting ties. Former Alabama coach Nick Saban, weighing in this week, questioned whether LSU or Florida could honestly claim to offer a better gig than Oxford in today’s player-driven era. “You can have a long debate if Florida and LSU are better jobs than Ole Miss right now,” Saban noted, pointing to Kiffin’s freedom with roster management and the Rebels’ competitive footing. As the playoff chase intensifies, Kiffin’s decision will shape the SEC’s landscape far beyond Oxford. For more on the shifting SEC picture and what’s next for Kiffin, tune in tonight at 9 PM Eastern for in-depth conversation with veteran broadcaster Steve Russell (WRUF/Gainesville), GatorBait Media columnist Franz Beard, and The Ocalan publisher Carlton Reese—all live on The Buddy Martin Show, streaming at https://youtube.com/@thebuddymartinshow?si=hxzZivWA3N-N_sem Join the broadcast for analysis, insider stories, and to share your take on this ever-evolving coaching saga.

I am told there are people in this world – Gator fans mind you – who say they always cheer for Southeastern Conference teams when they’re playing a non-SEC opponent. For the most part, I agree except for one slight deviation and that is to never, under any circumstance, pull for the University of Georgia unless it can help the University of Florida win a championship. For example, let’s say Florida and Tennessee are tied for the SEC East lead in football and the Vols are playing Georgia. If a Georgia win means the Gators win the SEC East, then I will, ever so grudgingly, pull for Georgia. But I feel dirty after I’ve done it. Simply saying I don’t like Georgia would be one of the all-time understatements. Saying I hate Georgia is far closer to reality but lacks intensity. Imagine this: the white hot heat of ten thousand suns. You’re in the same neighborhood. I am so repulsed by the University of Georgia that I have wondered why it is General William Tecumseh Sherman didn’t detour from his march to Savannah to burn down everything in Athens and Clarke County then salt the earth so nothing would grow there for a hundred years. And why is it that allegedly well-educated people who are graduates of what is supposedly a world class university proudly call their team the Dawgs? The rest of the world sees that and thinks what a bunch of functioning illiterate rednecks. So, let the big dog spell!   For those of you who think that it’s cute to say Dawg or that Georgia’s not so bad the next 364 days after the Florida-Georgia game in Jacksonville, allow me to offer you a refresher course in why despising the Georgia Bulldogs should resonate to the very core of your being. If it does not, then you have somehow missed the Gator standard. By a wide margin. 1. THE 1942 GAME: I wasn’t even an idea in 1942 when my father was a 17-year-old freshman on the University of Florida campus, biding his time until he was 18 so he could enlist in the Navy. At UF as in most campuses across the nation, the physically able athletes signed up to fight the Germans and Japanese within weeks of Pearl Harbor. When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, what was expected to be a very good University of Florida football team was decimated. The 1941 Gators had finished 4-6, but five of the six losses were by six or fewer points and in the final three games, UF beat Miami and Georgia then lost by three to UCLA. Coach Thomas Lieb’s 1942 Gators were a shell of the team that was envisioned prior to Pearl Harbor. The Gators were a team made up mostly of players either too young to enlist or ones who couldn’t pass the military physical. Meanwhile up at Georgia, Wally Butts assembled a dream team. Georgia had one of the best ROTC programs in the country and had been selected for a Navy Pre-Flight program. As players from around the country poured into Athens for Pre-Flight and ROTC, Georgia’s already strong roster became stacked. The roster included “Flatfoot” Frankie Sinkwich, who would win the Heisman Trophy; Charlie Trippi, who would win MVP of the Rose Bowl and probably should have won the Heisman in 1946 when he came back from military service; George Poschner, an All-American end who became a war hero at the Battle of the Bulge; and Gene Ellenson, a great defensive lineman who would win a pair of Silver Stars for heroism at the Battle of the Bulge and would later become the defensive coordinator at the University of Florida. The Gators limped into Jacksonville (Florida-Georgia was played at Fairfield Stadium) losers of three straight while Georgia had won seven in a row and was fresh off a 21-10 win over 3rd-ranked Alabama. No one in his right mind gave the Gators a chance and for good reason. The game was essentially over before it began, but Georgia poured it on from the opening kickoff and even with the score mounting in the third quarter, Butts never saw fit to put in his second and third teamers. Sinkwich, Trippi, Poschner and Ellenson were still in the game late in the fourth quarter. The final score was 75-0. Florida finished the season 3-7 and wouldn’t have a break-even season again until 1948. Georgia beat UCLA to win the Rose Bowl and a piece of the national championship. My dad and other Gators I talked to who were part of that greatest generation that went on to serve our nation and win a war in Europe and the Pacific, never forgot how Wally Butts chose to humiliate the Gators when it was obvious UF could offer little to no resistance. Every single one of them was bitter and the mention of Wally Butts made their blood boil. 2. THE 1968 GAME: Florida was picked in the preseason to win the SEC for the first time and finish top five nationally. The season began well with four straight wins and a No. 7 ranking but on a rainy day in the mud in Chapel Hill the Gators fumbled seven times and lost to North Carolina. The bottom fell out of the season that day. The Gators tied Vanderbilt in Nashville, then lost to Auburn on Homecoming. By the time the Georgia game arrived, UF was 4-2-1 and spiraling downward. Georgia, meanwhile, was 5-0-2, ranked 9th and closing in on Vince Dooley’s second SEC championship. Florida was a team with issues that had much to do with a quarterback controversy that divided the offense almost straight down the middle. Half wanted Larry Rentz while the other half wanted Jackie Eckdahl. On the other side of the locker room, defensive players were angry because they thought the offensive players were selfish to allow such a controversy to split loyalties. Making matters worse, a few days before the Florida-Georgia game, play caller and offensive backfield coach Fred Pancoast was hospitalized for an appendectomy. Feeling the need to shake up the team Ray Graves made the decision to swap coordinators – Ed Kensler became the defensive coordinator and Gene Ellenson became the offensive coordinator. About the only thing shaken up was the team’s confidence. Game day was cold, rainy and downright miserable. I was working for the Gainesville Sun at that time but press box space at the old Gator Bowl was limited. My boss, Joe Halberstein, got me a ticket to watch but I wasn’t there to write. By the second quarter, my rain gear was completely inadequate, I was soaked to the core and freezing.   Georgia arrived at the Gator Bowl on a seek and destroy mission. Mike Cavan ran the offense to perfection and Georgia’s defense, led by future College Football Hall of Famers Bill Stanfill and Jake Scott, made the Gators pay on nearly every play. It was 41-0 at the half. The Gators didn’t cross midfield until the third quarter.   In the final minute of the game with the score 48-0, Georgia faced a fourth down when one of the players on the team approached Dooley and told him he hadn’t kicked a field goal since high school. Dooley called time out, sent his center in to kick the field goal that nailed down the final humiliation points in a 51-0 beatdown that will go down as one of the worst in Florida football history. As was his habit on Saturdays upon seeing the Florida football score, San Francisco 49ers backup QB Steve Spurrier called Ellenson to talk about the game. If you’ve ever wondered why Spurrier was obsessed with running up the score on Georgia whenever he had the chance, the conversation he had with Coach Ellenson is the reason. Remember when Spurrier ran it up in Athens in 1995? Do you remember Eric Kresser throwing two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, the last one with 1:21 remaining that put the Gators ahead 52-17? Remember Spurrier saying he wanted to be the first coach to hang “half a hundred” on Georgia in Sanford Stadium? Think back to 1968 and you’ve got the reason. Coach Ellenson wasn’t alive for Spurrier to call with congratulations but a call was made to Coach Graves to say “this one’s for you.” 3. THE PROBATION YEARS: Okay, we’ll start with the obvious. Florida got nailed by the NCAA not just once, but twice. The first time, the Gators were hit with 109 violations, some of them as heinous as Dale Dorminey going back to Pensacola with a T-shirt and Hoss Adams buying him a pack of Juicy Fruit and a Sprite while waiting on the plane at the Gainesville airport. Hanging offenses! Now there were some violations that were pretty bad, but the majority were of the nickel and dime variety. For that Charley Pell was fired and the SEC championship the 1984 Gators won on the field was forfeited (more on that later). The second probation was for Galen Hall allegedly paying a month or so of child support for Jarvis Williams. At the same time the NCAA dropped the hammer on Florida (two years of probation without TV; maximum 12 in recruiting classes for consecutive years), Florida State, Tennessee, Auburn and Georgia all got slaps on the wrist. You see, the NCAA is quite selective about who it chooses to punish. For landing Herschel Walker – allegedly sold to the highest bidder – Georgia lost two scholarships. That’s a rather small price to pay for perhaps the greatest college football player of all time who led Georgia to one national and three SEC championships. It turns out that at the time the Georgia was being investigated, Vince Dooley was chairman of the NCAA television committee. Coincidence that Georgia was given a pass? Rumors persist that Dooley lobbied long and hard to ensure the penalties for Georgia’s transgressions were light. Georgia fans will tell you Vince Dooley is a man of the highest possible integrity, so explain why Georgia went on football probation three times (1965, 1978, 1982) while he was the coach and again in 1997 while he was the AD. He’s the guy who hired Hugh Durham and Jim Harrick, who both put Georgia basketball in the NCAA jailhouse. Dooley is also the same guy who allowed a serious academic fraud scandal to go on right under his nose. Google Jan Kemp sometime and read the details about how she got fired because she wouldn’t give athletes passing grades. She was fired but she sued and won a $1.08 million settlement. All this is relevant for Gators because Vince Dooley was among the leaders of the vote to strip Florida of the 1984 SEC title won on the field. Florida, by the way, destroyed Georgia on the field in 1984, 27-0. Years ago, I did a magazine article with College Football Hall of Famer and Gator great Wilber Marshall. When we got around to the subject of recruiting Wilber said, “I went to Florida because it was close to home and I’m a mama’s boy. I didn’t go there because they paid me to go but other schools made offers – some big offers – some of the same teams that voted to strip the SEC championship from us in 1984. You would go on recruiting trips and some fat cat booster would let you know what you could expect. That was pretty common then.” When I mentioned Georgia, Wilber laughed rather sarcastically.   The NCAA, in its infinite wisdom, hung a probation on Steve Spurrier’s first Florida team for something that happened during the Galen Hall years. Not a single player on that 1990 Florida roster was even on the team when Hall allegedly paid the child support for Jarvis Williams. Galen has always denied he did it. There were stories that he did pay the cash but the next morning Jarvis’ mom drove over from Palatka to pay him back. None of that was ever substantiated. What’s interesting is the NCAA never offered any real proof that Galen had done it. For that alleged crime, Galen was fired during the 1989 season. The Florida AD at the time (Bill Arnsparger) refused to fight the allegations but was very quick to fire Galen. Arnsparger saw this as the perfect opportunity to hire Mike Archer, who had succeeded him as the HBC at LSU. He would have done it if not for powerful Florida boosters like Ben Hill Griffin, who put him in his place.   The NCAA gave Florida a bowl ban. The SEC athletic directors voted that Florida was ineligible to win the SEC championship even though the Gators won it on the field. You’ll never guess in a million years who was at the forefront of keeping the Gators from winning the SEC title.   Go to the head of the class if your answer was Vince Dooley.   Punishment should always fit the crime. It could be argued that what Florida did in 1984 deserved time in the NCAA jailhouse, but if that’s the case, why was Florida’s punishment so tough and the punishment to FSU (a couple of scholarships lost), Tennessee (something similar) and Georgia nothing more than a pop on the fanny and the NCAA saying “be good boys and don’t do this again”?   And why was it so important for Vince Dooley to go to the mat to have the Gators stripped of the 1984 SEC title and then prevent the 1990 team from winning it? After all, this is the same Vince Dooley whose history of cheating dated back to 1965. His 1966 and 1968 SEC titles were never stripped. The only logical answer is that Dooley was determined to keep Florida down as long as he could. He might have succeeded except that he hired Ray Goff as his successor and Spurrier was hired at Florida over Arnsparger’s objections.   Hiring Spurrier changed everything and tilted the rivalry advantages strongly in Florida’s favor. The Head Ball Coach understood the hypocrisy and he knew the history. That has everything to do with why he took such delight in sticking it to Georgia (11 wins in 12 years; average margin of victory 23.36 points) every chance he got. Ron Zook beat Georgia two-out-of-three and might have made it three-for-three if he hadn’t been fired the Monday prior to the 2004 Georgia game. He still almost won that one. As a Spurrier assistant for five years (1991-95) Zook was well versed in what beating Georgia meant and why it was so important. Urban Meyer wasn’t around for the Spurrier years but he understood it too. He beat Georgia five times in six seasons. He knew all about the recruiting advantages for beating Georgia and he had been well versed in the history of the rivalry. In the years since Urban Meyer left Florida in 2010, the Florida-Georgia rivalry has tilted heavily in Georgia’s favor. Florida has won only four times including 2020 when Kyle Trask lit up Georgia’s vaunted defense for 474 yards and four touchdown passes.   Georgia is a 7.5-point favorite this year, but logically it seems it should be more. Billy Napier was fired after the Mississippi State win two weeks ago and Billy Gonzales is the interim. Turmoil at Florida, it would seem, would give Georgia a greater advantage, but perhaps the people who set the betting lines believe the Gators are going to show up with a vengeance and play like a team with its hair on fire. But no matter what happens Saturday, whether the Gators win or lose, it won’t change my intense disdain for the University of Georgia. No matter the sport, my favorite teams are the Florida Gators and whoever Georgia is playing. Nothing and nobody will ever change that.

The Next Payment: Catalyst for Change. But Lane Kiffin says, 'I don't care about money.' The 2025 SEC coaching carousel is a high-stakes, high-dollar spectacle and at the epicenter of it all isn’t just the next coach, but the next massive payday that changes the landscape for programs and power brokers alike. The scramble for blue-chip leaders, record contracts, and the influence of figures like Jimmy Sexton all revolve around one trigger: The next payment. Here’s how the carousel is setting up for a payday that will be remembered, and how the SEC’s future could be defined not by who gets the job, but by who writes the biggest check. Decisions, Decisions, Decisions By Gatorbaitmedia.com Staff The bidding wars now breaking out for new head coaches at Florida, LSU and other SEC titans are more intense than ever, setting the stage for contracts that will reset the market all over again. The latest head count being 10 head coaches fired and maybe another four to go. Boosters and ADs are lining up with nine-figure sums, waiting for the next school to pull the trigger — because whoever makes the next payment isn’t just hiring a coach, but catalyzing a ripple effect throughout college football. Sexton’s Masterpiece and New Candidates Jimmy Sexton, the ultimate dealmaker, is the puppet-master, orchestrating nearly every move on the board. His client roster includes Lane Kiffin, Eli Drinkwitz, James Franklin and a swath of upstart young coaches — all perfectly positioned to cash in. Lane Kiffin: The top target for both Florida and LSU, Kiffin is enjoying his playoff run at Ole Miss while banking on a bidding war that could elevate him to the richest coaching deal outside the NFL. Sexton’s leverage with Kiffin could trigger monster raises across multiple SEC schools. Eli Drinkwitz: Missouri’s sharp recruiter and strategist, Drinkwitz, is climbing as the favorite to land at Florida, with a contract that may top $46 million, reflecting just how fierce this payment-driven arms race is. James Franklin: Another Sexton client, Franklin is in the mix for Florida and LSU too, and his presence ensures the final payment will be eye-watering Urban Meyer: The wild rumor is that Meyer, though previously retired and dogged by controversy, could be coaxed back to the Swamp by a deal too big to resist. Every time the market jumps, so do the odds Meyer’s phone rings in Gainesville. The Ripple Effect: Coaching Dominoes This next round of payments means the dominoes won’t stop at Florida and LSU. Should Kiffin or Drinkwitz move, Missouri and Ole Miss will be on the market themselves, and Sexton’s influence promises to feed the frenzy with a deep bench of clients to fill every major vacancy. -- If Franklin goes to Florida, Penn State and possibly other major programs will scramble, igniting their own payment races. -- Saban’s name keeps popping up in LSU rumor mills, but always will until he has passed to the next life and the odds of him returning to coaching remain Infinitesimal. Sexton’s mastery is keeping every major job linked — and every check ready to be written. Looking to 2026: Anything Can Happen As the next payment is made, the entire puzzle could change. Imagine a world where Urban Meyer leads Florida, Kiffin chooses Baton Rouge, and young stars from Sexton’s roster make their mark across the SEC. The 2026 football season may feature unfamiliar faces on old sidelines — and all because one contract set the whole wheel spinning. Closing Thought In SEC football, legend says you follow the money. But right now, you can watch in real-time as the next payment triggers every big move, sends shockwaves through the halls of power,\ and rewrites the future for college bluebloods. Kiffin has said, "I will never take a job when it's about money -- I don't care about money. Jimmy Sexton tells me never to say that." Stay tuned: the checkbook is open, the stakes are historic and no one knows who’s about to sign their name and change the game for good. Checks please!

(UAA Photo) For a guy who has always coached wide receivers, Billy Gonzales did a rather nifty impersonation of a veteran head coach Monday afternoon. Florida’s interim football coach was poised, prepared and thorough as he took questions that ranged from preparations for 5 th -ranked Georgia to the origins of his coaching career. If you didn’t know better, you would think he had been a head coach for years.   Billy G was simply Billy G, which is what former bosses like Urban Meyer and Dan Mullen told him to be.   “I’ve talked to a majority of the coaches that I’ve had an opportunity to work for over this time and I think, one is for guidance, and I think the great thing that every single one of them said was just be you and that’s including Coach Napier,” Gonzales said.   Just be you. What a concept. With Gonzales that means focus, preparation, attention to detail and make the hard work fun. There is a reason why he’s considered one of the best, if not the best, wide receivers coach in all of college football. He stresses precision. Run the route right. Watch the ball all the way into your hands. Catch the ball with your hands and bring it in. You won’t get on the field if you are unwilling or incapable of blocking.   With five games remaining on the Florida schedule, is it possible that Billy Gonzales could transform the precision and focus of his wide receivers to the rest of the team? Despite injuries that have depleted their ranks, the Gators have as much or more talent than any team on their schedule. Talent alone hasn’t gotten the job done this season which is why Napier was dismissed and Gonzales is running the team the rest of the season.     The problem for the Gators has been consistency. For the Gators to hold their own the rest of the way, Gonzales will have to find the consistency that has been missing this season. How will the Gators respond? Will they find renewed energy and focus that has been missing all season or will they simply show up and go through the motions.   The Gators are 3-4 so far, 2-2 in SEC play. They’re capable of going on a streak like they did at the end of 2024 when they won their last four games to finish the season 8-5. The five games remaining on the schedule – Georgia in Jacksonville, at Kentucky, at 7 th -ranked Ole Miss and home against 14 th -ranked Tennessee and Florida State – are all winnable. They are also all losable.   Saturday’s game against Georgia could tell us plenty about how the Gators are going to respond. An exceptional game against Georgia, which is a 7.5-point favorite, could be motivation to finish the season. The Gators will almost certainly be favored to beat Kentucky and Florida State. If they could win those two and find a way to win one of the other three, the Gators would be bowl eligible.   So how do they do it? How does a team that has this befuddling Jekyll and Hyde personality do what some would consider a modern miracle by getting to six wins? There is no overnight answer but Gonzales took the approach of listening to his players. He gathered the team leadership committee to hear their grievances as well as their suggestions. He thought the meeting was productive.   "I asked if there's any things that they would like to do as far as practice-schedule wise and they gave me some thoughts and ideas,” Gonzales said. “But the fundamental thing that I got out of that conversation with the leadership committee was the number one thing is we want to get back out of the grass. We want to get going. We want to start doing what we're here to do, and that's to play football.   "They want to get on the football field. They want to get out there. And I think that's as much as anything was mentally and therapeutic for those guys to get out amongst each other. And again, it's unique, the fact that college football, one of the things that I believe that's special about college football is you're around your friends, you're around your teammates, you're around each other on and off the field. You're eating together down at the lunchroom, dinner together. So that bonding that takes place. So it is important, it was important for those guys to get back on the football field together, to be around each other."   Understanding the players, what they want and what they need, is just the first step. Once back on the field, it’s about responding to the coaches. Is it possible that Billy Gonzales can get players to play better and with more consistency than Billy Napier? Players loved Napier but the results were more losses than wins.   It isn’t a question of talent. Florida has enough talent to compete with anyone in the country, but something has been missing. Despite four losses, nobody has blown the Gators out. In each of the losses, the Gators have been within striking distance into the fourth quarter only to have games slip away. Late game defensive collapses have a lot to do with injuries that have weakened the depth pool and too many three-and-outs by the offense that has forced the defense to play too many snaps.   The Gators have skill players who could start at any school in the Southeastern Conference and yet the Gators rank 12 th in the SEC, 92 nd nationally in yards per game. Florida ranks dead last in offensive plays (460). Speeding up the tempo could be one answer. For one thing a faster tempo would lessen the predictability. Opposing defensive players have boasted after beating the Gators that they knew every play the Gators were going to run as soon as they lined up. It is too late in the season to do a complete install of a new offense but not too late to change how and when plays are called. Nor is it too late to take a more aggressive approach to running the offense. The Gators have the speed and talent on the outside to throw the ball downfield more often. That would back the safeties off the line of scrimmage, which would open up the running game.   At Texas A&M, the Gators marched down the field on their first three possessions. After that the Aggies adjusted their defense and played eight in the box the rest of the game. Did Billy Napier go conservative and the Aggies responded accordingly or just a matter of predictability.   What Gonzales can do is have his offensive brain trust – QB coach and play caller Ryan O’Hara and coordinator Russ Callaway – take a more aggressive approach. More downfield shots should have the effect of loosening things up for the running game.   Only against Texas have the Gators played anything close to a complete game, but even then they didn’t score in the fourth quarter when they had a chance to blow the doors off the Longhorns. The challenge for Gonzales will be to help the Gators find the consistency that has been missing.   Gonzales believes in his players. The situation isn’t ideal but there are five remaining games to make something positive happen. A strong finish to a season gone upside down is not completely out of the question.   “I’ve said this before, they (players) don’t have quitting in their DNA and they’re going to continue to fight,” Gonzales said. “And it’s not like we haven’t been in games before. It’s not like we haven’t won games before, so I think the big thing is to focus on us, not to focus on anything else … just focus on us. And if we can, we can do our job and be the best at what we do on our job and be the best on the field, every time we take a snap I think we’ll be exactly where we need to be in the fourth quarter.”

LSU fired Brian Kelly Sunday evening causing a ripple effect throughout college football. By electing to eat Kelly’s whopping $53.333 million buyout, LSU effectively raised the stakes for every successful coach in the country. It is going to cost more to hire new coaches and schools that want to retain their coaches will be forced to renegotiate contracts.   The willingness of schools like LSU, Penn State ($46.8 million buyout of James Franklin) and Florida ($21 million buyout of Billy Napier) to fire coaches with hefty buyouts means that no coach is safe if the boosters and administration want him gone. Kentucky, for example, has already said Mark Stoops’ approximately $40 million buyout will not be an obstacle. Auburn is contemplating eating the $20.3 million it would take to buyout Hugh Freeze. Florida State doesn’t have the money in hand – $59.16 million – to fire Mike Norvell, but boosters and the administration are looking for ways to put a buyout deal together.   Buying out a contract is just the first issue. The second is hiring a new coach, which typically entails paying buyout money. Florida wants to hire Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin. It will cost Florida $3 million to pay the Ole Miss buyout, plus a contract that will may end up doubling what the Gators were paying Billy Napier ($7.25 million). Florida has made a back channel offer of six years, $13.5 million per year. Ole Miss reportedly is scrambling to match the Florida offer. If the Gators wish to hire Kiffin, chances are it will cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $15 million.   With schools like Florida, LSU, Penn State and Arkansas searching and it’s not even November, we’re about to see a level of coach hiring inflation like never before. Schools that want to keep their coach are going to offer extensions and raises. Schools that want to hire coaches are going to have to pay more than the previous coach. At LSU, for example, Kelly was making more than $10 million a year. To hire a top of the line coach it will cost LSU at least $14-15 million.   Someone has to pay for the fired and newly hired coaches. Boosters will ante up millions, booster fees and ticket prices will soar and the cost of concessions and other amenities at the stadium will rise accordingly.   All this and it’s only November.   Associated Press top 25: 1. Ohio State 7-0; 2. Indiana 8-0; 3. Texas A&M 8-0; 4. Alabama 7-1; 5. Georgia 6-1; 6. Oregon 7-1; 7. Ole Miss 7-1; 8. Georgia Tech 8-0; 9. Vanderbilt 7-1; 10. (Tie) BYU 8-0 and Miami 6-1; 12. Notre Dame 5-2; 13. Texas Tech 7-1; 14. Tennessee 6-2; 15. Virginia 7-1; 16. Louisville 6-1; 17. Cincinnati 7-1; 18. Oklahoma 6-2; 19. Missouri 6-2; 20. Texas 6-2; 21. Michigan 6-2; 22. Houston 7-1; 23. Southern California 5-2; 24. Utah 6-2; 25. Memphis 7-1   AFCA Coaches top 25: 1. Ohio State 7-0; 2. Indiana 8-0; 3. Texas A&M 8-0; 4. Alabama 7-1; 5. Georgia 6-1; 6. Oregon 6-1; 7. Georgia Tech 8-0; 8. Ole Miss 7-1; 9. Miami 6-1; 10. BYU 8-0; 11. Vanderbilt 7-1; 12. Notre  Dame 5-2; 13. Texas Tech 7-1; 14. Tennessee 6-2; 15. Virginia 7-1; 16. Cincinnati 7-1; 17. Louisville 6-1; 18. Oklahoma 6-2; 19.  Texas 6-2; 20. Missouri 6-2; 21. Michigan 6-2; 22. Houston 7-1; 23. Navy 7-0; 24. Utah 6-2; 25. Memphis 7-1   SEC FOOTBALL No. 4 Alabama (7-1, 5-0 SEC): Prior to the game-tying drive in the fourth quarter (14 plays, 79 yards), Alabama had turned the ball over on downs then followed with three consecutive three-and-outs. On that drive, QB Ty Simpson completed 7-9 passes for 54 yards and ran once for seven more.     Arkansas (2-6, 0-4 SEC): The second half offensive performance in the loss to Auburn had Arkansas fans taking to social media to declare this the end of any chance the interim label will be lifted off Bobby Petrino. Saturday: Mississippi State (4-4, 0-4 SEC)   Auburn (4-4, 1-4 SEC): Getting a win didn’t remove Hugh Freeze from the hot seat, but at least it provided a delay. If Auburn can beat Kentucky Saturday, Freeze will be within one win of bowl eligible with three games to play. Will 6-6 calm the fire Freeze hysteria? Saturday: Kentucky (2-5, 0-5 SEC)   No. 5 Georgia (6-1, 4-1 SEC): Georgia has opened as a 7.5-point favorite over Florida. Saturday: vs. FLORIDA (3-4, 2-2 SEC) in Jacksonville   Kentucky (2-5, 0-5 SEC): The heat on HBC Mark Stoops has ratcheted up considerably. Thought just three years ago to be one of the most secure coaches in the SEC, his very hot seat is getting hotter by the game. The Wildcats were blown out by Tennessee which lit up the UK defense for 56 points and 504 yards.  Saturday: at Auburn (4-4, 1-4 SEC)   LSU (5-3, 2-3 SEC): They finally wised up at LSU and figured out Brian Kelly is a bad fit. They have everything needed to be a consistent playoff and SEC title contender.   Mississippi State (4-4, 0-4 SEC): The Bulldogs have lost three of their four SEC games by a combined 16 points. They are very close to being good. Right now they’re capable of scaring the bejabbers out of any team they play.   No. 19 Missouri (6-2, 2-2 SEC): Quarterback Beau Pribula is expected to miss the rest of the season after suffering a dislocated ankle against Vanderbilt. The ankle was popped into place and apparently will not require surgery but proper healing will take more than a month.   No. 18 Oklahoma (6-2, 2-2 SEC): The loss to Ole Miss complicated matters for Oklahoma. The Sooners have four games remaining, all against ranked teams.  A late season collapse could also signal jeopardy for head coach Brent Venables. Saturday: at No. 14 Tennessee (6-2, 3-2 SEC)   No. 7 Ole Miss (7-1, 4-1 SEC): The Rebels are a game away from the top spot in the SEC, but whether they make it to Atlanta or not, they have one of the easiest paths to the College Football Playoff. Ole Miss doesn’t play a ranked opponent, has three straight home games and ends the season at Mississippi State. Saturday: vs. South Carolina (3-5, 1-5 SEC)   South Carolina (3-5, 1-5 SEC): Despite his assurance that he is 100 percent committed to South Carolina, speculation continues to mount that Shane Beamer will leave to become the HBC at Virginia Tech. Whether Beamer is nudged out or leaves completely on his own volition remains to be seen. Saturday: at No. 7 Ole Miss (7-1, 4-1 SEC)   No. 14 Tennessee (6-2, 3-2 SEC): The Vols are third nationally in total offense (501.1 yards per game) and second in scoring (46.5 points per game). Defense is another problem altogether. The Vols rank 101 st nationally in total defense (401.5 yards per game) and 112 th in scoring defense (30.9 per game). Saturday: No. 18 Oklahoma (6-2, 2-2 SEC)   No. 20 Texas (6-2, 3-1 SEC): Arch Manning suffered a concussion in the Longhorns’ come-from-behind win over Mississippi State. He is under concussion protocol now which means his status for Saturday’s game with 9 th -ranked Vanderbilt will be listed day-to-day. Saturday: No. 9 Vanderbilt (7-1, 3-1 SEC)   No. 3 Texas A&M (8-0, 5-0 SEC): With their seven sacks for -49 yards in the win over LSU, the Aggies now lead the nation. Aggie pass rushers have taken down quarterbacks 32 times for 248 yards in losses. Cashus Howell is tied for third nationally with 9.5 sacks.     No. 9 Vanderbilt (7-1, 3-1 SEC): Saturday: at No. 20 Texas (6-2, 3-1 SEC)   COUNTDOWN TO FIRING DAY: OCTOBER 26 EDITION Extinct Species List Brian Kelly, LSU: LSU spent NIL money like crazy to bring in what was billed as the No. 1 transfer class in the country. So how’s that working out? Kelly went 5-3 this season and was 34-14 in his 48 games as the LSU head coach. The buyout is $53.333 million. If they can afford the buyout, then they can afford to bring in an outstanding coach.   Billy Napier, Florida: Florida has made the first move to land Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss has countered. Florida has more money, more resources and a far better chance to be a championship program. Will that be enough to lure him from Ole Miss.   Sam Pittman, Arkansas: The Arkansas season is in the tank. Scratch Bobby Petrino from the possible list and maybe Rhett Lashlee too. That loss to Wake Forest Gump is going to seriously hurt his chances. Is this a landing spot for James Franklin?   James Franklin, Penn State: They would love to hire Matt Rhule, but he’s got Nebraska flying high once again. It’s a good job but potential candidates might be spooked by firing James Franklin who had a 128-60 record at Penn State.   DeShaun Foster, UCLA: Tim Skipper was on the radar until UCLA was gassed by Indiana. So, back to the drawing board. Keep an eye on Spencer Danielson, the head coach at Boise State.   Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State: Gundy was in year 22. There is a lot of oil money to spend here but has the program cratered? Dana Holgorsen might be an option here.   Brent Pry, Virginia Tech: It’s looking more and more like Shane Beamer will be encouraged by the South Carolina folks to heed the call of mama. The Hokies are calling!   Trent Dilfer, UAB: There isn’t a lot of money here, so Alex Mortenson might could have the interim label removed if he continues to win.   Trent Bray, Oregon State: Money is an issue and so is this funky new version of the Pac-12 that will be unveiled next year.   Jay Norvell, Colorado State: Could Billy Gonzales be the right fit here? He’s a CSU alum who worked and played for Urban Meyer. He’s also worked for Les Miles and Dan Mullen so he’s got a nice resume.   On Life Support Mike Norvell, Florida State: If they had the money he would already be gone. FSU might have to hold raffles and bake sales to raise the money to fire him and pay the buyout. They’re hoping he takes a job somewhere else.   Hugh Freeze, Auburn: He’s hanging by a thread. Can he survive if he gets to six wins this year?   Luke Fickell, Wisconsin: He’s tried to change Wisconsin from bludgeoning opponents to one that spreads the field and attacks. Bad idea. His new fangled offense isn’t working.   Mark Stoops, Kentucky: They are once again the Mildcats. Stoops has an enormous buyout but a second straight losing season has turned the fan base against him. UK boosters probably want to make a move before Joe Sumrall at Tulane gets scooped up.   Derek Mason, Middle Tennessee: He lost at Vandy and he’s losing at MTSU. Why he hasn’t been fired yet is the $60,000 question.   Joe Moorhead, Akron: A surprise win over Buffalo might have bought him some time.   Endangered Species List Bill O’Brien, Boston College: He won eight last year. He’s 1-7 this year. He probably gets another year, but he’s on borrowed time.   Dell McGee, Georgia State: The Panthers have allowed 38 or more points in six of their eight games. They don’t have a lot of money so he might survive.   Dave Aranda, Baylor: He’s supposed to be a defensive guru, so why is his team giving up 32.6 points per game? The Bears are 4-4. He has to win. Two of the last four or he’s probably a goner.

(UAA Photo) “You won’t have Richard Nixon to kick around anymore.” – Richard Nixon, 1962   That was Nixon conceding the California gubernatorial race to Pat Brown but as we know, he resurfaced six years later as president of the United States.   Billy Napier can relate. He’s been fired so Florida fans won’t have him to kick around anymore. Chances are, like Nixon, he will resurface as someone’s head coach at some point in the future. But it won’t be at Florida.   In the meantime, football goes on at Florida. Billy Gonzales is the interim head coach and there are whispers coming out of the Florida camp that practices have been high energy. From multiple sources, former Gator All-American Brandon Spikes has become the Minister of Intensity and the injection of his high energy level has turned the pall of Napier’s dismissal into a feeling of opportunity that has been contagious.   Gonzales is selling hope as the Gators prep for Georgia next week. The Gators (3-4, 2-2 SEC) can still get to a bowl game. That might sound like low hanging fruit but to be where they are both emotionally and in 4-loss reality, getting to a bowl game would rank as a serious accomplishment. Even the Birmingham Bowl or the Weedwacker.   So, there is incentive to play well.   Gonzales won’t oversee a wholesale change to the offense. It’s too late in the season to install a brand new scheme, but what he can do is alter the way the plays have been called. Billy G is the wide receivers coach and he knows he has serious talent at his disposal. So why not use it by heaving the ball around the yard a bit more?   QB coach Ryan O’Hara will be calling the plays. He will be in the booth sitting beside offensive coordinator Russ Callaway, who used to call the plays for Chris Hatcher at Samford. Hatcher comes from the Hal Mumme coaching tree. Mumme’s offenses are the forerunner of the Air Raid.   While it is too late in the season to overhaul the offensive schemes, it’s not too late to take on a new offensive identity. If Billy Gonzales can give the Gators a new sense of offensive purpose, the talent is there to turn the Gators dangerous, something Napier promised but never delivered.   SEC FOOTBALL No. 3 Texas A&M (7-0, 4-0 SEC) at No. 20 LSU (5-2, 2-2 SEC): This is Brian Kelly’s last stand. A loss to the Aggies and it will mark a fourth straight year Kelly has failed to get LSU into the College Football Playoff. The Tiger faithful have grown weary but do they have $53.3 million to spare? That’s what it will take to buy him out. Even if Kelly gets a win against the Aggies, there are still four games remaining and that means four more opportunities to go down in flames. The Aggies, meanwhile, are living the good life, ranked higher than they’ve been in decades. Recent history says they’re due to nosedive. Have they hit the wall? Tiger Stadium on a Saturday night is one of college football’s most intimidating venues. For this one the LSU people have been arriving in Baton Rouge since Wednesday and by Saturday night they’ll be fully greased and ready to raise hell. A white knuckler all the way but the LSU crowd is going to have a say in who wins. The pick: LSU     No. 4 Alabama (6-1, 4-0 SEC) at South Carolina (3-4, 1-4 SEC): A year ago this would have been a trap game, but this is 2025 and not 2024. LaNorris Sellers isn’t the same QB who was everybody’s nightmare a year ago. The nightmare QB this year is Bama’s Ty Simpson, who has thrown 18 TDPs and just one pick. He’s going to be on the Heisman podium. Sellers is not. Alabama is favored by 11.5 points which seems rather low. The Tide is built to cover because South Carolina has a bottom five offense. Another loss and the Shane Beamer to Virginia Tech noise is going to take on deafening proportions. The pick: Alabama   No. 8 Ole Miss (6-1, 3-1 SEC) at No. 13 Oklahoma (6-1, 2-1 SEC): A loss won’t eliminate either team from the hunt to get into the College Football Playoff, but the schedule favors Ole Miss from here on out. For Oklahoma, this is the first game of a gauntlet of games against ranked teams. That’s serious pressure. Oklahoma has the best defense in the country and the best pass rush (28 sacks). Ole Miss ranks among the national leaders in protecting the quarterback. This one might come down to which quarterback does the best job breaking out of the pocket and extending plays. John Mateer hasn’t been the same since breaking his thumb. With the exception of a poor fourth quarter against Georgia, Trinidad Chambliss has been brilliant, accounting for 13 touchdowns (5 with his legs). Ole Miss will generate enough of a running game to help Chambliss. Oklahoma can’t do the same for Mateer. Oklahoma is favored by 5.5 points. The pick: Ole Miss   No. 15 Missouri (6-1, 2-1 SEC) at No. 10 Vanderbilt (6-1, 2-1 SEC): Figure this is an elimination game for both teams. The winner remains in the hunt for the College Football Playoff. The loser can still avoid the dreaded Birmingham Bowl where the loser is required to spend an extra week in Birmingham. Both teams have motivation but Vanderbilt has the home field and it has quarterback Diego Pavia, who is a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate. Missouri has the No. 5 defense in the country. Do the Tigers have what it takes to neutralize Pavia? Vandy is a 2.5-point favorite but it seems the Commodores should be favored by more because Pavia, at home, has a way of working some magic. The pick: Vanderbilt   No. 17 Tennessee (5-2, 2-2 SEC) at Kentucky (2-4, 0-3 SEC): A win over Tennessee would do wonders for Mark Stoops, who is hearing it from all sides that it’s time for him to seek gainful employment somewhere else. He’s the winningest coach in Kentucky history but wins have been hard to come by lately. Will the Wildcats take on a win one for the Stooper mode and give the Vols more than they can handle? Every game from here on out is desperation for the Vols. With two losses, both to top five teams, they can still get in the playoff if they run the table the rest of the way to finish 10-2. It should be close but the Vols have far more weapons. The pick: Tennessee   No. 22 Texas (5-2, 2-1 SEC) at Mississippi State (4-3, 0-3 SEC): A week ago, the vaunted Texas defense had all sorts of trouble getting Kentucky off the field. That game better have been an aberration because Mississippi State has a much better offense than Kentucky plus the Bulldogs have a pass defense that ranks sixth in the SEC in interceptions. Texas struggles to run the ball effectively so the Longhorns are going to need a big game from Arch Manning to escape the cowbell capital of the world with a win. A week ago Arch averaged only 4.9 yards per pass attempt against UK. It will take a lot more than that Saturday. Don’t be the least bit surprised if this one goes white knuckles until the very end. The Longhorns are better equipped to get a win. The pick: Texas   Auburn (3-4, 0-4 SEC) at Arkansas (2-5, 0-3 SEC): The winner of this game is assured of at least a temporary escape from the SEC cellar. Despite both teams doing an oh-fer so far in SEC play, much is at stake. For Auburn coach Hugh Freeze it might be a lifeline because his job is currently hanging by the flimsiest of threads. For interim Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino a win helps his cause to become the permanent coach. Hugh has the defense, Bobby has the offense. The immovable object vs. the irresistible force. Notre Dame is the only team to shut down the Arkansas offense this season. The Razorbacks are fortunate that Auburn has the next-to-last offense in the SEC (No. 109 nationally) so outscoring the Tigers shouldn’t be all that difficult. And, advantage to the Hogs since the game is in Fayette Nam. The pick: Arkansas

LSU Fires Brian Kelly After Texas A&M Collapse, Frank Wilson Named Interim as $54M Buyout Shakes Coaching Carousel By gatorbaitmedia.com staff LSU fired head football coach Brian Kelly Sunday ending a 48-game tenure that four years ago was considered one of the boldest hires in hires in college football history. LSU was considered a preseason favorite to challenge for the national championship but the Tigers are now 5-3 on the heels of Saturday night's embarrassing 49-25 loss to Texas A&M. Sunday, LSU athletic director Scott Woodward reportedly had a heated meeting with Kelly, after which he fired the coach and named associate head coach Frank Wilson as the interim head coach. Kelly signed a 10-year, $95 million deal in December 2021 after he became Notre Dame’s all-time wins leader. Kelly brought early promise, guiding the Tigers to an SEC West title in 2022 and beating Alabama in his first season. But the program steadily declined, never matching the offensive firepower that highlighted the 2023 campaign behind Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels. LSU owes Kelly approximately $54 million in buyout payment -- the second-largest coaching buyout in college football history behind Jimbo Fisher’s $76 million payout at Texas A&M. The buyout is structured with 40 percent paid immediately and the remainder distributed in monthly installments through 2031. If Kelly accepts another coaching or media position, LSU’s payments are reduced accordingly. Kelly’s contract included a $400,000 annual base salary, supplemental compensation ranging from $9 million to $9.4 million annually, yearly $500,000 longevity bonuses, relocation costs, car allowance, interest-free mortgage loan, and country club membership. The buyout covers 90 percent of his remaining contract value. LSU finishes Kelly’s run with a 34-14 overall record, including a 19-10 mark in SEC games. The Tigers faded late in his tenure, going just 7-6 in conference play the last two years. After the departure of Daniels, star receivers Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas, and offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock, offensive consistency was never regained. Defensive changes following the worst statistical season in LSU history in 2023 failed to propel the Tigers back into the national conversation. Nine head coaches have been fired already so the national coaching carousel is active, with Lane Kiffin (Ole Miss), James Franklin (recently departed Penn State), and several Power Four coordinators emerging as potential replacements for Kelly. LSU competes with Florida, Penn State, and Arkansas for top coaching talent. The Tigers’ massive buyout underscores how major programs now absorb extraordinary costs to execute rapid transitions in pursuit of playoff contention. For Gator fans, LSU’s upheaval and the broader SEC coaching shake-up signal intensified competition heading into next season. The coaching market reflects a new reality where playoff access and elite results are non-negotiable at blue blood programs, with multimillion-dollar buyouts becoming routine investments in competitive rebuilding. Athletic director Scott Woodward, who lured Kelly away from Notre Dame, now faces the pressure of making a critical hire to restore LSU’s standing in the SEC and keep pace during an active early coaching carousel. With a veteran roster and a highly-touted transfer class in Baton Rouge, expectations will remain high moving forward. Wilson will oversee the program as LSU begins its latest search a process that will attract national attention and speculation in the days ahead. FRANK WILSON, INTERIM HEAD COACH Wilson, a Louisiana native and longtime assistant under both Les Miles and Kelly, will serve as interim head coach for the remainder of the 2025 season. Known for his recruiting prowess and deep ties to New Orleans high schools, Wilson has previously led UTSA and McNeese State as head coach. His elevation provides temporary stability as LSU braces for another high-profile coaching search. WHAT'S NEXT FOR LSU? Athletic Director Woodward, who built his brand on bold hires like Kelly and Fisher, now faces a legacy-defining decision. Sources inside the program describe the next move as “his most pivotal swing yet.” Potential options could include established Power Four head coaches and rising coordinators with Louisiana recruiting roots. For LSU fans, the Kelly era will be remembered for both its promise and its abrupt unraveling—a reminder that in Baton Rouge, patience fades faster than playoff hopes. (The Associated Press contributed to this report)

(Photo by Chris Spears) It is Florida-Georgia week and the Gators (3-4, 2-2 SEC) will go into the annual clash in Jacksonville under the direction of interim coach Billy Gonzales. With five games remaining in the regular season, the Gators can still become bowl eligible if Gonzales is able to lead them to three wins. That is a monumental task considering the schedule includes 5 th -ranked Georgia, 8 th -ranked Ole Miss (in Oxford) and 17 th -ranked Tennessee. If Gonzales were to lead the Gators to a bowl game it might seal the deal for him to become the head coach at his alma mater, Colorado State.   There are plenty of good story lines for Florida-Georgia, but they will all be overshadowed this week by Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin. Kiffin is the height of expectation by the Florida fan base, which wants to see him as the next coach at Florida. A well-placed source whose information tends to be on the mark, told Gator Bait last week that Kiffin has a contract on his desk that will pay him $13.5 million over six years to leave Oxford for the University of Florida.   Any contract Kiffin has on his desk would have to come through back channels, from the search group in charge of targeting candidates for the University of Florida and from Kiffin’s agent, Jimmy Sexton. To leave Ole Miss, Kiffin has a buyout of $4 million.   Saturday at Oklahoma, Kiffin put up 34 points and 431 yards against the nation’s No. 1 defense. It wasn’t a great offensive performance by the Rebels but it was the most points anyone has scored against Oklahoma. Prior to Ole Miss, the most yards the Oklahoma defense had given up was 302 in a loss to Texas.   With the win, Ole Miss moved to 7-1 overall and 4-1 in SEC play. The Rebels trail Texas A&M and Alabama by a game in the SEC standings. The Rebels don’t have a ranked team remaining on their schedule – South Carolina, The Citadel, Florida and Mississippi State – and all but the finale against MSU will be in Oxford. None of the teams has a winning record so Ole Miss seems to be on a collision course with an 11-1 record. That might not get the Rebels into the SEC Championship Game but it almost certainly will land them in the College Football Playoff. Currently Ole Miss is ranked eighth nationally in both the Associated Press and AFCA Coaches polls.   Here is a look at SEC teams with a shot at making the College Football Playoff:   No. 3 Texas A&M (8-0, 5-0 SEC): The remaining games are at No. 15 Missouri, South Carolina, Samford and at No. 22 Texas. Prediction: Aggies run the table, make it to Atlanta and a top four seed in the CFP.   No. 4 Alabama (7-1, 5-0 SEC): Left on the schedule for the Crimson Tide are No. LSU, No. 13 Oklahoma, Eastern Illinois and at Auburn. Prediction: Four wins, Atlanta and the CFP.   No. 5 Georgia (6-1, 4-1 SEC): Georgia’s five remaining games are Florida (in Jacksonville), at Mississippi State, No. 22 Texas, Charlotte and at No. 7 Georgia Tech. Prediction: One more loss but makes the CFP.   No. 8 Ole Miss (7-1, 4-1 SEC): Remaining games are South Carolina, The Citadel, Florida and at Mississippi State. Prediction: 11-1 regular season and the CFP.   No. 10 Vanderbilt (7-1, 3-1 SEC): The last four games are at No. 22 Texas, Auburn, Kentucky and at No. 17 Tennessee. Prediction: A 10-2 regular season, just missing the CFP.   No. 13 Oklahoma (6-2, 2-2 SEC): The remaining games are at No. 17. Tennessee, at No. 4 Alabama, No. 15 Missouri and No. 20 LSU. Prediction: 8-4 regular season.   No. 15 Missouri (6-2, 2-2 SEC): The last four regular season game are No. 3 Texas A&M, Mississippi State, at No. 13 Oklahoma and at Arkansas. Prediction: 9-3 regular season.   No. 17 Tennessee (6-2, 3-2 SEC): The rest of the schedule is No. 13 Oklahoma, New Mexico State, at Florida and No. 10 Vanderbilt. Prediction: 9-3 regular season.   No. 22 Texas (6-2, 3-1 SEC): Remaining games on the schedule are No. 10 Vanderbilt, at No. 5 Georgia, Arkansas and No. 3 Texas A&M. Prediction: 8-4 regular season.   SEC FOOTBALL No. 3 Texas A&M (8-0, 5-0 SEC) 49, No. 20 LSU (5-3, 2-3 SEC) 25: The Aggies came out of the halftime locker room trailing 18-15. In the third quarter, the Aggies outscored LSU 21-0 and outgained the Tigers 132-14. The vaunted LSU defense had no answers for Marcel Reed, who accounted for four touchdowns (202 yards, 2 TDs passing; 108 yards, 2 TDs rushing). The Aggie defense held the Tigers to 278 yards (60 rushing, 218 passing) with seven sacks for -49 yards. Garrett Nussmeier, who began the season as one of the top three Heisman Trophy candidates, went 22-35 passing for 168 yards (4.8 yards per attempt) and one TD with one interception.   This was supposed to be the year Brian Kelly finally got LSU to the College Football Playoff but with three losses that dream has turned into a nightmare. Hired from Notre Dame with the promise of winning championships, Kelly is 34-14 in three-plus seasons with a minimum of three losses per year. Fans screaming for LSU to fire Kelly Saturday night are faced with this reality: His buyout is $53.333 million.   No. 4 Alabama (7-1, 5-0 SEC) 29, South Carolina (3-5, 1-5 SEC) 22: Germie Bernard scored two touchdowns in the final 2:16 as Alabama came from behind to eke out a win over unranked South Carolina. Dead in the water through three quarters, Alabama went on a 14-play, 79-yard scoring drive in the fourth quarter, culminating with a 4-yard Ty Simpson to Bernard touchdown pass and 2-point conversion to tie the score at 22-22 with 2:16 left in the game. After recovering a fumble at the South Carolina 38 by LaNorris Sellers, Alabama needed five plays to put up the winning TD. Taking a wildcat snap on third-and-10 from the South Carolina 25, Bernard faked a reverse, then sprinted around the right end and down the sideline for the game-winning score.   Alabama struggled all day against the South Carolina defense, which held the Crimson Tide to 325 yards, only 72 on the ground. Simpson threw for 253 yards but it took 43 pass attempts (5.88 yards per attempt). South Carolina, which managed just 333 yards, was done in by a pair of Sellers turnovers, a pass interception that was returned for a first quarter TD and the costly fumble at the end of the game.   No. 8 Ole Miss (7-1, 4-1 SEC) 34, No. 13 Oklahoma (6-2, 2-2 SEC) 26: Ole Miss came from behind, outscoring Oklahoma 9-0 in the fourth quarter to remain one game behind in the Southeastern Conference loss column. Ole Miss put together an 11-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that Trinidad Chambliss finished with an 8-yard pass to Trace Bruckler, then clinched the win on a 37-yard field goal by Lucas Carneiro with 4:09 to go in the game. The win kept the Rebels in the hunt for both the SEC championship and the College Football Playoff. With two losses, Oklahoma can’t afford another loss if the Sooners are to make the playoff.   Inconsistency plagued Ole Miss offensively even though the Rebels outgained Oklahoma 431-359, controlling the ball for more than 35 minutes. Ole Miss had 21 third downs, converting nine of them. Kewan Lacey gained 74 yards and scored two touchdowns, while Chambliss threw for 316 yards and a TD. The Rebels had to settle for field goals four times. Special teams produced two points on a safety after a blocked punt. Oklahoma got 109 rushing yards and two touchdowns from Xavier Robinson.   No. 10 Vanderbilt (7-1, 3-1 SEC) 17, No. 16 Missouri (6-2, 2-2 SEC) 10: Diego Pavia dived across the goal line from a yard out with 1:56 left in the game to clinch the win for Vanderbilt, which remains a game behind SEC co-leaders Texas A&M and Alabama. Vanderbilt recovered a Jamal Roberts fumble at the Mizzou 44 with a little more than seven minutes remaining, then drove the ball to the one where Pavia scored the game-winning TD. Pavia was far from perfect with just 119 passing yards and only 20 on the ground, but once again he was clutch for the Commodores, whose other TD came on an 80-yard run by Makhilyn Young in the third quarter.   It was a costly loss for Missouri, which dropped two games behind A&M and Alabama in the SEC standings. QB Beau Pribula suffered a dislocated ankle that was popped back into place. Freshman replacement Matt Zollers threw for 138 yards and a TD. The Tigers outgained Vanderbilt 376-259, but penalties (8-88) and troubles converting on third down (5-16) killed their chances for a win.   No. 17 Tennessee (6-2, 3-2 SEC) 56, Kentucky (2-5, 0-5 SEC) 34: Joey Aguilar threw for 396 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Vols past Kentucky. Aguilar completed 20-26 passes for touchdowns of 35, 56 and 13 yards, offsetting the best game of Kentucky redshirt freshman Cutter Boley’s career. Boley completed 26-35 passes for 330 yards and five touchdowns.   The Vols produced three receivers with more than 100 yards: Chris Brazzell III (4-138, 1 TD), Mike Matthews (6-107, 1 TD) and Braylon Stanley (6-105). Kentucky’s DJ Miller had five catches for 120 yards and two touchdowns while Kendrick Law had two catches for 103 yards and a TD.     No. 22 Texas (6-2, 3-1 SEC) 45. Mississippi State (4-4, 0-4 SEC) 38, OT: For the second straight week the Longhorns pulled off a win in overtime. The Longhorns trailed Mississippi State 38-21 in the fourth quarter when they mounted a furious comeback behind Arch Manning, who finished the game with 346 passing yards and three TDPs. Critical to the comeback was a 79-yard touchdown on a punt return by Ryan Niblett with 1:47 left that tied the game at 38-38. Once in overtime, Mississippi State knocked Manning out of the game on a 13-yard scramble out of the pocket. With Manning out, Texas scored on a 10-yard touchdown pass from backup QB Matthew Caldwell to Emmett Mosely. The win kept Texas within a game of the SEC lead.   Blake Shapen was outstanding for Mississippi State, throwing for 381 yards and four touchdowns without an interception. Davon Booth ran for 99 yards and caught three for 85 including a 62-yarder for a touchdown. Ryan Wingo caught five passes for 184 yards for Texas.   Auburn (4-4, 1-4 SEC) 33, Arkansas (2-6, 0-4 SEC) 24: Auburn got its first SEC win by outscoring Arkansas 23-3 in the second half. Auburn took the lead (27-24) with 9:15 left in the game on a 43-yard pick six by Rayshawn Pleasant. Two Alex McPherson field goals added insurance that Auburn was going to break a 4-game losing streak. For Arkansas it was a fifth straight loss.   Key to Auburn’s win was Hugh Freeze benching Jackson Arnold after a third quarter interception. Ashton Daniels came off the bench to lead the final three scoring drives. Daniels completed 6-8 passes for 77 yards while adding 35 on eight carries. Jeremiah Cobb led Auburn with 153 yards on 28 carries. The Auburn defense picked off Taylen Greene three times and forced a fumble.   NEXT SATURDAY FLORIDA (3-4, 2-2 SEC vs. No. 5 Georgia (6-1, 4-1 SEC), in Jacksonville South Carolina (3-5, 1-5) at No. 8 Ole Miss (7-1, 4-1 SEC) No. 10 Vanderbilt (7-1, 3-1 SEC) at No. 22 Texas (6-2, 3-1 SEC) No. 13 Oklahoma (6-2, 2-2 SEC) at No. 17 Tennessee (6-2, 3-2 SEC) Kentucky (2-5, 0-5 SEC) at Auburn (4-4, 1-4 SEC) Mississippi State (4-4, 0-4 SEC) at Arkansas (2-6, 0-4 SEC)