(Photo by Chris Spears) Standing on the running board of her F150 she took one final drag off a cigarette burned down to the filter. Exhaling as she threw the butt onto the Flavet Field grass, she shook her head and asked out loud, “Why can’t he win a football game like a normal coach? Why does it always have to be like this?”   She was vetting her frustration. She already knew the answer when her cracking voice verbalized the question. Billy Napier had once again turned what should have been an easy Florida victory into a clutch your chest because you think you’re about to have a close encounter with Saint Peter at the pearly gates affair.   For four years it has been this way. No win or no loss, it seems, is without its share of drama. White knuckles wins and losses haven’t been the exception for Napier. They are the rule, sort of an unwritten requirement that leave you shaking your head and wondering out loud why it seems Napier spends more time trying not to lose than playing to win.      It was like that against Mississippi State Saturday.   In taking out the Bulldogs, 23-21, on a breezy evening at The Swamp, Napier and the Gators offered the Bulldogs enough of a lifeline that they were a running play up the gut away from their first Southeastern Conference win since they beat Arkansas, 7-3, back on October 21, 2023. It was second-and-10 at the Florida 29, well within the range of placekicker Kyle Ferrie. There were 29 seconds remaining, more than enough time to run a play, line up, spike the ball and bring on the field goal unit.   That’s what should have happened except for one teensy problem. Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby felt the urge to go for something big rather than something with a lot less pizazz.   In a rather macabre way, it was almost like Lebby felt an obligation to out-Napier Billy. The safe call was a run that would gain a yard or two and give Ferrie a straight on shot at a game winning field goal. Instead of safe, Lebby had Blake Shapen throwing the ball when the situation called for a run. Maybe it seemed like a good idea at the moment.   Florida went with a zone blitz that dropped the tackles into the throwing lane. With Myles Graham bearing down on him, Shapen threw the ball straight into the hands of Michai Boireau, all 6-5 and 349 or so pounds of him. Making the first interception he’s had since he was in high school, Florida’s big sophomore snagged the ball and returned it five yards.   Once tackled, Boireau ran off the field holding the ball high, almost a symbol of defiance to a crowd that had been chanting “Fire Billy! Fire Billy” just moments before. The interception more than made up for Napier’s third down blunder of a call that put the outcome of the game in peril in the first place. That one happened back at the Florida 34 with just under two minutes remaining. Third-and-1 and Jadan Baugh, all 230 pounds of him in the backfield. A no brainer, right? DJ Lagway hands the ball to Baugh, who already had run for 150 yards. The pile moves and so do the sticks. First down Gators. Game over for all practical purposes.   Nothing could be easier than that. Right? That’s what should have been done.   So why was a pass play called? What was the urgency to make a big play when something simple would have worked just fine?   Okay, maybe that’s a play call that Steve Spurrier would make, but Spurrier could draw up plays in the dirt on the spur of the moment that would work. Spurrier had a penchant for the spectacular in the least expected moments. When Billy Napier tries to pull the same thing off we wind up with one of those scared money don’t make money moments.   From the moment Lagway took the snap he was under duress. Rolling right there was no one to throw to and two Mississippi State defenders were bearing down on him. Lagway didn’t even risk throwing the ball away even though he was outside the tackle box. Instead he took a 7-yard sack after which Mississippi State called its final time out with 1:47 left in the game.   This was more than a lifeline for Mississippi State. This was a defibrillator for a heart about to stop beating.   For the Gators this was a ghost of fourth-and-dumb, yet Napier was unfazed. He saw nothing wrong with the play call. “Very similar like the third-and-1 earlier in the game,” Napier explained after the game. “We called a movement pass, hit Aidan Mizell. Talking about maybe should have ran it on that one, too. We're not, 'cause it worked. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't work.” The pass to Mizell happened on the final play of the first quarter. On third-and-1 at the Mississippi State 49 Lagway hooked up with Mizell for a 12-yard gain. Two plays later the Gators scored a touchdown on a 19-yard run by Baugh. So yes, the call worked once before but the game wasn’t on the line then. Second time around, Mississippi State was all over the play. Sort of a been there, done that, you won’t fool me twice moment. It is moments like this that have been so confounding about Napier. When he needs to go conventional, he gambles. When he needs to gamble, he goes conventional. A week ago he gambled on fourth down when he should have punted against Texas A&M. A couple of weeks before against Miami he punted when he should have tried a long field goal. In a nutshell, that is the story of Billy Napier’s 45-game career as Florida’s football coach. Too many times with the outcome of games coming down to a single decision, Napier has consistently made the wrong choice. When he made the wrong choice Saturday Napier was bailed out by Boireau’s interception. Too many times in the past there has been no bailout play. Napier is 22-23 at Florida. The bulk of those losses came down to one or two bad decisions late in the game. Winning one of those in spite of yourself games at Homecoming in what might have been his final game as Florida’s head coach had plenty to do with why Napier was nearly overcome by emotions as he answered a question about a future that hangs by a strand of dental floss. He knows the end is near. For all we know, athletic director Scott Stricklin might have already informed Napier that he can expect the 50 percent installment of his $20 million buyout to be electronically transferred to his bank account within 30 days. It is no longer if Billy Napier will be fired, simply a matter of when. “I love the game of football,” Napier said, his voice and demeanor so close to being overwhelmed by the circumstances. He gathered himself long enough to take a deep breath then said, “I love the game.” There is no question Napier loves the game, loves his players and his players love him. He is everything you want in a football coach from Sunday to Friday. He treats his players like men, builds them up from the inside and has turned his football team into a model of decorum. That is commendable. Unfortunately, he is judged by what happens on Saturday and not for all the good done the rest of the week. Back at Flavet Field with smoke pouring out her nose and mouth as she spoke, the woman with the F150 paused before climbing into the cab. In a raspy voice she offered up this commentary about Billy Napier: “He gets paid $7.2 million dollars a year – point two for being a father figure to his players, $7 million to win on Saturday. “We’ve had too much point two, not enough $7 million if you ask me.” SEC FOOTBALL No. 4 Texas A&M (7-0, 4-0 SEC) 45, Arkansas (2-5, 0-3 SEC) 42: Rueben Owens scored on a 12-yard run in the fourth quarter to help keep the 4 th -ranked Aggies unbeaten at 7-0. After Arkansas cut the Aggies’ lead to 38-35 with a little more than 11 minutes left in the fourth quarter, Marcel Reed led A&M on a 10-play, 75-yard drive that culminated with the TD run by Owens. Although the Aggies struggled to stop the Razorbacks throughout the game, they were able to slow them down enough that it took Arkansas 12 plays to drive 93 yards for a touchdown that cut the final margin to three points. Reed played like an All-SEC quarterback completing 23-32 passes for 280 yards and three touchdowns while running for 55 more and another TD. The Aggies pounded out 217 yards on the ground while controlling the clock for 33:48. Arkansas racked up 527 yards of offense led by Taylen Green, the national leader in total offense.  Green completed 19-32 passes for 256 yards and three touchdowns, ran for 85 more and another TD.   No. 6 Alabama (6-1, 4-0 SEC) 37, No. 11 Tennessee (5-2, 3-2 SEC) 20: Alabama won its sixth straight game and fourth straight against a ranked team to take down Tennessee, which was held more than 100 yards below its season average in yards per game by a defense that got a pick six from Zabien Brown and four sacks of Tennessee QB Joey Aguilar including one by Yhonzae Pierre for -9 yards for a second quarter safety. Ty Simpson completed 19-29 passes for 253 yards and two touchdowns without turning the ball over. This was a bend but don’t break game for the Alabama defense, which gave up 410 yards but got tough in the red zone where the Vols were just 2-5. Alabama, meanwhile, scored touchdowns in all four of its trips to the red zone. The Vols got 268 passing yards from QB Joey Aguilar and 123 on the ground from DeSean Bishop but the same offense that had been leaving teams exhausted in previous games could only nickel and dime Alabama.   No. 9 Georgia (6-1, 4-1 SEC) 43, No. 5 Ole Miss (6-1, 3-1 SEC) 35: Georgia outscored Ole Miss 17-0 in the fourth quarter to rally from a 35-26 deficit, handing Ole Miss its first loss of the season. Gunner Stockton, who threw for 289 yards and four touchdowns while running for 59 and another TD, threw two fourth quarter touchdown passes to lead the comeback. Stockton finished the game by completing 26-31 passes. The difference in the game was Georgia’s ability to run the ball (221 yards) and control the clock (37:39-22:21). Ole Miss scored five touchdwns, more than enough to win the game, but the defense couldn’t get off the field and failed to force even one punt the entire game.   No. 14 Oklahoma (6-1, 2-1 SEC) 26, South Carolina (3-4, 1-4) 7: Oklahoma’s defense had six sacks for -53 yards, picked off two passes and got a fourth quarter safety. South Carolina managed only 224 yards, just 54 on the ground. Oklahoma didn’t exactly set the world on fire offensively, managing only 319 yards, but the Sooners controlled the ball on the ground (170 yards) and didn’t turn it over. Tory Blaylock ran for 101 yards and a TD and Xavier Robinson ran for 58 and added another touchdown. John Mateer didn’t have a spectacular game (18-26, 150 yards) but he was efficient and that’s all the Sooners needed.   No. 16 Missouri (6-1, 2-1 SEC) 23, Auburn (3-4, 0-4 SEC) 17, 2 OT: Beau Pribula’s 3-yard touchdown run in the second overtime lifted Missouri past Auburn. Auburn had a chance to tie the game and send to a third overtime, but Jackson Arnold’s fourth down pass to Jeremiah Wright came up a yard short. Auburn played well enough defensively to win the game, but couldn’t get help from the offense. The Tigers picked off two Pribula passes, held Ahmad Hardy to 58 yards on 24 carries and sacked the Mizzou quarterback three times. Auburn’s Jeremiah Cobb ran for 111 yards including a 41-yard gain, but the Tigers couldn’t sustain drives nor could they protect Arnold, who was sacked five times.   No. 17 Vanderbilt (6-1, 2-1 SEC) 31, No. 10 LSU (5-2, 2-2 SEC) 24: As if the Commodores needed to prove they are for real, they grabbed a 10-point lead on a Diego Pavia touchdown run at the end of the third quarter then held on to take down 10 th -ranked LSU. cored on a 21-yard run with 27 seconds remaining in the third quarter to give Vanderbilt a 10-point lead (31-21) and the Commodores held on in the fourth to score   No. 21 Texas (5-2, 2-1 SEC) 16, Kentucky (2-4, 0-4 SEC) 13, OT: Texas stuffed Kentucky on fourth-and-goal from inside the one in overtime, then got a 45-yard field goal by Mason Shipley to stave off an upset in Lexington. Texas was outplayed the entire game by the Kentucky defense, which held the Longhorns to 47 rushing yards and only 132 through the air. Arch Manning averaged only 4.9 yards per pass attempt. Kentucky had forced overtime on a 45-yard field goal by Jacob Kauwe with nine seconds left in the fourth quarter.   NEXT SATURDAY No. 4 Texas A&M (7-0, 4-0 SEC) at No. 10 LSU (5-2, 2-2 SEC) No. 5 Ole Miss (6-1, 3-1 SEC) at No. 14 Oklahoma (6-1, 2-1 SEC) No. 6 Alabama (6-1, 4-0 SEC) at South Carolina (3-4, 1-4 SEC) No. 11 Tennessee (5-2, 2-2 SEC) at Kentucky (2-4, 0-4 SEC) No. 16 Missouri (6-1, 2-1 SEC) at No. 17 Vanderbilt (6-1, 2-1 SEC) No. 21 Texas (5-2, 2-1 SEC) at Mississippi State (4-3, 0-3 SEC) Auburn (3-4, 0-4 SEC) at Arkansas (2-5, 0-3 SEC)

Questions and rumors surrounded this matchup as the future of Billy Napier hung in the balance as the Bulldogs, losers of 14 straight SEC games came to town. Would this game be Billy’s last stand or could a blowout win complete with a dominating offense and defense save the embattled coach for the remainder of the season? That would be the question and this game did little to give us any answers. By Loren Meadows, GatorBaitMedia.com , Football Analyst-Host of the Lowdown with Loren Meadows Napier addresses the media Saturday night (GatorBait photo) What We Thought: The Florida Gators have spent the last four years in the “just not good enough” category of mediocrity. While strides have definitely been made in the area of player experience, the Gators 21-23 record under Napier has not been what Florida has come to expect and most living Gators can even remember. Yet, every Saturday in the fall brings one more opportunity to present your program to the masses and as the intro states, “take on adversity and knock the grin from its face”. That was the chance that the Gators would have on Saturday. Take all the adversity the Gators had dealt with, talk of coaches being fired, a slightly embattled quarterback, injuries in the secondary, and a meeting that may or may have not happened, and put it all away with an impressive showing against a much improved Bulldog team. Mississippi State had dealt with its own success and close calls this season. An early upset of Arizona State followed by a near miss at Tennessee and running out of gas at Texas A&M. This was definitely not the Bulldogs of last season that saw the Gators dominate in Starkville and if the Gators should fall it seemed that their embattled coach would soon follow.  What We Got: Florida was once again game at home. While the team has managed just four wins away from The Swamp, the familiar confides of home have seemed to embolden this group and they seem to play their best ball when surrounded by the Gator faithful. Florida got out the gate a little slow as the Bulldogs marched 75 yards in 8 plays to take an early 7-0 lead. The Gators would cut the score to 7-3 eleven plays later and then would proceed to stifle the Bulldogs the next seven possessions to take control of a game that should have been tucked away early in the third quarter. Therein lies the issue over the past four years. While the Gators have found some success at times there is always something. A holding penalty on the perimeter that negated a Jaden Baugh 60 yard run in the second quarter, an interception to follow an explosive play that kills a drive, a substitution penalty on a key two-point conversion try that could have changed the dynamic of the game. So instead that Gators needed a great defensive play from Michai Boireau to save the day as the Bulldogs inexplicably threw a pass in a situation where they were already in position to kick the game winning field goal. So despite sacking Blake Shapen four times and tallying 11 tackles for loss, Jaden Baugh rushing for 150 yards on 23 carries and DJ Lagway actually hitting a couple of explosive plays, the Gators were in a position to lose another game where they dominated the opponent.    The Skinny: It’s funny, when Napier is finally relieved of his duties and I believe he will, there will be a number of things that people will point to that led to his demise. Unfortunately for Napier those things almost 100% had to do with the product on the field. When I was told to stop harping on a clean game it was those signs that continued to rear their ugly head. The football was never spic and span. Even in the wins. The penalties, the substitution eras, duplicate numbers, which happened against Texas and the refs missed it, and just a consistent lack of transparency when the football didn’t look like it needed to. A mat for special teams? Delay of games to start drives? Head scratching play calls in key situations. All of it points to an organization that is really good at wining and dining, but falls short when you have to actually commit to the relationship. The football has just been so-so and at Florida so-so doesn’t flow anymore. There have been many names mentioned as possible replacements but no matter who that may be, there are things in place that can ease the transition and I would encourage those involved be kept by the new regime. What has to be improved is an apparent lack of transparency, preparation, and effort particularly away from home. My parents have gone on to the most high and they weren’t even born when Florida was this bad over a four year stretch. Numbers don’t lie people do. So here is the truth. I encourage whoever is making the next coaching hire to call Lincoln,Nebraska and ask if they feel good about where their program is right now and take their answer seriously. Because the two teams that battled in 1995 still have a lot in common, and that is looking for the next Tom Osborne and Steve Spurrier. Florida has to get it right, and I believe if the obvious fail to take to the job there are good coaches out there that can get Florida back to consistent relevance. Just know if you get it wrong you will be walking hand in hand with the same program that was on top of the world thirty years ago and has not come close since.    Final Score: Florida Gators 23 Mississippi State 21 (ironic numbers actually)

DJ Lagway threw for 280 yards, but was also intercepted twice in the 23-21 victory over Mississippi State. (Chris Spears Photo) By CARLTON REESE GatorBaitMedia.com The best defensive back on the field Saturday weighed 349 pounds. With the Gator secondary down four starters – and it showed rather painfully with a train of long bombs connecting all game long for the Mississippi State Bulldogs – the stage was set for yet another Florida collapse in a game it had no business losing. With flashbacks to the South Florida debacle dancing in nearly everyone’s head, Florida found a way to take a game in which it dominated, make it close and give the opposition an opportunity to win. South Florida took that opportunity and cashed in on the Gators, but Mississippi State failed to capitalize in the most stunning of ways. In field goal range and down just two points, Bulldogs quarterback Blake Shapen confidently tossed a ball into a Gator secondary that could not cover anyone. Only problem was that tackle Michai Boireau astutely dropped back in coverage and picked it off, preserving Florida’s 23-21 homecoming win. With the victory secured, the blustering can now continue. All week, it’s been nothing but talk. Talk, talk, talk. “Quarterback D.J. Lagway had his best week of practice.” “Billy Napier is getting fired Sunday regardless of Saturday’s outcome.” “The ‘culture’ of the Florida program is where it needs to be despite the record.” The talk has become exhausting – how about some doing ? Perhaps Boireau saved Napier’s job with that interception, or maybe granted him a reprieve. Maybe it did not matter, and we are waking up Sunday morning to news that Napier is no longer head coach of the Florida Gators, which would no doubt delight the hordes of Gator fans who don’t seem to think the Georgia game matters. If Napier is gone, Saturday’s victory would be most apropos – beginning and ending in nearly the same fashion. Remember Napier’s first game, the upset of 7 th -ranked Utah that injected much-needed but perhaps Pollyannish optimism in the program? In that one, it was Amari Burney who picked off a pass in the end zone as the Utes were about to punch it in for a game-winning touchdown with just seconds remaining. Boireau duplicated the feat Saturday. The feeling that night in 2022 was one of euphoria. Gator fans everywhere suddenly became believers again – Napier was their guy. Then, Kentucky came around and all witnessed a gruesome scenario that would play itself out again and again and again that season and the three seasons after. And here we are, celebrating a win over Mississippi State. Not a bad Mississippi State team, mind you – this is a good football team that beat a very good Arizona State team (did you see what the Sun Devils did to Texas Tech Saturday?). But the Bulldogs, at the moment, are snakebit, or Gatorbit, though heading in the right direction. Can the same be said of Napier’s Florida Gators? Close inspection of the Florida roster shows an offense that should be a veritable juggernaut, even in the big bad Southeastern Conference. Alas, this offense does not strike much fear. Even Saturday against Mississippi State, when the Gators moved the ball up and down the field, points were hard to come by. When something went right, it was snatched away – see Jadan Baugh’s 60-yard touchdown run called back by a phantom holding penalty. That makes four touchdowns this season called back by penalties – this offense has only scored 11 outright this season against Division-I opponents! Mathematicians will tell you that means almost a third of all the times Florida scores, it’s being called back. Such is the misery of this season. Clawing for every inch and suffering even when something good happens. When Trey Smack hit a 39-yard field goal to extend the Gator lead to 13-7 late in the second quarter, those points were wiped away by a holding call. That meant Smack had to hit a 54-yarder, which he did and probably deserves game MVP honors as a result. The whole scenario summed up the Gators perfectly, where nothing comes easy. Even scratching out three points was exhaustingly excruciating as fighting for inches at the Battle of Verdun. Did Boireau save Napier’s job Saturday? I hope so, at least for the time being. Georgia is there for the taking, but I’m afraid the chaos of a coaching change and all the negativity that ensues in such mid-season moves renders that game being flushed, surrendered before the teams even take the field. It’s Georgia, and I can’t stomach that – give Napier a chance to beat Georgia, then fire him if you must. At this point, there is not much to play for except beating your rivals, and that means as much as anything. As for Saturday’s victory, Florida once again showed glimpses of a team that can and should be really good. It also showed once again it is a team that does not know how to step on the neck of its opponents and is always waiting for something bad to happen. A golfer whose mechanics are sound yet envisions short putts lipping out before even taking the stroke, generally has a difficult time making putts. That’s where Florida is now: Some very good players who are just waiting on that flag to be thrown at the most inopportune time or lacking the confidence to convert on 3 rd -and-1 with the game on the line. When the game concluded, center Jake Slaughter went up to Napier and gave him a hug that seemed less congratulatory as it did sympathetic. He seemed to be saying, “you’re going out a winner and I’m gonna miss you, buddy.” I’m no body language expert, but that’s what it looked like. Regardless of the victory, things need explaining. How do you enjoy a 150-yard day from your running back, a 280-yard passing day from your quarterback, sack the opposing team’s QB four times included in 11 tackles for losses, yet still be set up for a loss? I would almost rather they just suck, plainly and without doubt, than endure this torture. This is maddening and must be the crux of that “culture” we keep hearing about so proudly from those who lose almost half the time. Admit it, even when Florida was up 23-14 midway through the fourth quarter, you knew the Bulldogs would get at least two more offensive possessions and winning the game was little more than a toss-up. It turned out okay in the end and Florida is now 2-2 in SEC play and 3-4 overall, records that do not inspire, but also do not translate into a firing squad – yet. f I’m wearing those orange and blue glasses, I see a team that beat Texas and has two weeks for its secondary to heal and prepare for a Georgia team that is anything but dominant. This is about where Florida stood last season when it decided to play some real football. If Florida can pull out a win against Georgia – not likely, but certainly within reason – then there is something that can be salvaged here. If I take those orange and blue glasses off, I see a team still mired in the same luckless doldrums that make wins hard to come by and almost nearly impossible against upper-tier teams away from The Swamp. Since it’s time to face Georgia, excuse me while I don those orange and blue glasses, which are telling me the Gators are about to start rolling. Ahem, please don’t print that.

Billy Napier, days or hours numbered, talking it over with Jeff Cardozo of WRUF. (Chris Spears Photo)

(Photo by Chris Spears) A few thoughts about college football on a Saturday morning:   Now we find out what kind of leadership Billy Napier has cultivated with the Florida Gators. Amid speculation that Napier’s Florida coaching career goes off the cliff whether the Gators win or lose Saturday, it is entirely possible the team has been informed. Even if they haven’t had a meeting with Scott Stricklin, these guys aren’t dummies. They know Napier is a short timer.   This is no time for the Gators to fall apart at the seams. Rather than go in the tank, seniors like Jake Slaughter and Tyreak Sapp as well as sophomore quarterback DJ Lagway need to step up as leaders. They need to convince every player on the roster that while Napier’s fate has already been decided, they still have reasons to play lights out. There will be a new coach in the weeks and months ahead, one who needs to be impressed. There is also the portal that will open up in January and every Division I coach will be scouring the Florida roster to find players who will be good fits. You can bet the farm that many players on the Florida team have already been contacted, not necessarily directly but through their agents. Agent to agent communication allows some head coach at another school plausible deniability when and if there are accusations of tampering.   Should the Gators come out of the tunnel today lacking motivation, playing like a team in the tank, it’s a sure sign that leadership has failed and it’s every man for himself. However, if from the moment they run out of the tunnel the Gators are playing like a team with its collective hair on fire, it will tell us the leaders have stepped it up.   If the Gators play hard from start to finish, it will also tell us that while Napier has had his shortcomings as a game day coach, he has instilled character into his locker room. There is something to be said about that.   NO HEISMAN FOR CARSON BECK   Carson Beck had a chance to be a hero Friday night but rolled snake eyes when it mattered most. Despite three previous interceptions, Beck had a chance to lead 2 nd -ranked Miami (5-1, 1-1 ACC) back from an 11-point fourth quarter deficit to give the Hurricanes a chance to tie or win their game with Louisville (5-1, 2-1 ACC) at Hard Rock Stadium. With 32 seconds remaining and first down at the Louisville 31, Beck’s pass was deflected at the line of scrimmage then intercepted by T.J. Capers to seal a 24-21 upset that may very well keep Miami out of the College Football Playoff.   Had Beck led a Miami comeback that resulted in a win whether in regulation or overtime, it would have neutralized the three previous interceptions in the minds of many Heisman voters. Scoring a comeback win when you’re playing your worst always resonates with voters. Throwing a pick when you’re well within range of a tying field goal that can send the game into overtime also resonates, but in a very negative way. So scratch Beck from Heisman consideration. There are too many good players who won’t lay such a gigantic egg when this is the marquee game on national television. The season numbers for Beck seem quite average now. He’s thrown for 11 touchdowns but he has seven interceptions, which is more than any top 100 passer in NCAA stats.   Beck isn’t the only one to lay an egg, however. Despite only one loss and a favorable schedule the rest of the way, Miami’s chances to win its first ever Atlantic Coast Conference football championship might be swimming with the fishes. Ahead of Miami in the ACC are No. 12 Georgia Tech (6-0, 3-0 ACC), No. 18 Virginia (5-1, 3-1 ACC), Duke (4-2, 3-0 ACC) and SMU (4-2, 2-0 ACC). Louisville, which now owns the tiebreaker over Miami, and Pittsburgh (4-2, 2-1 ACC) both have one loss in conference play.   The ACC is so weak that its champion might very well be the only team from the league to make the College Football Playoff. Right now, Georgia Tech has the upper hand in the league and the Yellow Jackets will have a chance to score a major win in the regular season finale when they play Georgia at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. There are no statement wins on Miami’s schedule and among the unbeaten contenders, the Hurricanes only play SMU on the road in Dallas. So, there won’t be much chance to dig out of the hole Miami now finds itself sitting in.   Prediction: Miami will lose another game and won’t make either the ACC Championship Game or the College Football Playoff. Beck will not finish among the top 10 vote-getters in the Heisman Trophy race. Right now, Georgia Tech’s Haynes King appears to be the only hope for an ACC player to be invited to New York for the Heisman ceremony.   THE FIGHTING MULLENS MIGHT MAKE THE PLAYOFF   UNLV (6-0, 2-0 MWC) travels to Boise State (4-2, 2-0 MWC) in the marquee game in the Mountain West Conference. This is easily the most difficult game remaining on the UNLV schedule so win it and Dan Mullen has a legitimate shot to run the table to finish with an unbeaten regular season.   The Mountain West isn’t particularly strong this year, but if UNLV goes unbeaten in the regular season, then wins the conference championship game, it will certainly be in the College Football Playoff hunt. UNLV beat UCLA earlier in the year prior to the firing of head coach DeShaun Foster. Since then the Bruins are 2-0, scoring a lot of points and looking like a tough out for the remaining six teams on their schedule. Should UCLA become bowl eligible, it will look very good on the UNLV resume.   If Mullen were to take UNLV to an unbeaten season and to the College Football Playoff in his first year on the job, it would be a gut punch to Florida. Mullen was fired after his only losing season at UF in 2021. He finished 34-15 during his Florida coaching tenure. Replacement Billy Napier is 21-23 and about to be fired.   Mullen’s quarterback is Anthony Colandrea, who prepped at St. Petersburg Lakewood before spending two seasons at Virginia. In his first season under Mullen, Colandrea has thrown for 10 touchdowns and run for three more. On the UNLV roster are former Gators Daejon Reynolds (11 catches, 237 yards, 2 TDs), nose tackle Jalen Lee (12 tackles, 4 TFL, 1 sack) and O-lineman Andrew Saviianea.   COACHING THOUGHTS   Indiana made a pre-emptive strike when it gave Curt Cignetti an 8-year extension valued at $93 million. In a season-and-a-half at Indiana, Cignetti is 17-2.   Don’t be surprised if James Franklin’s name pops up in the coaching searches going on at Virginia Tech and Oklahoma State. That is, if he wants to coach next year. The $48.6 million buyout from Penn State might make him think twice about jumping back into the fire.   Does Mark Stoops want out at Kentucky? There are growing rumors that he wants to take the Virginia Tech job.   Consensus opinion is that Penn State will hire Nebraska coach Matt Rhule to replace Franklin. Rhule is a former Penn State linebacker who is currently in his third year at Nebraska.     Lincoln Riley desperately needs a signature win today when Southern Cal pays a visit to Notre Dame. The Trojans are off to a 5-1 start but if they lose to Notre Dame today, Riley will drop to 6-9 against ranked teams since taking over at USC.   Ryan Silverfield (Memphis), Alex Golesh (South Florida) and Jon Sumrall (Tulane) will have opportunities to move on up to the deluxe apartment in the sky. Memphis is unbeaten, ranked No. 22 and should register a third straight season with 10 or more wins. Silverfield played and coached at Bolles under Corky Rogers. Golesh, who has South Florida No. 19 nationally, might be the perfect fit for Oklahoma State, which is accustomed to high scoring offenses. If Mark Stoops were to take a job elsewhere, Sumrall would get the first call from Kentucky.   In Memphis, South Florida and Tulane the American has three teams that will contend for the spot in the College Football Playoff reserved for the highest ranked Group of Five champion. If Memphis (6-0) beats South Florida (5-1) next week that will eliminate USF from championship contention. Tulane (5-1) plays at Memphis November 7. There is a chance these three teams will cannibalize each other, opening the door for UNLV to make the playoff from the Mountain West.   LAST MINUTE PICKS   FLORIDA (3-4, 1-2 SEC) to beat Mississippi State (4-2, 0-2 SEC) and cover the 9.5-point spread … No. 17 Vanderbilt (5-1, 1-1 SEC) to beat No. 10 LSU (5-1, 2-1 SEC) … No. 6 Alabama (5-1, 3-0 SEC) wins a white knuckler over No. 11 Tennessee (5-1, 2-1 SEC) … No. 5 Ole Miss (6-0, 3-0 SEC) will remain unbeaten by knocking off No. 9 Georgia (5-1, 3-1 SEC) … No. 20 Southern Cal (5-1) will end any chance for Notre Dame (4-2) to make the playoff … UNLV (6-0, 2-0 MWC) goes to Boise State (4-2, 2-0 MWC), takes down the Broncos and remains unbeaten … No. 14 Oklahoma (5-1, 1-1 SEC) will win big over South Carolina (3-3, 1-3 SEC) … No. 12 Georgia Tech (6-0, 3-0 ACC) goes to Duke (4-2, 3-0 ACC) and gets a win that will put the Yellow Jackets in the top 10 … No. 19 South Florida (5-1, 2-0 American) will blow the doors off Florida Atlantic (3-3, 2-1 American) … No. 15 BYU (6-0, 3-0 Big 12) will remain unbeaten by taking down No. 23 Utah (5-1, 2-1 Big 12) in a widowmaker of a finish … Stanford (2-4, 1-2 ACC) will keep Florida State (3-0, 0-3 ACC) winless in the ACC … Upset specials: Arkansas (2-4, 0-2 SEC) will win a shootout with No.  5 Texas A&M (6-0, 3-0 SEC) in a game that will see more than 1,000 yards and 100 points … Auburn (3-0, 0-3 SEC) will finally get an SEC win by knocking off No. 16 Missouri (5-1, 1-1 SEC).

(Photo by Chris Spears) The usual intrigue who wins and who loses will take a backseat to what happens next for the Florida Gators (2-4, 1-2 SEC). Among the rumors and innuendo swirling around head coach Billy Napier is one that says win or lose against Mississippi State (4-2, 0-2 SEC) Napier will have coached his last game as the UF coach when the scoreboard clocks strike zero.   There is no mistaking the deep hole in which Billy Napier finds himself. Rather than the expected breakout season that built upon the momentum of the 4-game winning streak at the end of 2024, the Gators have reverted to their tried and true victory aversion mode that characterized the first two years of the Napier era at UF. At one point in all four losses this season the Gators have been within a touchdown or a field goal in the fourth quarter.   Close enough to tie the game or take the lead unless, of course, there was a monumental blunder or two that reversed course. With the exception of the season opener against haplessly outmanned Long Island University from the depths of D1AA and a rather shockingly complete performance of then 7 th -ranked Texas, the Gators have seen their chances of winning slip through their fingers in the final 15 minutes. The Gators haven’t scored in the fourth quarter in four consecutive games. The last time the Gators put points on the scoreboard in the fourth quarter was a 4-yard touchdown pass from DJ Lagway to Tre Wilson with 12:29 left in the game against South Florida. That was game two.   It is this incredible inconsistency that has Napier sitting on the hottest seat in college football heading into the Mississippi State game. The Gators are favored to win by 9.5 points, but even if they win the game, Napier is an underdog to still be coaching in two weeks against Georgia. Georgia is very beatable this year. Will the powers that be who are deciding Napier’s future chance the possibility of a 2-game winning streak with Kentucky looming next? If Napier were to rally the troops enough to beat Mississippi State, Georgia and Kentucky in order, the Gators would be within a game of bowl eligibility with three games remaining.   So even a win Saturday may not save Napier’s job. How much of a distraction will that be for a team that is firmly behind the coach but somehow hasn’t translated that loyalty into wins on the field?   The thought here is that the inspiration of playing at home and the opportunity to send Napier out with a win will make the difference against Mississippi State. From a talent perspective, the Gators have the superior team but they have had equal or superior talent in all six previous games. Talent has been no predictor of success. However, in the case of Saturday against Mississippi State, Florida’s superior talent should be motivated enough to bring home a win.   The pick: FLORIDA not only wins but covers the spread.   SEC FOOTBALL No. 4 Texas A&M (6-0, 3-0 SEC) at Arkansas (2-4, 0-2 SEC): The Aggies begin a 3-game road swing as 7.5-point favorites over Arkansas. This has the makings of a trap game for the Aggies. Arkansas plays rotten defense, but Bobby Petrino has a lot of playmakers and a quarterback in Taylen Green who leads the country in total offense. The Razorbacks are averaging 511.5 yards and 36.3 points per game. They are not the offensively challenged Florida Gators who the Aggies beat last week. The Aggies are No. 19 in the country in total defense but the only team they have played that wasn’t offensively challenged is Notre Dame, which lit them up for 40 points and 429 yards. What will keep the Aggies unbeaten is a Marcel Reed-led offense that Arkansas hasn’t a hope of stopping. The pick: Texas A&M   No. 5 Ole Miss (6-0, 3-0 SEC) at No. 9 Georgia (5-1, 3-1 SEC): Ole Miss beat Georgia by 18 last year in Oxford then blew a chance to make the College Football Playoff the next week in Gainesville. In that game the Rebels totally shut down the Georgia run game, forced three turnovers and sacked Carson Beck five times. The Ole Miss defense isn’t as stout as it was last year, but neither is the Georgia defense. Ole Miss should be able to move the ball and score on Georgia. The question is can the Rebels slow Georgia down just enough? This is the biggest road game for Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss, who has never played in front of a crowd this big or this loud. Can the Georgia crowd affect him enough to give the Bulldogs the edge? Georgia is a 7.5-point favorite but this has the feel of a white knuckles finish. The pick: Ole Miss   No. 11 Tennessee (5-1, 2-1 SEC) at No. 6 Alabama (5-1, 3-0 SEC): Alabama is a very hot team but if there are two concerns: (1) Running back Jam Miller is listed as questionable. If he can’t go or is significantly slowed down, it’s going to be difficult for the Crimson Tide. (2) Alabama has only nine sacks in six games. If the Tide can’t get pressure on Tennessee QB Joey Aguilar the Vols are going to score a bunch of points. Can Bama win in a shootout? Without Miller that’s what it may come down to. Tennessee’s pass defense is porous so a big game from Ty Simpson throwing the ball could seriously elevate his Heisman Trophy chances. For the Vols to win, they’ll have to get pressure on Simpson and they’ll have to run the ball. Desean Bishop who ran wild last week on Arkansas last week was questionable early in the week but is now expected to play. The Vols probably have a better offense, but Alabama tends to come up with huge defensive plays when most needed. On the road, the Vols would probably be favored by 10 but the game is in Tuscaloosa where Bama is a 7.5-point favorite. The pick: Alabama   No. 10 LSU (5-1, 2-1 SEC) at No. 17 Vanderbilt (5-1, 1-1 SEC): When is the last time a Vanderbilt team was favored to beat LSU? Decades probably, but here we are game seven and not only is Vandy a 2.5-point favorite in Nashville, but a win away from bowl eligible seven games into the season. Who would have ever thought that? We saw what a mobile quarterback can do to LSU a couple of weeks ago when Trinidad Chambliss of Ole Miss was all but unstoppable. Vandy’s Diego Pavia is the same kind of quarterback and if LSU struggles to contain him, it could be a very long day for the Tigers. LSU has no running game to speak of and that should favor the Vandy defense, which can focus on getting in the face of Garrett Nussmeier. Vandy has a fierce pass rush that got to Ty Simpson of Alabama four times. For LSU, the way to win is quite simple. Make Pavia a pocket passer and don’t let him get loose on the edges, protect Nussmeier and wear down the Vandy secondary with deep shots down the field. If this game were in Tiger Stadium, LSU would probably be favored by two touchdowns, but it’s in Nashville and this isn’t your grandfather’s Vandy. The pick: Vanderbilt   No. 14 Oklahoma (5-1, 1-1 SEC) at South Carolina (3-3, 1-3 SEC): John Mateer played his way out of Heisman contention last week when the Sooners went belly up to Texas. Since the Heisman is a thing of the past, he’s got bigger fish to fry in the form of keeping the Sooners in College Football Playoff contention against a schedule that is daunting. The Sooners are 5.5-point favorites against a team that is good enough to beat anyone yet at the same time capable of getting its doors blown off. In Oklahoma’s favor is the nation’s No. 1 defense that will be going against one of the most erratic offenses. Basically, the Sooners won’t have to score a lot of points if the defense does its part and keeps South Carolina hovering around 275-300 yards of offense. Of course, if Mateer does what he did last week in the loss to Texas when he completed three passes to the Longhorns, then the Sooners are in big trouble. The pick: Oklahoma   No. 16 Missouri (5-1, 1-1 SEC) at Auburn (3-3, 0-3 SEC): Hugh Freeze has to be thinking that Auburn can play with and beat anyone in the country if only he can get a fair shake from SEC zebras. Twice already, Auburn has taken one on the chin because of a blown call by the zebra crew. They struck again last week when Jackson Arnold’s touchdown near the end of the second quarter was ruled a fumble. Instead of a 17-0 lead, Auburn turned it over and was never the same again. Auburn has a good enough defense to keep Missouri close. The question for Auburn is the offense. Despite outstanding receivers Auburn has a rotten passing game because Arnold couldn’t hit a bull in the butt with a bass fiddle from pointblank range. Missouri is trying to bounce back from its first loss of the season, a loss to Alabama facilitated by a much too conservative offensive game plan by Eli Drinkwitz. Eli has to cut Beau Pribula loose if he intends for Mizzou to still have a shot at both Atlanta and the College Football Playoff. The pick: Auburn   No. 21 Texas (4-2, 1-1 SEC) at Kentucky (2-4, 0-3 SEC): Will the real Texas please stand up? The same Longhorns who played so poorly in losing to Florida bounced back with a dominant win over Oklahoma, one in which Arch Manning made the big plays without the same killer mistakes. If the Longhorns play with the same intensity that knocked Oklahoma from the undefeated ranks, then Kentucky will be a walk in the park. It may be Kentucky, but even Kentucky can win a game if (a) the game is in Lexington and (b) the opponent can’t get out of its own way. The Longhorns are 13.5-point favorites. There is a hefty talent disparity, but the game is in Lexington where Kentucky tends to bring opponents down to their level. This should be enough to make the Longhorns sweat but springing the upset? The pick: Texas

(Photo by Chris Spears) Lost in the shuffle of rumors, speculation and lack of anything definitive about the status of Billy Napier there is a football game to be played Saturday (4:15 p.m., SEC Network)  in The Swamp. Despite the distraction of Napier’s employment status beyond Saturday evening, the Gators (2-4, 1-2 SEC) are 9.5-point favorites to beat Mississippi State (4-2, 0-2 SEC).   On a day that Matt Hayes of USA Today reported that Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin met with prominent boosters to discuss the when, not if Napier will be fired, Napier did his usual 10 minutes answering questions on the SEC Coaches Teleconference. As per usual, Napier didn’t say anything revealing whether about his job status or the game itself. He praised Mississippi State for its improvement under second-year coach Jeff Lebby, who has already doubled last year’s win total. He gave a moderate amount of praise for the Gators’ ability to stop the run and he praised quarterback DJ Lagway for the way he’s handled the challenge of dealing with injuries that kept him from participating in spring practice and the bulk of fall camp.   Asked if he should be given more time to turn the Gators into a consistent winner, Napier gave a lengthy answer that said a lot without really addressing the question. He didn’t really dodge the question, but simply gave a long answer that was short on detail. Although Napier has to know that his days as Florida’s coach are numbered, it is possible that everything is in the hands of the athletic department and his lawyers.   Here is the answer: “You know, I do think that that’s a reality in our profession, you know, I think that as a competitor, as a leader, you know, I think that it comes with the territory, right? So I think you have to have the ability to focus on the things that are important today, you know? I think it’s, that’s the whole key here is you got to stack good days, and you got to do a good job setting a great example for your players and staff. So for me, ultimately, we got to get consumed with what’s important now, and you live with the result on Saturday, you know, I think we all want better results, even sometimes when we win, you know, I think the product isn’t as good as we would like it to be. And then sometimes you can be proud of how you competed and played, and you played a good opponent and you came up short. So in general, I think it’s about focusing on today, the work, the process, and helping your young people maintain humility when they’re having success, and try to keep that enthusiasm where it needs to be when maybe you’re frustrated or a little bit disappointed about last week’s result.”     INJURY REPORT FOR MISSISSIPPI STATE Out: RB Treyaun Webb; EDGE LJ McCray; S Aaron Gates; RB Duke Clark; CB Dijon Johnson; and DL Caleb Banks.   Questionable: S Jordan Castell; RB Ja’Kobi Jackson; CB Cormani McClain; DL Brien Taylor Jr.; OT Devon Manuel; and TE Tony Livingston   SEC FOOTBALL INJURY REPORTS No. 6 Alabama (5-1, 3-0 SEC): Out for the Tennessee game are OLB Jah-Marien Latham; OLB Qua Russaw; DT Jeremiah Beaman; LB Cayden Jones and WR Derek Meadows. Questionable are WR Jaylen Mbawkwe and RB Jam Miller.   Arkansas (2-4, 0-2 SEC): Out for Texas A&M are DB Quentavius Scandrett; WR Monte Harrison; WR Ismael Cisse; WR Jalen Brown; RB AJ Green; TE Jeremiah Beck Jr.; TE Andreas Paaske; DL Danny Salli; and DL David Oke.   Auburn (3-3, 0-3 SEC): Out for Missouri are WR Horatio Fields and RB Durell Robinson. Listed as questionable are CB Champ Anthony and TE Brandon Frazier. LB Bryce Deas is listed as doubtful.   No. 9 Georgia (5-1, 3-1 SEC): Out for Ole Miss are WR Talyn Taylor; WR Thomas Blackshear; TE Ethan Barbour; and C Malachi Toliver. OT Monroe Freeling and Earnest Greene are listed as probable.   Kentucky (2-4, 0-3 SEC): Out are RB Jamarion Wilcox; OLB Jacob Smith; DB Nasir Addison; ILB Devin Smith; DL Nic Smith; and WR David Washington Jr. Questionable are WR Troy Stellato and OL Aba Selm. Probable is DB Jaden Smith.   No. 10 LSU (5-1, 2-1 SEC): Out for Vanderbilt is DE Gabriel Reliford. Doubtful is DL Bernard Gooden. Questionable are DE Jimari Butler and Whit Weeks. Probable are WR Aaron Anderson and OL Paul Mubenga.   Mississippi State (4-2, 0-2 SEC): Questionable for Florida are OT Albert Reese and S/LB Isaac Smith. Out are RB Fluff Bothwell and OL Brennan Smith.   No. 16 Missouri (5-1, 1-1 SEC): Out for Auburn are PK Blake Craig and QB Sam Horn. Listed as questionable is OL Logan Reichart.   No. 14 Oklahoma (5-1, 1-1 SEC): Out for South Carolina are OL Troy Everett; OL Jacob Sexton and OL Jake Taylor. Doubtful are WR Keontez Lewis; TE Kade McIntyre and OL Logan Howland. Listed as questionable is RB Jovantae Barnes.   No. 5 Ole Miss (6-0, 3-0 SEC): Questionable for Georgia are RB Logan Diggs; WR Devin Price and S Ladarian Clardy.   South Carolina (3-3, 1-2 SEC): Listed as questionable for Oklahoma are DL Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy and OL Markee Anderson. Doubtful are OL Nolan Hay; OL Shedrick Sarratt Jr.; and OL Carson Henry. Probable is DB Brandon Cisse.   No. 11 Tennessee (5-1, 2-1 SEC): RB Desean Bishop is probable for Arkansas. Questionable is TE Ethan Davis. WR Travis Smith Jr.; WR Radarious Jackson; CB Jermod McCoy; and CB Rickey Gibson III are out.

( Photo by Chris Spears) There isn’t a hint of panic in Todd Golden. Most coaches would be borderline apoplectic if they lost Walter Clayton Jr., Will Richard and Alijah Martin to the NBA after a brilliant run to the NCAA championship. Not Golden. Now, that’s not saying it didn’t hit him hard what he was losing but that lasted about a week.   At first he “ stressed about making sure you can bring the guys back that helped you get to that point.” That was his four front court players – Alex Condon, Rueben Chinyelu, Tommy Haugh and Micah Handlogten – who would all elect to return for a shot at a second straight national championship.   And then his thought process turned to the issue of replacing Clayton, Richard and Martin.     “You're thinking about how am I going to replace one of the best back courts that ever played in college basketball?” Golden said at SEC Basketball Media Days in Birmingham.   The answer was in the portal, the same place he found Clayton (from Iona), Richard (from Belmont) and Martin (from Florida Atlantic). All came to the Gators from the transfer portal. He went shopping and found Boogie Fland (Arkansas), Xaivian Lee (Princeton) and AJ Brown (Ohio). Later in the summer he added Alex Kovatchev (Sacramento State).   From that group, Golden has forged a starting lineup that will open the season in Las Vegas November 3 against Arizona. Condon (6-11) and Chinyelu (6-10) will be the big guys. Haugh (6-9) is a hybrid big who will start on the perimeter where he will be a matchup nightmare. Handlogten (7-1) will come off the bench. In the backcourt, Golden will start Fland (6-3) at the point with Lee (6-4) on the wing. Brown (6-4) and younger brother Isaiah (6-4) will come off the bench with Urban Klavzar (6-1) and freshmen Alex Lloyd (6-4) and CJ Ingram (6-6).   It is a deep, talented roster that might qualify as the nation’s most experienced. As the Gators made their championship run by winning their last 12 games a season ago, size mattered. And, it will matter again this year.   Everybody knew the Gators would be stacked up front. The backcourt was the big issue but Golden’s replacements may give Florida a perimeter game like no other for the second straight year. Fland and Lee are both point guards, but Golden has a plan to play them together to take advantage of their skill sets. “We'll play with a ball screen, be able to call and run different actions in the halfcourt to get Xaivian downhill using a ball screen,” Golden said. “Boogie is going to start at the point for us, but Xaivian will be a second side playmaker and then will play point when Boog is out of the game.” As a freshman at Arkansas last year, Fland averaged 13.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game. He is quicker than any guard the Gators could put on the floor a year ago. He can get to the rim off the bounce, but he’s been showing in practice sessions that he is more than capable of knocking down big shots. Last year at Princeton, Lee averaged 16.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game. He has already scored 1,154 points in his 3-year collegiate career. “Boogie, really hard worker, coachable, I think came in with a great mentality, is allowing us to guide him,” Golden said. “A great competitor. Incredible on-ball defender. I'm excited for him to be picking up opposing team's point guards at the top of our defense. He's a great facilitator. He does a great job of getting in the paint, making plays for others. Really unselfish that way. We need that from him because we have a lot of other really good players. “I look at Xaivian is a guy coming in, just a really fantastic offensive player. Really quick and explosive with the ball in his hands. Another true point guard, but we'll be able to play off the ball a little bit. When Boogie is not in, he'll play point. A guy that can score at all three levels. Efficient that way.” Golden likes what he’s seen of the two replacement guards, but he’s not going to try comparing them to Clayton, Richard and Martin. “Yeah, I love 'em both already, to be honest,” Golden said. “... We're not comparing them to Walter and Alijah. That's just not fair. I don't think it's healthy for us as a staff to do that. I don't think it's healthy for them as players to have to take on that expectation.” When the injury bug hit the Gators in February last season, Haugh stepped in and helped to pick up the slack. Once it became tournament time, he took the next step in his development. At 6-9 he can shoot over nearly every perimeter wing in the country. He’s quick enough and enough of a ballhandler to put the ball on the deck and drive to the rack. When he posts up, he will have to be doubled, at which time opponents will conclude that he’s also a very capable passer. Up front, the Gators are the picture of size, strength and mobility. Condon is back as a third-year starter. Chinyelu, who transferred in from Washington State a year ago, started every game last season. Handlogten, who burned his redshirt when the Gators needed frontcourt help due to injuries, is back to full health. He’s stronger and more physical than ever before. “The reality is we return our four best front court players in Alex, Tommy, Rueben and Micah,” Golden said. “My expectation is those guys will take a huge leap, become the leaders of this team, take on a lot more responsibility than they had last year. In theory it should make it easier on those guys coming in and learning our system and program.” Condon averaged 10.6. points and 7.5 rebounds a season ago while Chinyelu averaged 6.0 points and 6.6 rebounds. Haugh was good for 9.8 points and 6.1 rebounds. Handlogten who suffered an horrific leg fracture in the 2024 SEC Tournament championship game, was going to sit out last season but when Condon went down with a high ankle sprain in February, Handlogten put team above self. “One of the most unselfish humans I've ever been around,” Golden said of Handlogten. “For him to give us his year to come back. We don't win the national championship without him. That’s the bottom line. I'm really glad that it worked out the way it did for him. He's like a sixth starter for us. I throw him in that mix.” Beyond these six guys, Golden has more depth than anyone in the SEC and perhaps even the country. Klavzar was pretty much a designated shooter a year ago, but his game has expanded. At Ohio, AJ Brown averaged 13.2 points and 3.2 rebounds while shooting 38.8 percent from the 3-point line. Isaiah Brown is a high riser and spectacular dunker. Freshmen CJ Ingram and Alex Lloyd would play most places, but at Florida they will have to make the most of limited minutes. Up front, Golden also has sophomore Viktor Mikic (6-11, 265) and redshirt freshman Olivier Rioux (7-9, 305) on his bench. “Looking at the rest of the roster, we have a great opportunity for a couple guys to step up and earn big minutes,” Golden said. “Urbie Klavzar is a guy, rotational player for us. CJ Ingram and Alex Lloyd, two freshmen, have done a great job. Usually hard for freshmen to play in our program. I think both those guys have a chance to earn roles. And Isaiah Brown and AJ are guys that can play roles, as well.” The Gators aren’t going to sneak up on anyone this year. The Associated Press preseason poll has them No. 3, trailing Purdue and Houston. Most every preseason publication lists Florida somewhere between No. 1 and No. 3. The schedule will be more difficult, but it is a statement to what Golden has built in three seasons that expectations are this high. The Gators will open up with No. 13 Arizona on November 3 and during the pre-SEC portion of the schedule, they’ll face No. 4 UConn in New York, No. 24 Wisconsin in San Diego and No. 6 Duke in Durham. For now, Golden is satisfied where the Gators are with a little more than two weeks before things tip off for real. “I'm just really happy that we're at the point now where we're getting close to playing scrimmages on Saturday,” Golden said. “Before you know it, we're going to open up in Vegas.”

Under watchful eye of Stricklin (Chris Spears Photo)

(Photo by Chris Spears) Something was missing Monday afternoon. Florida’s head football coach was there in person at The Heavener Center, answering questions as he always does on Monday during football season, but it was different.   Subdued. That’s probably the best way to describe Billy Napier’s demeanor. It was as if he checked his energy at the door when he arrived more than 20 minutes late for a press conference that was scheduled to begin at 11:45. He entered the room quietly, without fanfare, walking to the podium with an expressionless look on his face where he spoke without a hint of enthusiasm. Over the next 28 minutes he answered questions, only rarely allowing a smile to creep onto his clean shaven face, the three-day stubble so evident a week earlier after the Gators bushwhacked then 7 th -ranked Texas gone.   Napier was clearly uncomfortable taking questions about the Gators’ loss to Texas A&M and their Saturday (4:15 p.m., SEC Network) encounter with Mississippi State (4-2, 0-2 SEC) at The Swamp. It was patently clear that Napier would rather have been somewhere else instead of taking carefully worded questions best described as fishing expeditions. Both media and Napier seemed to be waltzing around this question: Have you and athletic director Scott Stricklin discussed how much longer you will be the head football coach at the University of Florida?   It is a fair question, but one that wasn’t asked since there has been nothing, not even the dreaded vote of confidence, from Stricklin. Napier and the Gators are 2-4 this season, on a collision course with a third losing season in the last four made possible by inconceivably bad offensive performances. In the wake of a rash of firings that took place throughout the country on Sunday, the presumption was that it is a matter of when, not if, Napier will be terminated.   Penn State, for example, fired James Franklin just three weeks removed from a white knuckles loss to Oregon and a season removed from a 3-point loss to Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff semifinals. To pink slip Franklin, Penn State will have to pony up $48.6 million, which is more than double the $21.3 million Florida will have to pay Napier when he is let go.   Asked if midseason firings and huge buyouts such as the one Penn State will pay Franklin are a sign of a changing college football landscape, Napier answered, “I don't think anything's changed. I mean, I think that happens every year. It's what we sign up for, right? They pay us, they compensate as well. These are challenging jobs in today’s climate, in particular, so look, we’re all men. We’re all competitors. We understand we live in a production world and you’ve got to produce, right? So, there’s no running from that.   “So it was that way when we signed up for it in the very beginning. They used to not pay us as well as they do now, but when you do get compensated and the amount of revenue that's generated in our game, I think the compensation is fair. I have no issue with that. I think if you're at a place that doesn't have high expectations, how much fun is that? The challenge of playing against the best is why you do it as a competitor, right? So you see if you can do it. I think there's a leadership challenge, there's a competitive challenge, there's a strategy challenge. We're at the top of the food chain here. We play against the very best every week. Penn State's no different than that.”   That is coach-speak for something along the lines of “If I don’t win enough games I’ll get fired, but I knew that when I took the job and at least when I get fired I’ll have more than enough money to live well for years and years.”   Napier shouldn’t take any heat for that statement. Nobody held a gun to his head and demanded that he sign a 7-year deal worth $51 million when he was hired back in December of 2022.   So whether he’s discussed his inevitable fate with Stricklin or not, Napier knows where all this is headed. Now, he could pull off one of the great miracle finishes in modern college football history by winning the next six games to finish 8-4. Even a 7-5 finish would constitute something straight out of the Benny Hinn miracle playbook but we understand the odds are stratospheric for that to happen.   Perhaps Napier believes a 5-1 or 6-0 sprint to the finish is possible, but those who inhabit the real world know the employment clock will flatline at 00:00 in the near future. Whether he wins or loses Saturday against Mississippi State Saturday, Napier may be drawing his final breath as Florida’s head coach. He has recruited well. He has reorganized the football program infrastructure into one that is a model of success. Team discipline, locker room decorum, academic success and off the field accountability have never been higher.   In every phase of the game except the one that is most important, Billy Napier has been an unqualified success. He hasn’t won often enough and that is the bottom line.   HEY, WE’RE A BASKETBALL SCHOOL AFTER ALL   Monday, both the Associated Press preseason top 25 poll and the preseason Southeastern Conference basketball accolades were announced. The Gators, who won the NCAA title last year, will start the season No. 3 in the AP poll and preseason favorites to win the SEC title.   Additionally, Alex Condon was selected first team preseason All-SEC while Boogie Fland and Tommy Haugh were selected to the second team.   The Gators open their season November 3 in Las Vegas against No. 13 Arizona. Florida’s schedule includes games against No. 4 UConn, No. 6 Duke, No. 9 Kentucky, No. 14 Arkansas, No. 15 Alabama, No. 18 Tennessee and No. 20 Auburn.   Preseason All-SEC First team: Alex Condon, FLORIDA; Josh Hubbard, Mississippi State; Otega Oweh, Kentucky; Tahaad Pettiford, Auburn; Labaron Philon Jr., Alabama   Second team: Nate Ament, Tennessee; Boogie Fland, FLORIDA; Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Tennessee; Thomas Haugh, FLORIDA; Mark Mitchell, Missouri   Third team: Malik Dia, Ole Miss; Aden Holloway, Alabama; Karter Knox, Arkansas; Jaland Lowe, Kentucky; D.J. Wagner, Arkansas   SEC predicted order of finish: 1. FLORIDA; 2. Kentucky; 3. Tennessee; 4. Alabama; 5. Arkansas; 6. Auburn; 7. Missouri; 8. Ole Miss; 9. Texas; 10. Mississippi State; 11. Vanderbilt; 12. Oklahoma; 13. Tex   Associated Press top 25: 1. Purdue; 2. Houston; 3. FLORIDA; 4. UConn; 5. St. John’s; 6. Duke; 7. Michigan; 8. BYU; 9. Kentucky; 10. Texas Tech; 11. Louisville; 12. UCLA; 13. Arizona; 14. Arkansas; 15. Alabama; 16. Iowa State; 17. Illinois; 18. Tennessee; 19. Kansas; 20. Auburn; 21. Gonzaga; 22. Michigan State; 23. Creighton; 24. Wisconsin; 25. North Carolina   SEC in Kenpom.com preseason rankings: 2. FLORIDA; 4. Kentucky; 9. Tennessee; 19. Vanderbilt; 23. Alabama; 24. Ole Miss; 26. Mississippi State; 28. Missouri; 29. Arkansas; 31. Auburn; 35. Texas A&M; 39. Texas; 44. Georgia; 56. LSU; 58. Oklahoma; 86. South Carolina   Florida 2025-26 Basketball Roster Big guys: Micah Handlogten (7-1, 260, SR); Tommy Haugh (6-9, 215, JR); Alex Condon (6-11, 230, JR); Rueben Chinyelu (6-10, 265, JR); Viktor Mikic (6-11, 260, SO); Olivier Rioux (7-9, 305, RFR)   Perimeter guys: Xaivian Lee (6-4, 180, SR); AJ Brown (6-4, 210, RJR); Cooper Josefsberg (6-4, 195, JR); Alex Kovatchev (6-5, 190, RSO); Urban Klavzar (6-1, 195, SO); Boogie Fland (6-3, 185, SO); Isaiah Brown (6-4, 210, SO); Alex Lloyd (6-3, 180, FR); CJ Ingram (6-6, 205, FR)