Todd Golden landed his second 4-star recruit in a week Wednesday when center Kamsi Awaka (6-10, 250, Cheshire, MA/Blairstown, NJ Blair Academy) committed to the Gators, joining Ian Condon (6-7, 240, Washington, DC Sidwell Friends) in Florida's 2027 recruiting class that expects to sign letters of intent next month. The younger brother of former Arizona star and now NBA rookie Tobe Awaka chose Florida over UConn, Michigan, Arizona and Michigan State. Blessed with a 7-4 wingspan, Awaka is an intimidator in the paint who averaged 8.1 rebounds and four blocked shots per game while playing for New Heights on the Adidas AAU circuit during the summer. His size and strength make the obvious comparison to Rueben Chinyelu when he signed originally with Washington State before transferring to Florida ahead of the 2024-25 season. "Literally, the physically strongest guy I've ever coached here," Blair Academy head coach Joe Mantegna told Adam Zagoria. "Now that he's playing with more physicality, he's becoming dominant. As you know with human nature, once you learn how to dominate then you always want to dominate." Awaka is ranked No. 31 by the recruiting experts at Rivals, No. 41 by 247Sports and No. 59 by ESPN. The Gators, who are the consensus No. 1 team in the nation in the preseason polls for the 2026-27 season, figure to lose at least five players off the current 15-man roster – three (Tommy Haugh, Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu) to the NBA and two (Denzel Aberdeen and AJ Brown) whose eligibility will be up. It is conceivable that Florida could also lose two or three more either to the professional ranks or to the transfer portal. The current roster breakdown with the additions of Kamsi Awaka and Ian Condon give the Gators 12 on the projected roster for next season, leaving three available slots. Whether through high school recruiting or the transfer portal, Golden needs to add a point guard, a pure shooter on the wing and a versatile big guy who is comfortable playing both the high and low post as well as the wing. Currently the Gators are recruiting three point guards – 5-star Beckham Black (6-3, 180, Duncanville, TX/Orlando Florida Southeastern Prep); 5-star Cayden Daughtry (6-0, 165, Boynton Beach, FL/Fort Lauderdale, FL Calvary Christian); and Kalen Edouard (6-0, 145, Tallahassee, FL Florida A&M School). The Gators are also recruiting 5-star combo guard Nasir Anderson (6-3, 215, Savannah, GA/Fort Lauderdale, FL Prolific Prep); 5-star center Lewis Uvwo (6-11, 225, Fort Lauderdale, FL Prolific Prep); and 4-star wing Asa Montgomery (6-7, 215, Powder Springs, GA Hillgrove). Black is thought to be leaning to either Texas or Arkansas. Daughtry is considered a tossup between Florida and Miami. Kentucky is the current leader for Uvwo. Anderson is a Georgia leaner. Florida is in it with Georgia Tech and Auburn for Montgomery. The Gators have always had success internationally. A few prospects worth following: Aubrey Chunga (6-6, 180, Wellington, New Zealand; 18 years old); Dash Daniels (6-5, 198, Melbourne, Australia, 18 years old); Andrija Djaletec (6-8, 200, Montenegro/Serbia, 19 years old); Stefan Joksimovic (6-6, 190, Slovenia, 17 years old); Diego Niebla (6-8, 220, Spain/Italy, 19 years old); Hugo Yimka Mougouri (6-8, 219, France, 18 years old); and Papa Niang (6-4, 212, Italy, 18 years old). Roster outlook for 2027-28 Fifth Year Departures (2) Denzel Aberdeen (6-5, 190): Start on the wing, backup at the point, defend three perimeter positions. AJ Brown (6-4, 210): Serious 3-point shooter who could literally shoot his way into minutes off the bench. Fourth Year with One More Year of Eligibility (5) Tommy Haugh (6-9, 215): Expected lottery pick NBA Draft. Alex Condon (6-11, 236): Expected first round NBA. Rueben Chinyelu (6-10, 265): Expected first round NBA. Urban Klavzar (6-1, 185): Anyone who can shoot like this will have a chance to play beyond his college years. Could return for one more year. Alex Kovatchev (6-5, 195): Could come back one more year or play professionally in Australia. Third Year with Two More Years of Eligibility (4) Boogie Fland (6-3, 185): With a great year could be off to the NBA. Isaiah Brown (6-4, 210): Will be early off the bench this year, could start the next two. Has NBA possibilities. Viktor Mikic (6-11, 260): This is his third year. He needs to become a real contributor off the bench. Excellent practice player. Domen Petrovic (6-9, 230): Expect him to earn minutes off the bench because he has size and can shoot. Should start next year. Second Year with Three More Years of Eligibility (2) CJ Ingram (6-6, 205): Still growing and getting better. Super athletic. Tommy Haugh's understudy so he will get double digit minutes. Alex Lloyd (6-3, 185): Expect a quantum leap as a shooter and as a backup point to Boogie. First Year with Four More Years of Eligibility (2) Jones Lay (6-11, 240): He's better than anyone thought he would be. Next year he will be a factor. Arturas Butajevis (6-10, 235): Everybody loves his game. Size, tough and can shoot the three. 2027 Commitments (2) Ian Condon (6-7, 240, Washington, DC Sidwell Friends) Kamsi Awaka (6-10, 250, Cheshire, MA/Blairstown, NJ Blair Academy) What the 2027-28 Roster Could Look Like Big guys (6): Viktor Mikic (6-11, 260, 4th); Domen Petrovic (6-9, 230, 4th); Jones Lay (6-11, 240, 2nd); Arturas Butajevis (6-10, 235, 2nd); Ian Condon (6-7, 240, 1st); Kamsi Awaka (6-10, 250, 1st) Perimeter (6): Urban Klavzar (6-1, 185, 5th); Alex Kovatchev (6-5, 195, 5th); Boogie Fland (6-3, 185, 4th); Isaiah Brown (6-4, 210, 4th); CJ Ingram (6-6, 205, 3rd); Alex Lloyd (6-3, 185, 3rd)

Jadan Baugh did not wait for the film session. The day after Florida's 45-17 loss at Missouri, the Gators' running back sent coach Jon Sumrall a text message apologizing for his performance, ESPN reported. "I'm sorry, coach. I won't let that happen again. I didn't play my best," Baugh wrote, according to ESPN's Mark Schlabach. Baugh had been an early Heisman Trophy contender, running for 600 yards and 11 touchdowns during Florida's 4-0 start. Against Missouri he was held to 13 yards on 12 carries, ESPN reported. He gained 12 yards on his first carry and one yard on the other 11. Sumrall shared the text at his Monday news conference and did not put the loss on his back alone. "We didn't do enough to help him as a team on Saturday in my opinion, and I don't think he was his best either," Sumrall said. "I love Jadan because he owned it and he's ready to move forward." Florida's running game managed 42 yards on 25 attempts against the Tigers, after gaining 302 yards in the Sept. 26 win over Ole Miss, ESPN reported. Sumrall called it the "most exposed" the offensive line has looked this season. The No. 16 Gators get the chance to answer Saturday, when South Carolina visits Gainesville. Kickoff is 12:45 p.m. ET. Source: ESPN (Mark Schlabach, Oct. 5).

A few thoughts to jump start your Wednesday morning: Albert Einstein is credited with the quote, "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." Whether Einstein actually said it or not is debatable. What isn't debatable is Florida's defense, which keeps doing the same thing over and over again – allowing explosive plays of 10 or more yards. The Gators are 15th in the SEC and No. 95 nationally in explosive plays allowed – 67 of 10+ yards, 22 of 20+ yards, 11 of 30+, five of 40+, two each of plays netting more than 50, 60 and 70 yards, plus one 80-yard play. The numbers are real and they prompted UF defensive coordinator Brad White to have one of those Captain Obvious moments Tuesday. "We can't give up explosives both in the pass game and then in the run game," White said. The Missouri game was the perfect example. The Gators (4-1, 2-1 SEC) gave up 560 yards and 45 points. Missouri ran for 220 yards, the first time the Gators had allowed more than 128 in a game all season. Mizzou had 34 carries that netted 63 yards (1.85 per carry). However, the Gators allowed runs of 77 and 80 yards on the other two carries. Missouri threw for 340 yards, averaging 11.3 yards per attempt. Mizzou, like the other teams, isn't beating the Gators with long bombs – only three plays all year have gone for 40 or more yards – but those intermediate range passes of 14-17 yards are killers because they loosen up the safeties, forcing them to play deeper while creating more space for receivers. Florida is dead last in the SEC in pass defense – 266.6 yards per game, 7.9 yards per attempt – and No. 128 in the nation. Overall, the UF defense is 15th in the SEC and No. 107 nationally (393 yards per game). Things have to change starting with Saturday's game with South Carolina (2-3, 0-3 SEC). The Gamecocks aren't winning games but it isn't due to a lack of offense. South Carolina is third in the SEC in total offense, averaging 491 yards per game (256 on the ground, 235 through the air). "Everything's up for adjustment," White said. "Scheme, personnel, groupings, how you go about it. Any time you're not playing well or you're getting exposed in a certain area. To just continue to do the same thing wouldn't be real smart. So everything's always being evaluated. How we're coaching it is being evaluated. From us as coaches, are we saying it right? Are we teaching it right? Are their eyes in the right spot? All of these things. Yeah, everything's up for adjustment." The Gators are at the halfway point of the season. They entertain thoughts of making the College Football Playoff as an at-large team. They won't make it unless adjustments are made that result in the defense getting off the field. ELSEWHERE IN THE SEC No. 6 Alabama (5-0, 3-0 SEC): Dennis Franchione, who was the head coach of the Crimson Tide for two years after succeeding Mike DuBose, passed away on Monday. He was 75 years old. Alabama went 17-8 in his two seasons. Saturday: No. 2 Georgia (5-0, 3-0 SEC), 7:30 p.m. ABC Arkansas (2-3, 0-2 SEC): Wide receiver Jelani Watkins is no longer with the team. Instead, he will focus on track where he has run a 9.95 100 meters and a 19.87 200. Watkins has run a 6.46 60 meters indoors. Saturday: No. 15 Tennessee (4-1, 1-1 SEC), 4:15 p.m. SEC Network Auburn (3-2, 1-2 SEC): The Tigers are using the open date to work out problems that have been plaguing the offensive line. Auburn ranks dead last in the SEC and No. 133 nationally in sacks allowed (18 for -79 yards). Poor protection is one of the reasons QB Byrum Brown is tied for last in the SEC with seven interceptions, most of which have been thrown under duress. No. 2 Georgia (5-0, 3-0 SEC): Georgia's secondary, which has picked off four passes and is allowing only 5.7 yards per pass attempt, will be challenged by Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell, who has thrown for three touchdowns and run for one more in each of his starts this season. Georgia has recorded 13 sacks for -102 yards. Saturday: at No. 6 Alabama (5-0, 3-0 SEC), 7:30 p.m. ABC Kentucky (4-1, 2-1 SEC): As many as seven Wildcats could miss Saturday's game with No. 10 LSU due to injuries including running back Jason Patterson, who averages 7.89 yards per carry … Will the Wildcats be able to run the ball against the Tigers, who are giving up just 58.4 yards per game on the ground, 2.61 yards per carry. Saturday: No. 10 LSU (4-1, 1-1 SEC), 7 p.m. ESPN No. 10 LSU (4-1, 1-1 SEC): Quarterback Sam Leavitt, who has been battling hamstring issues, says he expects to be 100 percent for Saturday's game at Kentucky … The Tigers are second in the nation in sacks (22) and total defense (220.6 yards per game). Saturday: at Kentucky (4-1, 2-1 SEC), 7 p.m. ESPN No. 17 Mississippi State (4-1, 2-1 SEC): The health of quarterback Kamario Taylor is priority No. 1 during his off week. Taylor injured his ankle against Missouri, then had to leave the game against Alabama where he was seen on the sidelines in a walking boot in the fourth quarter. No. 14 Missouri (4-1, 1-1 SEC): Freshman offensive lineman Johnnie "DJ" Jones is at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville where he is waiting for a heart transplant. Jones was a 4-star recruit out of Venice High School who chose Missouri over 32 other offers including Florida State and Ole Miss … Against the run, the Tigers are allowing just 88.6 yards per game and 2.61 yards per carry. Saturday: Texas A&M (3-2, 1-2 SEC), 12 noon ABC Oklahoma (2-2, 0-1 SEC): The reason the Sooners are only 7.5-point underdogs to Texas is their defense. Oklahoma is fifth in the nation, allowing just 238 yards per game. The reason why the Sooners have lost two games and have struggled is the offense, which (a) can't run the football (99 yards per game); and (b) turnovers (10) which ranks No. 131 in all of Division I. Saturday: No. 1 Texas (4-0, 1-0 SEC), 3:30 p.m., ABC, in Dallas No. 9 Ole Miss (3-1, 1-1 SEC): Kewan Lacy is set to return to the lineup Saturday at Vanderbilt. Plagued by a shoulder injury that has been slow to heal, Lacy has only 191 rushing yards in the three games he has played. He averaged more than 20 carries a game last year, but the injury has caused him to miss one game entirely this year while averaging just 13 carries in the games in which he has played. Saturday: at Vanderbilt (3-2, 0-2 SEC), 3:30 p.m., ESPN South Carolina (2-3, 0-3 SEC): One reason Shane Beamer is under such intense heat by the South Carolina fan base is his record against power conference opponents (21-32). In those 32 losses the Gamecocks have been outscored by an average of 31-18. In their three SEC losses the Gamecocks have been outscored 125-86 … Suspended defensive end Dylan Stewart is back with the team and is expected to make the trip to Florida. Saturday: at No. 16 FLORIDA (4-1, 2-1 SEC), 12:45 p.m. SEC Network No. 15 Tennessee (4-1, 1-1 SEC): Freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon has been benched. Redshirt freshman George MacIntyre, who completed 8-10 of his passes for 86 yards against Auburn is the new starter … DeJuan Lane, who had nine tackles, 2.5 sacks and an interception against Auburn was named Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week. Saturday: at Arkansas (2-3, 0-2 SEC), 4:15 p.m. SEC Network No. 1 Texas (4-0, 1-0 SEC): Penalties have been killing offensive momentum for the Longhorns, who have been flagged 19 times in the last two games … Running back Hollywood Smothers, who missed the Tennessee game, is expected back at full speed against Oklahoma. Saturday: Oklahoma (2-2, 0-2 SEC), 3:30 p.m., ABC, in Dallas Texas A&M (3-2, 1-2 SEC): The Aggies are averaging nearly 100 fewer yards per game than they did in 2025. The biggest reason for the dropoff is in the passing game where Marcel Reed has thrown four interceptions while averaging just 6.1 yards per attempt. Reed averaged 8.4 yards per attempt in 2025 when the Aggies averaged 259.8 passing yards per game. This year they have fallen off to 188.8 yards per game. Saturday: at No. 14 Missouri (4-1, 1-1 SEC), 12 noon ABC Vanderbilt (3-2, 0-2 SEC): Linebacker Bryce Cowan thinks the Commodores can beat Ole Miss and it starts with defending QB Trinidad Chambliss. "All we got to do is keep him caged," Cowan said. "Nothing too special." Saturday: No. 9 Ole Miss (3-1, 1-1 SEC), 3:30 p.m. ESPN ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: Like it or not – and apparently most of the fans across the country don't like it – the powers that be in college football are bound and determined to double the size of the College Football Playoff. The expansionists and ESPN have two days to reach agreement on playoff expansion and if that fails, the CFP people will put expansion on the open market. A decision whether to expand or keep the playoff status quo has to be agreed upon by December 1. Count me as opposed to expanding to 24 teams. I think there are more serious issues facing college football than playoff expansion right now. Solve problems such as free agency, NIL, eligibility, conference realignment and football seceding from NCAA control, and once those matters are resolved, then bring playoff expansion into the ongoing discussion of what's best for the sport. The 12-team playoff format has been in existence since 2024 and while it is better than the old four-team playoff it is not without issues, chief among them the four teams that get a first-round bye don't get a home game. Their first playoff action is the quarterfinals at a neutral site. In two years, only Indiana, which eventually won the national championship last season, has moved on after the first-round bye. The other seven seeded teams are 0-7. Solve the problems of the 12-team format before expanding makes common sense, but since when does common sense enter into the equation? If there is to be expansion, I'm far more in favor of 16 teams rather than 24. The top six conference champs and 10 at-large teams would work best but the Big Ten is adamantly opposed to 16 teams and wants 24. Why inject mediocrity into the playoff equation which is what would surely happen with 24 teams? We almost get that with 12. When expansion to 24 teams becomes the law of the land we're going to get 8-4 and 7-5 teams in the playoff. Is that what we really want to see? The playoff should be a reward for excellence. Does anyone think 8-4 or 7-5 is excellent? I'm told that 24 teams in the playoff is progress, that it will improve the game. Common sense says it will be a step in the wrong direction.

No. 16 Florida (4-1, 2-1 SEC) gets its chance to answer the 45-17 loss at Missouri on Saturday, when South Carolina (2-3, 0-3 SEC) visits Ben Hill Griffin Stadium for Homecoming. Kickoff is 12:45 p.m. ET on SEC Network. Florida opened as a 14.5-point favorite, according to ESPN's game preview. The matchup, by the numbers Florida's offense averages 491.2 yards and 46.2 points per game, fifth in the FBS in scoring, ESPN's numbers show. The defense is the concern. It allows 393 yards per game (107th in the FBS), including 266.6 through the air (128th), and 27.2 points per game (104th). The Gators rank 27th in turnover margin at plus-4. South Carolina averages 491 yards and 37.6 points per game and leans on the run. Its 256 rushing yards per game rank seventh in the FBS. Quarterback LaNorris Sellers has thrown for 1,059 yards and eight touchdowns with four interceptions, and Matthew Fuller leads the Gamecocks with 433 rushing yards on 71 carries. South Carolina is minus-6 in turnover margin, 130th in the FBS. The Gamecocks come in off a 35-34 loss to Kentucky on Oct. 3. Sellers ran 17 times for 147 yards in that game, ESPN reported. Florida's leaders Quarterback Aaron Philo has 1,114 passing yards, eight touchdowns and two interceptions, completing 69.4 percent. Jadan Baugh leads the team with 613 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns, though Missouri held him to 13 yards on 12 carries. Dallas Wilson has 302 receiving yards on 18 catches and three touchdowns. Availability Coach Jon Sumrall said safety Bryce Thornton, a game-time scratch at Missouri because of a soft tissue injury, might be available against South Carolina, ESPN reported. What's next After South Carolina, Florida plays at No. 1 Texas on Oct. 17, according to ESPN. South Carolina hosts No. 15 Tennessee on Oct. 24. Source: ESPN game preview and reporting by Mark Schlabach.

A few thoughts to jump start your Tuesday morning: When asked if there is such a thing as a good loss, most often the competitive nature of coaches will compel them to say no, quite often with an expletive or two attached for emphasis. Truth is, there is a fine line between what can be categorized as a good loss and a bad one. If losing brings about a unified response with focus and intensity levels raised from top to bottom – head coach all the way down to the lowest manager on the team – then the loss might be looked on in the rearview mirror as a turning point. Coaches tend to like the concept of turning point better than admitting such a thing as a good loss. The loss to Missouri scraped all the luster off a 4-0 September that made the Florida Gators media darlings, that team straight out of nowhere streaking across the college football sky like a meteor. It only took a 45-17 pasting by Missouri to bring the Gators back down to earth. On Friday the Gators were the next big thing, a Cignetti-like clone ready to swashbuckle their way through the SEC and onto the College Football Playoff. By Saturday night, the debate was raging. Are the Gators contenders or are they pretenders? That is not an unfair question and it might not be answered Saturday (12:45 p.m., SEC Network) against South Carolina (2-3, 0-3 SEC) even if the now 16th-ranked Gators (4-1, 2-1 SEC) cover the 12.5-point spread. Too much might be read into the outcome whether the Gators bounce back from Mizzou with a blowout win or arrive at the finish line bent over, holding their knees and gasping for air. Because it is South Carolina, a game the Gators were penciled in to win as far back as the spring, it is likely too much will be read into the outcome as long as it is a UF win. Lose to the Gamecocks? Perish the thought, but this South Carolina team might arrive at The Swamp hair on fire and determined to save the job of embattled head coach Shane Beamer. Winning this game, whether in blowout fashion or a chest-clutching, "it's the big one, Elizabeth" finish, is all that matters for the Gators. A win will mean that at midseason Jon Sumrall already has more wins (5) than the Gators had in 12 games a year ago, but will not tell us in which category Florida belongs – contender or pretender? The next two games after South Carolina (at Texas and Georgia in Atlanta) will answer that question but a great response in the form of a return to form by the offense and some defensive improvement would be rather soothing after the way things went down at Missouri. Associated Press top 25 (SEC teams bold face): 1. Texas 4-0; 2. Georgia 5-0; 3. Notre Dame 5-0; 4. Miami 5-0; 5. Ohio State 4-1; 6. Alabama 5-0; 7. Indiana 6-0; 8. BYU 4-0; 9. Ole Miss 3-1; 10. LSU 4-1; 11. Texas Tech 5-0; 12. Utah 4-0; 13. Oregon 3-1; 14. Missouri 4-1; 15. Tennessee 4-1; 16. FLORIDA 4-1; 17. Mississippi State 4-1; 18. Oklahoma State 3-1; 19. Southern Cal 5-1; 20. Iowa 4-1; 21. UCLA 4-0; 22. Houston 4-1; 23. Boise State 4-1; 24. SMU 4-1; 25. Pittsburgh 5-0 AFCA Coaches top 25: 1. Texas 4-0; 2. Georgia 5-0; 3. Notre Dame 5-0; 4. Miami 5-0; 5. Indiana 5-0; 6. Ohio State 4-1; 7. Alabama 5-0; 8. BYU 4-0; 9. Texas Tech 5-0; 10. LSU 4-1; 11. Ole Miss 3-1; 12. Utah 4-0; 13. Oregon 3-1; 14. Tennessee 4-1; 15. FLORIDA 4-1; 16. Missouri 4-1; 17. Southern Cal 5-1; 18. Iowa 4-1; 19. Houston 4-1; 20. Mississippi State 4-1; 21. SMU 4-1; 22. UCLA 4-0; 23. Duke 4-0; 24. Pittsburgh 5-0; 25. Kentucky 4-1 ELSEWHERE IN THE SEC No. 6 Alabama (5-0, 3-0 SEC): Keelon Russell has thrown for 1,414 yards (10.7 per attempt) and 11 touchdowns while running for 184 yards and four more TDs … Alabama is averaging 186.4 rushing yards per game with 17 TDs on the ground. That is a more than 80 yard per game improvement over last season. Saturday: No. 2 Georgia (5-0, 3-0 SEC), 7:30 p.m., ABC Arkansas (2-3, 0-2 SEC): The Hogs have no ground game. They're averaging 92 yards per game overall and in two SEC games have run for a combined 120 yards. Saturday: No. 15 Tennessee (4-1, 1-1 SEC), 4:15 p.m., SEC Network Auburn (3-2, 1-2 SEC): Byrum Brown has thrown as many interceptions (7) as touchdown passes, which is a grave concern for head coach Alex Golesh. Auburn has nine turnovers in five games and is last in the SEC in sacks allowed (18). No. 2 Georgia (5-0, 3-0 SEC): Gunner Stockton is 77-102 passing (75.5 percent), averaging 10.3 yards per attempt with 13 TDPs against only one interception … Georgia continues to lead the nation in scoring (51.4 points per game) while ranking seventh in the country in total defense (244.6 yards per game). Saturday: at No. 6 Alabama (5-0, 3-0 SEC), 7:30 p.m., ABC Kentucky (4-1, 2-1 SEC): With one more win the Wildcats will match last year's total … A year ago the Wildcats were plagued by interceptions (14). This year with Kenny Minchey at QB they've only thrown one. Saturday: No. 10 LSU (4-1, 1-1 SEC), 7 p.m., ESPN No. 10 LSU (4-1, 1-1 SEC): The Tigers are third in the country in total offense (547.8 yards per game) and second in total defense (220.6). If there is an issue it's turnovers. Quarterback Sam Leavitt has thrown seven interceptions … The Tigers are 10-point favorites against Kentucky. Saturday: at Kentucky (4-1, 2-1 SEC), 7 p.m., ESPN No. 17 Mississippi State (4-1, 2-1 SEC): Quarterback Kamario Taylor left the game early against Alabama after aggravating an injury suffered the week before against Missouri. The Bulldogs have the week off so he will have a chance to get healthy prior to LSU. No. 14 Missouri (4-1, 1-1 SEC): Jamal Roberts had runs of 77 and 80 yards in the Tigers' win over Florida. He is now second in the SEC in rushing with 606 yards and six touchdowns … Quarterback Austin Simmons has thrown 13 touchdown passes and no interceptions … Missouri is a 3.5-point favorite to knock off Texas A&M. Saturday: Texas A&M (3-2, 1-2 SEC), 12 noon, ABC Oklahoma (2-2, 0-1 SEC): The Sooners are dead last in the SEC in turnovers (10). Saturday they will be going against Will Muschamp's Texas defense that has allowed only one touchdown in the last 10 quarters. Saturday: No. 1 Texas (4-0, 1-0 SEC), 3:30 p.m., ABC, in Dallas No. 9 Ole Miss (3-1, 1-1 SEC): Ole Miss is finalizing a deal to leave Nike for Adidas. Reports are the 10-year deal will be worth in excess of $200 million. Saturday: at Vanderbilt (3-2, 0-2 SEC), 3:30 p.m., ESPN South Carolina (2-3, 0-3 SEC): Embattled head coach Shane Beamer faces growing discontent among the fan base after blowing a 17-point lead to Kentucky, then losing the game in overtime. The South Carolina fan base seems locked in on Florida offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner as the preferred replacement for Beamer. Saturday: at No. 16 Florida (4-1, 2-1 SEC), 12:45 p.m., SEC Network No. 15 Tennessee (4-1, 1-1 SEC): A quarterback controversy is brewing after Josh Heupel benched freshman Faizon Brandon for George MacIntyre in the win over Auburn. MacIntyre completed 8-10 passes for 86 yards. Brandon was 3-8 for zero yards and an interception … The Vols lead the nation in sacks with 23 for -118 yards. Saturday: at Arkansas (2-3, 0-2 SEC), 4:15 p.m., SEC Network No. 1 Texas (4-0, 1-0 SEC): The Longhorns have opened as 7.5-point favorites over Oklahoma … Running back Hollywood Smothers, who missed the game with Tennessee with an ankle injury, is expected to be back for Oklahoma. Saturday: Oklahoma (2-2, 0-1 SEC), 3:30 p.m., ABC, in Dallas Texas A&M (3-2, 1-2 SEC): Even with the win over Arkansas there are concerns with quarterback Marcel Reed who is averaging only 6.1 yards per pass attempt, which is 2.3 yards per attempt fewer than last season … The A&M offense has regressed from last year. The Aggies' 356 yards per game is about 90 less than a year ago. Saturday: at No. 14 Missouri (4-1, 1-1 SEC), 12 noon, ABC Vanderbilt (3-2, 0-2 SEC): Quarterback Jared Curtis was unable to play in the loss to Georgia. If he can't go Saturday, New Mexico State transfer Blaze Berlowitz will get the start. Saturday: No. 9 Ole Miss (3-1, 1-1 SEC), 3:30 p.m., ESPN ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: The first time I heard the expression "the inmates are running the asylum" was when I was 14 years old. My Uncle Don, the brains behind the Duncan Hines cake mix division at Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati, used that phrase in reaction to the Reds trading Frank Robinson to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for pitchers Milt Pappas and Jack Baldschun and outfielder Dick Simpson. Already well on his way to a Hall of Fame career, Frank would go on to win the 1966 Triple Crown while leading the Orioles to the World Series where they swept the Los Angeles Dodgers. Milt Pappas, the starting pitcher for the American League in the 1965 All-Star Game went 12-11. Here we are some 60 years since Frank won the Triple Crown and we're at the midway point of the college football season with the start of basketball less than a month away. The NCAA, in its infinite wisdom, is continuing to fight in courtrooms across the country lawsuits that challenge the 5-for-5 eligibility rules. Just last week Denzel Aberdeen got a fifth year to play for the Gators in an Alachua County court using a legal strategy that Jeffrey Meldon tells me is straight out of first year law school. Aberdeen got an airtight verdict that won't be overturned in appeal because his lawyers used the NCAA's own contract law against it. Others won't be so lucky. Depending on the legal strategy used to get temporary restraining orders, some of the players who are currently starting in Division I football and basketball players practicing for the start of the season on November 2, will have their TROs stayed in appellate courts. Imagine how unsettling this is for Stephen Daly and Kellan Wyatt at Indiana. They played important roles on Indiana's defensive line last season when the Hoosiers won the national championship. They won a TRO and once again play a vital role for Indiana's defense. I don't know the strategy they used in court to get their TRO but if they used anti-trust arguments, they probably will lose when the NCAA appeals. In every court case the NCAA is throwing out this "irreparable harm" defense, claiming that by letting Daly, Wyatt and others seeking the fifth year will cause chaos and harm to collegiate sports. How incredibly stupid. The NCAA, which is supposed to advocate in favor of athletes, is the only one doing any harm here. There isn't a functioning brain in the entire NCAA, otherwise emergency legislation would be passed to grandfather in the players who graduated high school in 2022 and seek a fifth year of eligibility. That would be so simple not to mention cost effective since the NCAA has already paid millions of dollars to its attorneys to fight in courtrooms coast to coast. Rather than do something logical that requires only a small measure of common sense, the NCAA elects to fight it out in court. The only chaos and irreparable harm here is created by the NCAA where the inmates definitely run the asylum.

THE BUDDY MARTIN SHOW IS LIVE NOW Join Buddy Martin and the GatorBait crew live tonight as they break down Florida Gators football, the latest around the program and what comes next. Watch on GatorBait: The Buddy Martin Show Watch live on YouTube: youtube.com/@TheBuddyMartinShow/live Jump in now and join the conversation with Gator Nation.

Florida gets a week to show its first loss was a stumble and not the start of a slide. The homecoming opponent is a South Carolina team that is reeling even worse. The Gators (4-1, 2-1 SEC) host the Gamecocks on Saturday, Oct. 10, after Missouri ran them off the field in Columbia. South Carolina (2-3, 0-3 SEC) is coming off a 35-34 overtime loss to No. 24 Kentucky. The Gamecocks led 17-0 early in the second quarter, and Kentucky won it with a 2-point pass in overtime, according to UK Athletics and the Lexington Herald-Leader's Kentucky.com. On3's South Carolina site went further, writing that the loss "might be the breaking point for Shane Beamer at South Carolina." That is On3's opinion, not a reported decision, but it sums up the mood in Columbia, S.C. Kickoff is set for 12:45 p.m. ET on SEC Network, the SEC announced Sunday, per floridagators.com. The loss cost Florida eight spots in the AP poll released Sunday, from No. 8 to No. 16, according to ESPN. Missouri climbed from No. 25 to No. 14. Fix No. 1: Get Baugh room to run Florida came to Missouri averaging 260 rushing yards a game and 5.9 yards a carry, per floridagators.com. It left with 42 yards on 25 carries, 1.7 a carry, per ESPN. Jadan Baugh, the nation's second-leading rusher going in, ran 12 times for 13 yards. Per AP, after a 12-yard first carry he "carried 11 more times for exactly one yard." Missouri finished with 11 tackles for loss and three sacks. "At the end of the day, running or passing, we've got to be able to move the ball down the field, and that's on me," quarterback Aaron Philo said, according to the Gainesville Sun. Fix No. 2: Stop the run The other side of the line of scrimmage was just as bad. Missouri ran 36 times for 220 yards (6.1 a carry) and three touchdowns. Jamal Roberts did most of it with 211 yards on 24 carries, including a 77-yard run to set up one score and an 80-yard touchdown run. By GatorBait's count from UF's season totals, Florida allowed 412 rushing yards in its first four games combined. Missouri got more than half that in one afternoon. "As a defense, sometimes the offense needs to lean on us," linebacker Myles Graham said, according to the Orlando Sentinel. "We can't always depend on them to put up 40, 50 points a game. Sometimes we got to keep us in the game. I take full accountability." Fix No. 3: Talk in the secondary Missouri's Austin Simmons completed 23 of 30 passes for 340 yards and two touchdowns. Florida was caught flat-footed on the first one, a 47-yarder to Donovan Olugbode, the Orlando Sentinel reported. Defensive backs Ben Hanks III and Drake Stubbs looked to the sideline for a play call as Olugbode sprinted past them, according to the Sentinel. Depth is part of the problem. Safety Bryce Thornton was lost to an injury during pregame warmups, per floridagators.com. Lagonza Hayward started in the secondary and finished with six tackles. Clean it up Florida was flagged eight times for 80 yards, including three 15-yard fouls: two personal fouls and an unsportsmanlike conduct. One of them, a personal foul on Aaron Chiles, moved Missouri from the Florida 34 to the 19 on its opening touchdown drive of the second half. An illegal formation wiped out a 21-yard catch, per ESPN and UF play-by-play. Florida has been flagged 43 times for 437 yards this season, per floridagators.com. There was one bright spot. Backup Tramell Jones Jr. completed all five of his passes for 86 yards, and the last of those was a 42-yard touchdown to TJ Abrams that finished a 94-yard drive. The bigger picture The road only gets harder after this one: a trip to Texas, a bye and Georgia in Atlanta, as GatorBait's Reality Check laid out. That makes this week a measuring stick. A struggling Gamecocks team is a chance for Florida to rebuild a run game and a run defense that Missouri exposed, and to do it in front of a homecoming crowd. South Carolina visits Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 12:45 p.m. ET on SEC Network. Sources: ESPN box score and play-by-play (event 401856708); floridagators.com box score, cumulative statistics and Quick Slant; Associated Press via ESPN; Orlando Sentinel (Edgar Thompson); Gainesville Sun (Kevin Brockway); UK Athletics; ESPN AP Top 25 (Week 6); Kentucky.com; On3.

Florida’s 52-28 rout of No. 4 Ole Miss did what a win like that is supposed to do. The Gators are No. 8 in both major polls. In the AP Top 25 released Sunday afternoon, Florida (4-0, 2-0 SEC) jumped 13 spots, from No. 21 to No. 8, with 1,272 points. The AFCA Coaches Poll moved the Gators 14 spots, from No. 22 to No. 8, with 1,214 points. Florida is No. 8 in the AP Top 25 and the Coaches Poll. GatorBait Media graphic; sources: AP Top 25 via NCAA.com, AFCA Coaches Poll via ESPN. Texas stayed No. 1 in both polls, with 62 first-place votes in the AP poll and 45 in the Coaches Poll. Georgia is No. 2 in both. Ole Miss paid for Saturday. The Rebels fell five spots to No. 9 in the AP poll and six spots to No. 12 in the Coaches Poll. Next up is Missouri, No. 25 in both polls. Florida plays at Missouri on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 3:30 p.m. ET. Jadan Baugh (13) in the end zone against Ole Miss. Photo by Chris Spears, GatorBait Media. Buddy Martin saw it coming. Read his column: Bound for the CFB Top Ten: Cue Up “Happy Days Are Here Again”. Relive the win: Baugh Game: Gators Run Over No. 4 Ole Miss 52-28 in The Swamp.

By Brenden Martin GAINESVILLE — Florida got the best news it could have hoped for on Vernell Brown III. An MRI confirmed the initial diagnosis of a Grade 1 PCL sprain in Brown’s knee, sources told GatorBait. Any knee injury involving a ligament brings real concern, so this result is about as good as the Gators could have expected. Vernell Brown III against Ole Miss on Sept. 26. Photo by Chris Spears, GatorBait Media A Grade 1 sprain is the mildest grade. Sources say Brown shouldn’t miss many games, and possibly none at all. His return will depend on how his knee responds to treatment and how quickly it heals. Playing this weekend may be a bit ambitious, sources said, but the door isn’t closed. Brown, a sophomore from Gainesville, tweaked the knee late in the second quarter of Florida’s 52-28 win over No. 4 Ole Miss on Saturday. Afterward, coach Jon Sumrall said, “Nothing’s … substantial, nothing’s like torn,” but called it too early to know about his availability. Brown leads the Gators with 17 catches for 271 yards and two touchdowns, according to the AP. Brown’s status will be one of the storylines to watch as No. 8 Florida gets ready for Saturday’s 3:30 p.m. ET game at No. 25 Missouri. GatorBait will have updates as they become available.

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Jamal Roberts ran for 211 yards and three touchdowns, Austin Simmons threw for 340 yards, and No. 25 Missouri handed No. 8 Florida its first loss of the season, 45-17, Saturday at Faurot Field. Florida defensive end Emmanuel Oyebadejo (99) pressures Missouri quarterback Austin Simmons, one of the few times Simmons felt heat Saturday. UAA Photo Graphic by GatorBait Media; stats from ESPN Florida’s official account posted the final from Columbia: @GatorsFB on X Florida arrived 4-0 and fresh off a 52-28 rout of Ole Miss. It left 4-1 and 2-1 in the SEC with its lowest point total of the season and a 35-point avalanche to answer for. 35 unanswered The game was tied 10-10 after Aaron Philo found Dallas Wilson for a 12-yard touchdown with 4:26 left in the first half. Missouri scored the next 35 points. Simmons hit Caleb Goodie Sr. for a 31-yard score with 2:05 left in the half, and Blake Craig drilled a 50-yard field goal with 3 seconds left to make it 20-10 at the break. Roberts capped the first drive of the third quarter with a 5-yard touchdown run, and Craig added a 52-yarder. Then Roberts broke the game open. His 77-yard run in the final minute of the third quarter set up his 1-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter, and Simmons hit Cayden Lee for the two-point conversion. After a Florida punt, Roberts went 80 yards on Missouri’s next snap to make it 45-10 with 13:33 left. Backup quarterback Tramell Jones Jr. completed all five of his passes for 86 yards late, including a 42-yard touchdown to TJ Abrams with 47 seconds left. No ground game Jadan Baugh (13) at the goal line against Ole Miss on Sept. 26. File photo by Chris Spears, GatorBait Media The run game that powered Florida’s 4-0 start never got going. Jadan Baugh finished with 13 yards on 12 carries, and the Gators ran for 42 yards as a team. Missouri outgained Florida 560-325. Philo completed 21 of 34 passes for 197 yards and the touchdown to Wilson, who caught four passes for 66 yards. Florida converted 6 of 16 third downs and was flagged eight times for 80 yards. Neither team turned the ball over. Simmons completed 23 of 30 passes, and Lee caught eight for 110 yards. Craig kicked field goals of 32, 50 and 52 yards. What’s next Florida returns to Gainesville to face South Carolina on Oct. 10, then travels to No. 1 Texas on Oct. 17. Editor’s note: Quick postgame report from the GatorBait desk. Stats from ESPN. Full analysis from Franz Beard and Buddy Martin to come.

Florida's first loss of the season wasn't one unit's failure. Nearly every position group came home from Columbia with a grade it would rather hide, from a run game that managed 42 yards to a defense that allowed 560. No. 25 Missouri outgained the No. 8 Gators (4-1, 2-1 SEC) 560-325. The grades below lean on the numbers from the ESPN and UF box scores. Quarterback: C-. Aaron Philo went 21 of 34 for 197 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions, and he was sacked three times. The 34 attempts were a season high, according to his ESPN game log. The part that will stick is Florida's opening drive, all 15 plays of it. On third-and-goal from the Missouri 2, Philo didn't see running back Duke Clark wide open in the flat, the Orlando Sentinel's Edgar Thompson reported, and threw incomplete into the end zone for tight end Lacota Dippre. Florida settled for a 20-yard field goal. "You can't miss those," Philo said, according to the Sentinel. "At the end of the day, running or passing, we've got to be able to move the ball down the field, and that's on me," Philo said, according to the Gainesville Sun's Kevin Brockway. Backup Tramell Jones Jr. went 5 of 5 for 86 yards. He ran the entire seven-play, 94-yard drive in the final 2:39, which ended on his 42-yard touchdown pass to TJ Abrams. Running backs: D. Jadan Baugh came to Columbia with 600 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns through four games. His first carry went for 12 yards. His other 11 gained one yard combined. That leaves him at 12 carries for 13 yards. As a team, Florida ran 25 times for 42 yards, 1.7 per carry, and lost 43 yards on negative plays. London Montgomery's 17-yarder was Florida's longest run of the day. Missouri loaded the box to stop Baugh, the Gainesville Sun reported, and the blocking didn't answer it, which is why this grade isn't an F. Offensive line: F. Missouri had three sacks for 26 yards and 11 tackles for loss. Safety Kensley Louidor-Faustin had 3.5 of those by himself. Florida went 0 of 1 on fourth down, with Philo stopped for no gain on fourth-and-1 at the Florida 34 in the second quarter. On the first play of that quarter, offensive lineman Bryce Lovett's personal foul wiped out an 8-yard Dallas Wilson catch. There was a fourth-quarter false start, too. Receivers and tight ends: B-. The brightest spot on the offense. Wilson caught four passes for 66 yards, including a 12-yard touchdown from Philo. Abrams started and had three catches for 55 yards, the 42-yard score among them. Bailey Stockton also started and caught two passes for 25 yards. Flags took plays away here as well. An illegal formation penalty in the third quarter wiped out a 21-yard catch by Eric Singleton Jr., and tight end Luke Harpring's fourth-quarter holding call erased a Montgomery reception. Defensive line: F. Missouri ran 36 times for 220 yards, 6.1 a carry. Most of that was Jamal Roberts: 24 carries, 211 yards and three touchdowns, including runs of 77 and 80 yards. Florida's pass rush got two sacks, one each by Kamran James and Emmanuel Oyebadejo. Oyebadejo also forced a fumble. Missouri recovered it. Linebackers: D-. Myles Graham and Aaron Chiles had five tackles apiece, but Roberts still went for 211 yards, and in GatorBait's view the second level didn't do enough to slow him. Graham didn't make excuses for the defense. "I take full accountability," he said, according to the Sentinel. "I didn't play my best game at all. Nobody did." —Myles Graham, per the Orlando Sentinel Secondary: F. Austin Simmons went 23 of 30 for 340 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 11.3 yards per attempt. Cayden Lee caught eight passes for 110 yards. Simmons hit Donovan Olugbode for a 47-yard score while Florida's defensive backs were looking to the sideline for the call, the Sentinel reported. Caleb Goodie Sr. added a 31-yard touchdown. Florida lost safety Bryce Thornton to an injury in pregame warmups, UF's Chris Harry reported. Safety DJ Coleman led the Gators with seven tackles, and safety Lagonza Hayward started and had six. Three pass breakups. No interceptions. Special teams: C. Alec Clark stayed busy with eight punts, a 45.4-yard average, a long of 55 and three inside the 20. Patrick Durkin made his only field goal, from 20 yards, and both extra points. The costliest play came early in the fourth quarter, when a Florida holding penalty wiped out London Montgomery's kickoff-return touchdown. Florida was also flagged for a personal foul on the same play, which Missouri declined. That return would have cut the deficit to 45-17 with more than 13 minutes left. Instead, the Gators started at their own 20. Coaching and discipline: D. Florida was flagged eight times for 80 yards, double Missouri's four for 50. Aaron Chiles' personal foul early in the third quarter was one of the costliest. It turned a 2-yard Roberts run into a first down at the Florida 19 on Missouri's opening drive of the half, and Roberts finished that drive with a 5-yard touchdown run. It was 10-10 late in the second quarter. Missouri scored the next 35 points, and Florida didn't score again until the final minute. Up next: South Carolina. The first chance to raise these grades comes at homecoming, when the Gamecocks visit on Saturday, Oct. 10 (kickoff TBA). They are 2-3 and 0-3 in the SEC after a 35-34 overtime loss to No. 24 Kentucky in which they blew a 17-0 lead. Florida's run game, offensive line and secondary have one week to get fixed. Statistics from ESPN's box score and play-by-play (event 401856708), the official UF box score on floridagators.com and ESPN's game logs for Jadan Baugh and Aaron Philo. Quotes and reporting from the Orlando Sentinel (Edgar Thompson), the Gainesville Sun (Kevin Brockway) and UF's Quick Slant (Chris Harry). Grades are GatorBait Media's opinion.

Florida works the cut for a key win on the road and its first in the state of Alabama since 1999. By Loren P. Meadows, GatorBaitMedia.com, Football Analyst, Host The Gator Lowdown with Loren Meadows AUBURN , AL Philo has been ready to go each week (Chris Spears photo) What We Thought: Florida came onto the plains equipped with some of the best playmakers in the SEC. While there was concern that Florida may not have been as battled tested as Auburn the thought was that if Florida could handle one of the more ruckus crowds in the SEC they would have an opportunity to get it done Saturday night. Florida would most certainly feature Jaden Baugh in the run game but also as a receiver where he has shown an ability to be as effective at times. Vernell Brown and Dallas Wilson would look to feast on an Auburn secondary that ranks last in the SEC in pass defense but had been good against the run. With that thought in mind this would be the first test for transfer Aaron Philo to manage the Florida offense against a vicious Auburn defense and arguably the best he had seen as a starter. Defensively Florida’s sole purpose would be to not let Auburn quarterback Byrum Brown get lose and turn the game into the And 1 mixtape on grass. Florida had struggled to get to the quarterback in its first two contests and Brown who is as big as and faster than Tim Tebow has the ability to be more accurate on the move than in the pocket. Could Florida get Auburn off the field at key times to keep the high octane Auburn offense off the field and maximize the number of offensive possessions for the offense. What We Got: Florida is better than advertised on offense and everyone gets involved. Aaron Philo was 15 of 22 for 204 yards and one touchdown completing passes to seven different receivers Including all three of Florida’s main three backs. Philo displayed his comfort with the offense and the faith that the coaching staff has in the transfer quarterback. Philo noted the transparency that the Florida coaching staff has had with him allowing him to express what plays he likes or dislikes and allowing him to play with confidence each week. Of course Jaden Baugh would make his usual impact on the game but not as expected. The thought was that Auburn would limit Baugh in the run game but Baugh’s versatility would allow him to affect the game as a receiver. Florida did look to Baugh as a receiver early (an early drop led to an INT), but again sometimes it’s best to lean on what you do best. Baugh was slowed early in the game on the ground but as Florida seemed to lean on Auburn particularly with the stretch zone, Baugh found running lanes including a long of 53 and three touchdowns to continue his Heisman worthy season. When asked if there was anything to the Heisman pose that Baugh has made commonplace after scores he stated he more than embraces a campaign to take home college footballs highest honor. On the perimeter Brown and Wilson were equally as impressive combining for 9 catches for 160 yards. Wilson was equally impressive with his blocking including an impressive water cooler block on an Auburn defender that drew a penalty for unnecessary roughness but sent a message to the Auburn secondary that they were in for it last night. Defensively Florida got the stops when they needed. Byrum Brown did throw for 271 yards and 3 touchdowns but an early interception was key in settling Florida into the game and the confidence of the defense. Florida also lived in the Auburn backfield to the tune of seven sacks and nine tackles for loss. Edge Emmanuel Oyedabajo was key with 2.5 sacks while Jayden “The Freak” Woods showed up big with 3.5 sacks and leading the Gators in tackles. While Brown would escape the trap a few times Florida was able to handle the tempo of Auburn and get Brown on the ground when necessary while allowing just 102 yards on the ground with the Auburn backs combining for just 40 yards total. The secondary will need to improve as the lack of situational awareness and gameplan execution is starting to plague this group. Auburn inexplicably completed a late hail Mary where both Florida defenders went for the interception instead of knocking the ball down and Brown’s other two touchdowns came against man coverage exacerbating some deficiencies there as well. The Skinny: As big as this win was for Florida there are some things that have to be fixed and fixed soon. Florida has quadrupled the number of penalties from its in initial game of the season from four to 16 last night. Those penalties extended drives and caused Florida points in a game where that many penalties can doom most road teams. Sumrall was visibly concerned postgame in his team’s lack of discipline and expressed that if this continues his squad would find it difficult to win many going forward. Sumrall also stated that he wants his team to take a UFC style approach to putting teams away by “working the cut” to finish games. Not looking to land the haymaker but methodically wear your opponent down when they in essence have a cut over their eye to take them to the mat and force submission. Florida answered a lot of questions last night. They were more than ready to play football on the road as a team, and its signal caller all but put to bed any talk that the quarterback competition was unfair or went to the wrong player. Florida now has a stretch of both road and home games that feature four ranked football teams and three that at this point would be in the CFP. Sumrall does not run from it and because of that this team runs to it. They embrace it all, including a late night ride, not flight back to Gainesville from the plains. While a bus trip can be tough, a bus trip after a win is a lot easier. Final Score: Florida Gators 44 Auburn Tigers 39 (Prediction Florida 27 Auburn 21)