On the eve of Florida’s Gasparilla Bowl game with the Tulane Green Wave, Billy Napier got a double shot of good news. First, 5-star wide receiver Dallas Wilson (6-3, 193, Tampa, FL Tampa Bay Tech) was released from his national letter of intent by Oregon. Wilson will be signing with Florida, which will move the Gators from the No. 11 recruiting class into the top ten.   The second piece of news came from the transfer portal where the Gators landed a commitment from UCLA wide receiver transfer J. Michael Sturdivant (6-3, 205, RJR), whose career numbers are 123 catches for 1,667 yards (13.6 per catch) and 13 touchdowns. A 4-star recruit out of Highland Village, TX Marcus, Sturdivant signed with California. After a redshirt year, he caught 65 passes for 755 yards and seven touchdowns. He transferred to UCLA where he caught 36 passes for 597 yards and four touchdowns in 2023. UCLA changed offensive coordinators for 2024 and the team dropped eight points and 100 yards per game in productivity. Sturdivant’s numbers also suffered, dropping to 22 catches for 315 yards and two touchdowns.   The additions of Dallas Wilson and Sturdivant will help to make up for the loss of Elijhah Badger and Chimere Dike, who will be playing their final games in a Florida uniform today. Badger caught 37 passes for 789 yards and four touchdowns after transferring from Arizona State. His 21.32 yards per catch rank seventh in the country. Dike, who transferred to Florida from Wisconsin, caught 36 passes for 687 yards and two TDs, his 19.08 per catch ranking 17th in the nation.   Tre Wilson is expected to return to the Gators healthy after undergoing hip surgery that ended his season prematurely. Wilson caught 19 passes for 266 yards and a touchdown in only four games in 2024, which qualifies him as a medical redshirt. The Gators also return redshirt freshman Aidan Mizell (13-152, 2 TDs), freshman Tank Hawkins (10-100, 1 TD), redshirt junior Marcus Burke (7-69, 2 TDs) and freshman TJ Abrams (1-3). Kahleil Jackson, who missed the last 11 games of 2024 after suffering a game one knee injury, is also expected back. In addition to Dallas Wilson, the Gators signed 4-star wide receiver Vernell Brown III (5-11, 175, Wildwood, FL/Orlando, FL Jones), 3-star Naeshaun Montgomery (6-1, 170, Miami, FL Central), and 3-star Muizz Tounkara (6-4, 195, League City, TX Clear Springs).   ***   The task for the Gators today will be to neutralize Tulane running back Makhi Hughes and wide receivers Mario Williams, Dontae Fleming and Yulkeith Brown. Hughes ran for 1,378 yards and scored 15 touchdowns to lead a Tulane rushing attack that averages 205.38 yards per game, which ranks 17th nationally. The passing game will be without freshman sensation quarterback Darian Mensah, who signed with Duke out of the portal, allegedly for $1.3 million. Mensah threw for 2,723 yards and 22 touchdowns.   Mensah’s replacement will be former Oregon transfer Ty Thompson, who is in the portal but will be the Green Wave’s starting quarterback today. Thompson threw only 11 passes this season, completing six for 74 yards and two touchdowns. He is a prolific runner, who gained 243 yards and scored six touchdowns. Thompson will have the benefit of three experienced receivers who put up good numbers in 2024. Williams caught 54 passes for 940 yards (17.41) for five touchdowns. Fleming who played for Florida coach Billy Napier at Louisiana in 2020-21, caught  30 for 585 (19.5) and one TD. Brown who spent the first two years of his college career at Texas A&M, caught 34 passes for 472 yards (13.82) and four touchdowns.   It will be critical for the Gators to put pressure on Thompson, who will be starting his first collegiate game. The Green Wave offensive line gave up only 17 sacks all season. Florida’s defense ranks 11th nationally in sacks (38) with 18 coming in the final three games.   There is familiarity on Florida’s defensive side. D-line coach Gerald Chatman coached the Tulane defensive line in 2023 when the Green Wave got to opposing quarterbacks for 35 sacks. In Florida’s secondary is safety D.J. Douglas, who had 21 tackles. Douglas had 54 tackles and three interceptions in 2023 playing for Tulane.   SEC FOOTBALL: PORTAL DEPARTURES/ARRIVALS Alabama:  LB Keanu Koht (RJR) to Vanderbilt ; CB Jahlil Hurley (FR) to Kansas ; WR Kobe Prentice (JR) to Baylor ; DL Jehiem Oatis (JR) to Colorado ; WR Kendrick Law (JR); OT Miles McVay (FR) to North Carolina ; WR Caleb Odom (FR) to Ole Miss ; OT Naquil Betrand RFR) to Syracuse ; DL Hunter Osborne (FR); QB Dylan Lonergan (RFR) to Boston College ; LB Braylon Chatman (SO); RB Justice Haynes (SO); CB Devonta Smith (RJR) to Notre Dame ; EDGE Kelby Collins (SO) from Florida; WR Emmanuel Henderson (JR); DL Damon Payne (RJR) to Michigan; WR Isaiah Horton (RSO) from Miami; CB Cameron Calhoun (SO) from Utah   Arkansas:  WR Jaedon Wilson (RJR) to UCLA; QB Malachi Singleton (FR) to Purdue ; TE Tyrus Washington (SO); TE Var’keyes Gumms (JR); OG Patrick Kutas (JR) to Ole Miss ; TE Luke Hasz (SO) to Ole Miss ; S Nico Davillier (JR) to UCLA ; WR Kamron Bibby (SO); LB Kaden Henley (SO); LB Alex Sanford (SO); WR Davion Dozier (RFR); S Dallas Young (FR); P Sam Dubwig (FR); RB Emmanuel Crawford (FR); LS Eli Stein to Wisconsin ; S Tevis Metcalf (SO) to Michigan ; CB TJ Metcalf (FR) to Michigan ; LB Carson Dean (FR); RB Isaiah Sategna (RSO) to Oklahoma ; OG Joshua Braun (RSR) to Kentucky ; DL Ty’kieast Crawford (SR); EDGE Brad Spence (SO) to Texas ; OG Addison Nichols (RSO) to SMU ; OT Jac’Qawn McCray (FR) from Oregon; CB Jaylon Braxton (SO) to Ole Miss; WR Raylen Sharpe (JR) from Fresno State; RB Rashod Dubinion (JR); TE Jaden Platt (FR) from Texas A&M; WR Kam Shanks (SO) from UAB; EDGE Ken Talley (RSO) from Michigan State; S Taye Seymore (SO) from Georgia Tech; CB Raion Strader (SO) from Miami (OH); RB Braylen Russell (FR); IOL Caden Kitler (RSO) from UCF; OT Corey Robinson II (RJR) from Georgia Tech   Auburn:  DL Gage Keys (RJR); TE Grant Hidalgo (RJR); QB Holden Geriner (RSO); OG EJ Harris (SO); P Gabe Russo (FR); WR Camden Brown (JR) to Georgia Southern ; TE Micah Riley (SO) to Texas A&M ; EDGE T.J. Lindsey (FR); S Caleb Wooden (JR); QB Hank Brown (RFR) to Iowa ; CB Antonio Kite (SO) to Ole Miss ; WR Horatio Fields (RJR) from Wake Forest; LB Phoenix Jackson (RJR) from Fresno State; LB Laquan Robinson (JR); QB Jackson Arnold (SO) from Oklahoma; RB Durrell Robinson (SO) from UConn; P Hudson Haak (SO) from Oklahoma State; QB Walker White (FR) to Baylor ; OT Xavier Chaplin (SO) from Virginia Tech; IOL Mason Murphy (RJR) from Southern California; QB Ashton Daniels (JR) from Stanford; DL Dallas Walker IV (RSR) from Western Kentucky; CB Raion Strader (SO) from Miami (OH); S   Taye Seymore (SO) from Georgia Tech; EDGE TJ Searcy (SO) from Florida; LB Xavier Atkins (FR) from LSU; DL Darron Reed Jr. (FR)   FLORIDA:  DE Justus Boone (RJR); OL Mike Williams (RFR); EDGE Quincy Ivory (RJR) to Jackson State ; EDGE Bryce Capers (SO); WR Andy Jean (RFR); CB Ja’Keem Jackson (SO) to LSU ; DL Kelby Collins (SO) to Alabama ; OG Christian Williams (RSO); TE Arlis Boardingham (RSO); LB Deuce Spurlock (RSO) to Liberty ; QB Parker Leise; EDGE Jack Pyburn (RSO) to LSU ; TE Gavin Hill (RFR); P Tommy Doman (SR) from Michigan;   EDGE TJ Searcy (SO) to Auburn; WR J. Michael Sturdivant (RJR) from UCLA   Georgia:  CB Julian Humphrey (SO) to Texas A&M ; WR Nitro Tuggle (FR); David Daniel-Sisavanh; WR Michael Jackson III (SR); DL Jamaal Jarrett (SO); EDGE Samuel M’Pemba (SO); LB Troy Bowles (SO); CB Justyn Rhett (RFR); S Jake Pope (RSO); WR Rara Thomas (SR)   Kentucky:  DL Keeshawn Silver (RJR) to Southern California ; LS Walker Himebauch (SO); CB Avery Stuart (FR); WR Dane Key (JR); LB Jayvant Brown (SO); EDGE Tommy Ziesmer (FR) to Eastern Kentucky ; TE Khamari Anderson (SO); TE Tanner Lemaster (FR); OT Courtland Ford (SR) to UCLA ; WR Barion Brown (JR) to LSU ; WR Anthony Brown-Stephens (SO); OT Ben Cristman (RJR); EDGE Noah Matthews (SO); EDGE Tyreese Fearby (RSO); QB Gavin Wimsatt (RJR); S Jarard Mosely (JR); RB Chip Trayanum (RSR); EDGE Caleb Redd (FR); WR Brandon White (RSO); EDGE Sam Greene (RFR) from Southern California; LB Landyn Watson (RJR) from Marshall; OT Alexander Wollschlaeger (SR) from Bowling Green; OG Joshua Braun (RSR) from Arkansas; QB Zach Calzada (GR) from Incarnate Word; TE Jordan Dingle (RJR) to South Carolina; IOL Dylan Ray (RJR); WR JJ Hester (RSR) from Oklahoma; IOL Wallace Unamba (RJR) from New Mexico; TE Henry Boyer (RSO) from Illinois; OT Koby Keenum (RFR) .   LSU:  WR London Ibieta (SO); QB Rickie Collins (RFR) to Syracuse ; WR CJ Daniels (RJR) to Miami ; S Kylin Jackson (FR) to TCU ; WR Shelton Sampson JR (FR); LB Xavier Atkins (FR) to Auburn ; CB JK Johnson (JR); PK Nathan Dibert (JR); S Jordan Allen (RSO); CB Jalailin Johnson (RJR); TE Ka’Morreun Pimpton (SO); CB Bernard Causey (FR); DL Jay’viar Suggs (RSR); S Sage Ryan (RJR); DE Da’Shawn Womack (SO) to Ole Miss; TE Bauer Sharp (JR) from Oklahoma; CB Ja’Keem Jackson (SO) from Florida; WR Barion Brown (JR) from Kentucky; S Jordan Allen (JR) to Houston; EDGE Jimari Butler (RJR) from Nebraska; QB Michael Van Buren Jr. from Mississippi State; WR Nic Anderson (SO) from Oklahoma; WR Destyn Hill (SO) from Florida State; CB Mansoor Delane (JR) from Virginia Tech; QB AJ Swann (JR); P Grant Chadwick (FR) from Middle Tennessee   Mississippi State:  QB Chris Parson (RFR); WR Creed Whittemore (SO) to Utah ; WR JJ Harrell (FR); CB Jayven Williams (SO) from Kennesaw State;  EDGE Ty Cooper (JR) to Tulane ; LB John Lewis (RJR); OT Makylan Pounders (JR) to Louisville ; LB Tabias Hinton (FR); WR Antonio Harmon (JR); LB Marcus Ross (JR); WR Mario Craver (FR) to Texas A&M ; CB Raydarious Jones (SR); CB Khamauri Rogers (SO); CB Brice Pollock (SO) to Texas Tech ; DL Gabe Moore (FR) to Nebraska ; LB Jarvae Gilmore (RSO); DL Eric Taylor (SR); Christopher Keys (RSR); QB Michael Van Buren Jr. to LSU ; EDGE Redd Hibbler (SR) from North Carolina State; S Jahron Manning (JR) from Old Dominion; CB Kevin Coleman (JR) to Missouri; EDGE Nevaeh Sanders (RJR) from Northern Illinois; WR Brenen Thompson (JR) from Oklahoma; WR Jaron Glover (RSO) from Michigan State; QB Luke Kromenhoek (FR) from Florida State; IOL Jesse Ramil (RJR) from James Madison; LB Derion Gullette (FR) from Texas; LB Jalen Smith (RFR) from Tennessee   Missouri: LB Brayshawn Littlejon (FR); P Will Safris (FR); WR Mekhi Miller (JR); PK Brody Boehm (FR); P Orion Phillips (SO); S Phillip Roche (SO); IOL Jack McGarry (RSO); EDGE Jaylen Brown (FR) to South Carolina; CB Kevin Coleman (JR) from Mississippi State; EDGE Williams Nwaneri (FR) to Nebraska; QB Aidan Glover (FR); DL Langden Kitchen (SO) from Northwest Missouri State; S Gerald Lacy (SO); RB Kewan Lacy (FR) to Ole Miss; LB Josiah Trotter (RFR) from West Virginia; LB Mikai Gbayor (RJR) from Nebraska; S Santana Banner (RFR) from Northern Illinois; RB Ahmad Hardy (FR) from Louisiana-Monroe; S Mose Phillips (SO) from Virginia Tech   Oklahoma:  WR Jaquaize Pettaway (SO); QB Jackson Arnold (SO) to Auburn ; RB Kalib Hicks (FR) to Oklahoma State ; WR Nic Anderson (SO) to LSU ; RB Emeka Megwa (JR); TE Bauer Sharp (JR) to LSU ; CB Makari Vickers (SO) to Colorado ; RB Chapman McKown (FR); CB Kani Walker (RJR); OG Geirean Hatchett (SR) to Washington;  CB Jayden Rowe (SO) to Kansas State ; OT Kenny Wermy (RFR); IOL Joshua Bates  (RFR) to SMU ; WR JJ Hester (RSR) to Kentucky ; WR Jalil Farooq (SR); S Makari Vickers (SO); WR Andrel Anthony (SR) to Duke ; TE Josh Fanuiel (RSO); LB Phil Picciotti (RFR); QB Brendan Zurbrugg (FR); WR Brenen Thompson (JR) to Mississippi State ; S Dasan McCullough (JR); DL Champ Sanders (RFR); QB John Mateer (RSO) from Washington State; IOL Eugene Brooks (FR) to UCLA ; OT Luke Baklenko ( from Stanford; WR Keontez Lewis (SR) from Southern Illinois; WR Javonnie Gibson (RSO) from Arkansas-Pine Bluff; OT Derek Simmons (SR) from Western Carolina; RB Isaiah Sategna (RSO) from Arkansas   Ole Miss:  S Key Lawrence (RSR) to UCLA ; QB Walker Howard (RSO) to Louisiana;  OT Cam East (RSO); OT Mana Taimani (RSR); OT Jack Mills (SR); LB Rodney Groce Jr. (SR); OT PJ Wilkins (RFR) from Charlotte; EDGE Da’Shawn Womack (SO) from LSU; OG Patrick Kutas (JR) from Arkansas; CB Jaylon Braxton (SO) from Arkansas; TE Luke Haasz (SO) from Arkansas; EDGE Princewill Umanmielen (SO) from Nebraska; CB Antonio Kite (SO) from Auburn; De’Zhaun Stribling (RJR) from Oklahoma State; OT Micah Pettus (RJR) to Texas Tech ; RB Kewan Lacy (FR) from Missouri; RB Matt Jones (SR); WR Caleb Odom (FR) from Alabama; CB Ahnad Brown (SO); S Jadon Canady (SR); LB Jaden Yates (SO) from Marshall; IOL Delano Townsend (RFR) from UAB   South Carolina:  LB Bangally Kamara (RSR) to Kansas; LB Mohamed Kaba (RSR); WR Tyshawn Russell (SO); TE Connor Cox (SO) to North Carolina ; TE Nick Elksnis (RJR); WR CJ Adams (RFR); QB Robby Ashford (RJR); DL Jamaal Whyce (RSO); DL Elijah Davis (SR); EDGE Jaylen Brown (FR) from Missouri; IOL Nick Sharpe (RJR) from Wake Forest; WR Debron Gatling (FR) to Georgia Tech; DL Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy (SO) from Texas A&M; TE Jordan Dingle (RJR) from Kentucky; LB Andrew Jones (RSO) from Grambling; RB Djay Braswell (SO) to Georgia State     Tennessee:  OG Vysen Lang (FR); RB Khalifa Keith (SO); WR Kaleb Webb (SO) to Maryland ; CB Jordan Matthews (RFR) to Vanderbilt ; LB Jalen Smith (RFR) to Mississippi State ; WR Chas Nimrod (SO); QB Ryan Damron (FR); WR Nathan Leacock (FR); TE Luke Shouse (RSR); WR Nate Spillman (RFR); IOL Wendell Moe Jr. (RSO) from Arizona; RB Cameron Seldon (SO)   Texas:  WR Johntay Cook II (SO); DL Jaray Bledsoe (RSO); DL Aaron Bryant (SO) to Vanderbilt ; LB Derion Gullette (FR) to Mississippi State ; EDGE Tausill Akana (FR); DL Tiaoalii Savea (SR); CB Jay’vion Cole (JR) to Arizona ; P Jack Bouwmeester (RJR) from Utah; Edge Justice Finkley (JR); DL Cole Brevard (RSR) from Purdue; DL Sydir Mitchell (SO); EDGE Justice Finkley (JR); EDGE Brad Spence (SO) from Arkansas   Texas A&M:  DL Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy (SO) to South Carolina ; QB Conner Weigman (RSO) to Houston ; WR Cyrus Allen (JR) to Cincinnati ; TE Jaden Platt (FR) to Arkansas ; QB Jaylen Henderson (JR); OT Aki Ogunbiyi (JR);OT Hunter Erb (SO); CB Kevin Longstreet Jr. (FR); EDGE Malick Sylia (JR); LB Martrell Harris Jr. (JR); WR Micah Tease (SO); OG TJ Shanahan (FR); P Keegan Andrews (JR); LB Chantz Johnson (SO) to Texas State ; OG Cam Dewberry (JR); EDGE Josh Celiscar (RSR) to South Florida ; QB Jacob Zeno (RSR) from UAB; WR Jake Bostick (RSO); CB Donovan Saunders (JR) to Utah ; EDGE Enai White (JR); WR Jacob Bostick (RSO); DL Samu Taumanupepe (RFR) to Baylor;  CB Julian Humphrey (SO) from Georgia; WR Mario Craver (FR) from Mississippi State; WR Micah Tease (SO) to Tulsa; WR Micah Hudson (FR) from Texas Tech; TE Nate Boerkircher (RJR) from Nebraska   Vanderbilt:  LB Jeffrey Ugochukwu (JR); QB Nate Johnson (JR); EDGE BJ Diakate (JR); LB Steve Sannieniola (JR); DL Devin Lee (SR); OT Gunnar Hansen (SR) to Florida State ; CB Alan Wright (SR); EDGE Darren Agu (JR); TE Tyler Fortenberry; PK Will Faris (SR); WR Ezra McAllister; CB Alvin Williamson Jr. (FR); EDGE Evan Hermann (SO); EDGE Callahan Blair (FR); LB Keanu Koht (RJR) from Alabama; P Nick Haberer (RJR) from Washington State; DL Aaron Bryant (SO) from Texas; OL Gunner Givens (RSO) from Virginia Tech; WR Chance Fitzgerald (RFR) from Virginia Tech; OT Isaia Glass (RJR) from Oklahoma State; IOL Jordan White (SR) from Liberty; CB Jordan Matthews (RFR) from Tennessee; S CJ Heard (FR) from Florida Atlantic

A momentum building win awaits the Gators at the Gasparilla Bowl By Loren Meadows, GatorBaitMedia.com , Football Analyst Defensive Back Trikweze Bridges (Chris Spears photo) Tulane Offense   Key Players-#7 QB Ty Thompson (6-4, 224, Jr./Oregon), #21 RB Makhi Hughes (5-11, 210, R-So.) #20 RB Arnold Barnes III (5-10, 216, So.), #4 WR Mario Williams (5-9, 178, Jr./USC), #1 Dontae Fleming (6-2, 180, Sr./Louisiana), #5 Yulkeith Brown (5-8, 167, Sr.), #87 Alex Baugman (6-5, 245, Jr.)   Matchups To Watch: Ty Thompson v. Florida Defensive Front, Makhi Hughes v. Florida Linebackers   Tulane will come in to the game led by quarterback Ty Thompson who despite entering his name in the transfer portal is expected to start the game for Tulane. Thompson has only thrown 11 passes on the season but his ability to run is a major part ofthe Tulane attack. Speaking of the running game, while Thompson is a threat, Tulane will rely on its bell cow Makhi Hughes to do most of the heavy lifting in the run game. Hughes was second in the American Conference in yards (1372), attempts (257) and touchdowns (15). He is a versatile back that has big play ability as well as the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. His backup Arnold Barnes III has good size as well and averaged almost five yards per carry in a reserve role. The Florida linebackers will need to make sure that they get to him at the line of scrimmage and prevent him from getting downhill and generating momentum. When Thompson attempts to throw his primary target will be All-AAC receiver Mario Williams. The USC transfer and Plant City native caught 54 passes for 940 yards and five touchdowns this season. Originally a member of the 2021 Oklahoma team, Williams was selected as a Freshman All-American by ESPN that season. Williams is a confident receiver that plays bigger than his 5-9 frame suggest. The matchup between he and corners Dijon Johnson and Trikweze Bridges could make for an interesting watch. To go along with Williams, Tulane has three receivers that bring experience and talent to the Tulane offense. Dontae Fleming, Yulkeith Brown and tight end Alex Bauman have combined for 82 catches and 12 touchdowns. Fleming will be familiar to many on the Gator staff as he spent 2021 as a member of the Louisiana team coached by Billy Napier. Fleming is Tulane’s second leading receiver and also handles punt return duties for Tulane. Miami native Yulkeith Brown was a standout in south Florida and has filled in well since transferring from Texas A&M. Bauman leads the team in touchdown receptions and may be called upon early in the game as a target to help the inexperienced Thompson get acclimated to the passing game early.   Stopping the improvisation of Thompson and the downhill running of Hughes will be the order of the day. Thompson was used mainly as a change of pace runner this season and Tulane will look to lean on that before they opening up the passing game. Florida will look to crowd the box on early downs and force Thompson to show that he can analyze pressures, make the right read, set his feet and make accurate throws. Florida became a very comfortable group exhibiting the ability to mix exotic pressures with great play in the secondary as the season prgressed. If they can handle the running game early look for the “creeper” to be on full display.    Tulane Defense Key Players-#0 DL Patrick Jenkins (6-2, 293, Sr.), #13 LB Tyler Grubbs (6-2, 235, Sr.), #15 LB Sam Howard (6-2, 220, Jr.), #32 S Bailey Despanie (6-1, 204, R-Jr.), #6 DB Micah Robinson (6-0, 184, Sr.), #2 S Jalen Geiger (6-1, 205, Gr./Kentucky), #29 Jack Tchienchou (5-10, 181, Fr.) #5 DB Rayshawn Pleasant (6-0, 185, R-So.)   Matchups To Watch: DJ Lagway v. Tulane Secondary, Florida Offensive Line v. Tulane Run Defense   Tulane had five players that were awarded first and second team ALL-AAC honors this season. Upfront, Patrick Jenkins, Tyler Grubbs, and Sam Howard were awarded for their efforts on a defense that finished second in the AAC and 13th nationally. Jenkins was 6th in the conference in sacks, while leading the team in tackles for loss as well. Grubbs and Howard had 59 and 57 total tackles respectively and were the only set of linebackers to be honored on the first or second team in the conference. These two will be tasked with stopping a trio of Florida backs that are playing with a ton of confidence going into the postseason. Florida will lean on its trio of Montrell Johnson Jr., Jaden Baugh, and Ja’Kobi Jackson to set the tone early. The challenge will be thrust upon the duo to fight off the push from the Florida offensive line led by All-American center Jake Slaughter. The secondary for Tulane is a confident experienced group that has a mix of homegrown talent as well as some familiar with the SEC. Kentucky transfer Jalen Geiger leads a group that landed three secondary players on the all-conference teams and will be looking to make some noise against the duo of Chimere Dike and Elijah Badger. Corners Micah Robinson and Caleb Ransaw are arguably the best in the conference while Bailey Despanie and Geiger will not be intimidated by playing the Gators. These matchup on the perimeter between the Florida receivers and Tulane corners will again be one to watch.   The Florida offense begins and ends with DJ Lagway who is already being mentioned as a possible 2025 Heisman candidate.  Lagway has been very efficient throwing the ball while just scratching the surface on his ability to run the ball. While a hamstring has limited his mobility the last month, two weeks of rest has most certainly done the young signal-caller some good. Florida will look to play on Tulane’s side of the playground early and if the running game can be effective that will certainly open the play-action pass that has been a staple for the Gators.    The Skinny: The Gators have the opportunity to win eight games for the first time since 2020 and a “almost” home game in Tampa is the perfect backdrop for what will be one of nations more intriguing programs of 2025. The momentum that was generated by the team the last three weeks of the season had many thinking the Gators finished the final week as one of the SEC’s best. Tulane was a football team that until Week 12 had eyes on the playoffs and are angry they let it slip away. With some of its best players returning home to Florida to play the Gators, a Gasparilla Bowl win would put the finishing touches on a 10-win season and the fine job Coach Jon Sumrall has done in his first year at Tulane. The game will come down to which team can dominate the line of scrimmage and which quarterback can make the meaningful throw to put the game out of reach. While Thompson is talented and will play better than many expect, Lagway is ascending and leading Florida to its first bowl win in five years will cement his place as the key piece that will look to return Florida to national prominence. Lagway throws for two and Johnson, Baugh, and Jackson do the rest.    Prediction:  Florida 31 Tulane 17

He is the new breed in College Football but must now learn to live with consequences of his choices.

Austin Barber (58) and Ja'Kobi Jackson (24) celebrate a TD (Gator Bait Photo by Chris Spears) Based entirely on prestige, the Gasparilla Bowl is insignificant, but let’s face it, every bowl game that isn’t part of the College Football Playoff has become little more than TV filler for ESPN. Where you go, who you play really doesn’t matter. What matters in this order are winning, the money, the TV exposure and the 15 practices that serve as a second spring.   You didn’t hear Billy Napier complain when the Florida Gators were assigned to the Gasparilla Bowl to play Tulane, did you? It kept the Gators close to home, gave them some practices in the fertile recruiting ground of Tampa and surrounding area, and thanks to defections by Tulane’s stud quarterback and two of their best defenders, gives Florida a legitimate chance to close the season on a 4-game winning streak.   Perceptions are everything when it comes to making a dent in the impressionable minds of future recruits, both of the high school and portal variety. Combined with the reality that Florida played the toughest schedule in the country and has the hottest name for the future moving forward in freshman quarterback DJ Lagway, the perception is that Florida is relevant once again.   That’s what this bowl game is all about. Perception and relevance. That’s why it is so important for the Gators to score a win over Tulane Friday afternoon (3:30 p.m., ESPN2) at Raymond James Stadium. Three months from now, no one will be paying that much attention to who the Gators beat nor will it matter that the Gators beat a Tulane team that had to play without its stud quarterback who led them to a 9-win season as a true freshman. Darian Mensah won’t play because he entered the transfer portal and signed with Duke.   Tulane minus Mensah won’t matter for the Gators, but eight wins will. Getting to eight is important because it is nearly double what the oddsmakers in Las Vegas predicted back in August. Eight wins says Billy Napier and the Gators navigated a difficult schedule to break a 3-year losing trend. Eight wins says beware the Florida Gators in 2025.   Eight wins matters to recruits. Whether it’s the Gasparilla Bowl or the Weedwacker, they look at the bottom line so eight wins is important. Again, it’s all about perceptions. For example, 5-star wide receiver Dallas Wilson (6-3, 193, Tampa, FL Tampa Bay Tech) signed with the Oregon Ducks just a couple of weeks ago. Wilson has asked out of his letter of intent to play for Oregon and once his request is granted, he will sign with the Gators. That wouldn’t have happened if the Gators hadn’t won their last three games to get to a bowl game.   When Wilson is released and signs with the Gators, Florida’s recruiting class should move inside the top ten. The Gators are currently 11th, but the move inside the top ten will matter to recruits. Perceptions are everything.     If Lagway and the Gators light up the Tulane defense tomorrow and the defense swarms and sacks like it did those last three games, it should bode well for enhancing the roster through the portal. Among others, the Gators are making a strong play for wide receivers Johntay Cook (Texas) and J. Michael Sturdivant (UCLA), EDGE Kofi Asare (UMass), quarterback Deshawn Purdie (Charlotte) and  offensive tackles Rahtrel Perry (Central Connecticut) and Fa’alili Fa’amoe (Washington State). As bowl games are completed in the next week, more players will be in the portal so Florida’s interest list should expand. Getting to eight wins should have an impact on perceptions for those in the portal.     So, even though this is a pre-Christmas bowl game that could be dubbed the Catfish Bowl because it’s a bottom feeder, nobody will pay attention to who the Gators played or what bowl game they played in as long as they win the game and finish the season with eight wins.   THE WIN OVER UNC MADE A STATEMENT FOR THE GATORS By Carolina standards, this isn’t a very good basketball team. The Tar Heels are accustomed to breathing rarified air that comes with being a true blueblood and a consistent occupant of the top ten. Still, any win over the Tar Heels makes a statement so for the unbeaten and 7th-ranked Gators, Tuesday night’s 90-84 win in the Jumpman Invitational in Charlotte sent a signal of legitimacy to the rest of the college basketball world.   We saw the Gators at their best in the first 18 minutes of the game when they threatened to run the Tar Heels out of the Spectrum Center. We also saw what happens when they lose their focus and intensity as they blew a 17-point lead and found themselves down three with a 2:29 to go in the game.   Most teams fold under such circumstances. Once you’ve collapsed and lost your momentum as the Gators did, it’s so hard to get it back, yet the Gators dug deep and found what they had going for them in the first 18 minutes. The Gators finished the game like a team with an opportunity to go further than any Florida team since 2017 when the season ended with an Elite Eight loss to South Carolina.   That strong finish is what made this such a statement game. The way the Tar Heels came back invigorated the rather huge pro-UNC contingent at the arena. The way the Gators regained their composure to finish on an 11-2 run showed a team that has a killer instinct. Best of all, it showed that the Gators can win tough games in a hostile environment even when they are not playing their best basketball and when their two top scorers are struggling to put the ball in the basket. Not many teams could win against a quality opponent on a night when Walter Clayton Jr. and Alijah Martin combine to go 9-32 from the field but the Gators did.   The way the Gators finished, it’s easy to talk about  deep runs in the NCAA Tournament, but the tournament doesn’t come around for another two months. The Gators still have to navigate the minefield that is the Southeastern Conference and the SEC schedule is going to be brutal. There are only four undefeated teams in the country (Tennessee, Florida, Oklahoma and Drake) and three belong to the SEC. Bracketology guru Joe Lunardi believes 12 SEC teams will get into the NCAA Tournament. He also believes it’s possible 13 teams will get in. Lunardi currently has the Gators trending as a No. 3 seed. We will have to wait and see if the No. 3 seed predictions hold up because the SEC will cannibalize itself over the next two months. There won’t be any off nights, not in this league.   What happened in Charlotte should tell the rest of the SEC that the Gators are definitely for real. What happens in January and February against an all-SEC schedule will tell us just how real the Gators are.   SEC Basketball Wednesday’s scores No. 6 Alabama (9-2) 97,  North Dakota (4-9) 90 No. 14 Oklahoma (11-0) 87, No. 24 Michigan (8-3) 86 Vanderbilt (10-1) 105, The Citadel (5-6) 53   Today’s games Buffalo (5-5) at Georgia (9-1) New Orleans (2-7) at Texas (9-2)   Friday’s game Houston Christian at No. 12 Texas A&M (9-2)   Saturday’s games North Florida (7-5) at No. 7 FLORIDA (11-0) No. 16 Purdue (8-3) at No. 2 Auburn (10-1) Ohio State (7-4) at No. 4 Kentucky (10-1) Queens University (7-5) at No. 17 Ole Miss (10-1) Mississippi State (10-1) at No. 21 Memphis (9-2) Austin Peay (4-7) at Vanderbilt (10-1) North Carolina A&T at Arkansas (9-2)   COUNTDOWN TO FIRING DAY: Wake Forest: Washington State coach Jake Dickert is the replacement for Dave Clawson, who voluntarily stepped down after 11 years on the job in Winston-Salem.   ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: As if we weren’t already aware that the NCAA is a bloated incompetent bureaucracy led by clueless people who wouldn’t know what it’s like to hold down a job in the real world, enter Charlie Baker. He’s the former governor of Massachusetts, now the president of the NCAA. Baker, who is proof anyone can get into Harvard these days, has spent the last two days in front of the United States Senate.   Shall we say things haven’t exactly gone well for Mr. Baker? Here are some excerpts from his time being questioned by Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana.   “I’m sure the NCAA is a good organization.  I just can’t figure out what you folks are good for.”   “I know you take in bucketloads of money and you share some of it. You make that money off the backs of these kids ... You take in bucketloads of money. We’ve got problems in collegiate sports with the transfer portal, NIL and now gambling and biological males ... you’re allowing biological males to compete with biological females and you folks at the NCAA don’t do anything except sit there and watch, cash your checks and suck on your teeth.”   “Why don’t you go to Amazon and buy a spine online and take a stand?”   Senator Kennedy’s line of questioning had to deal with the NCAA’s stance of allowing biological males to compete as transgender women. In many ways, Senator Kennedy was kind. Senator Josh Hawley of Louisiana followed and he excoriated Mr. Baker who lacked the capacity to come up with a decent answer to explain the NCAA’s reasoning.   Transgender women competing against biological women is a small but significant problem that bears addressing by the NCAA. Grilled by senators Kennedy and Hawley, Baker succeeded at blaming everyone else for the problem except for the NCAA. Baker sounded like a fence-sitter of a politician not like a leader of an organization whose policies shape the lives of more than 500,000 athletes. If the best Mr. Baker can do is blame others and parrot a prepared talking point on an issue like this, then how is he going to come up with solutions to the portal, NIL and revenue sharing?   Once again, this is a situation where football has to take the lead since it is the cash cow that pretty much funds the other sports. It is time for football to secede from the NCAA and join a new organization headed by a commissioner who understands the sport instead of an academic or politician. We’ve trusted the academics far too long and look where that has gotten us. For every politician who actually understands sports there are nine who don’t understand the unique challenges ahead.   Once football is on a firm foundation, then one by one the other sports under the NCAA umbrella can be brought in. If collegiate sports as we know them are to still be viable 15-20 years down the line, then the first steps toward the extinction of the NCAA must begin now.

Denzell Aberdeen scores two of his nine first half points against UNC (UAA Photo) The final 2:29 of 7th-ranked Florida’s 90-84 win over North Carolina in the Jumpman Invitational in Charlotte made a statement why the Gators just might have everything it takes to make a very deep run when the madness begins in March.   Trailing the Tar Heels, 82-79, the Gators (11-0) had one of their famous spurts, this one a bit different than the ones that have allowed them to blow out their previous 10 opponents. For one thing, the Gators were trailing, and second, it was a close game.   Starting with a 3-pointer by Alijah Martin that tied the score at 82-82, the Gators went on an 11-2 run to close out the Tar Heels, who had worn the Gators out with their quickness while roaring back from a 17-point deficit. In the final 2:29 the Gators grabbed every single rebound (six of them) and made all six of their free throws to rain on the Carolina parade.   Officially, this was a neutral site game at the Spectrum Center, but let’s be real here. This was a Carolina home game and the Carolina comeback from a 44-27 hole was energized and egged on by the pro-Tar Heel crowd.   Yet, when the game was on the line, it was the Florida Gators who sucked all the air out of the building and they did it by playing great when it mattered most. How many teams could go on the road and see their two top scorers hit a combined 9-32 from the field (Walter Clayton Jr. 4-15; Martin 5-17) and 3-19 from the 3-point line (Clatyon 1-7; Martin 2-12), yet still walk away with a win?   The Gators did that Tuesday night. Road wins are hard to come by, even harder when the opponent is one of college basketball’s blueblood programs and you aren’t playing your best for the full 40 minutes. The Gators played like a Final Four team for the first 17 minutes of the first half, then went into a coma that allowed North Carolina to stage a comeback that would have been billed as a Florida collapse if the Gators hadn’t regained their mojo to pull the game out.   The Gators had every chance to mail it in once the Tar Heels took the lead at the 7:51 mark, their first since scoring the game’s initial basket. Once the Tar Heels took the lead (69-68), they kept making shots and the Gators struggled to match shot-for-shot. What kept the Gators in the game was yeoman work on the backboards for  stickbacks to stay even. The Gators outrebounded the Tar Heels 46-36, with 16 of the offensive variety that led to a 23-14 advantage in second chance points.   Still, there was reason for concern at the media time out with 4:02 to go. The Tar Heels had just taken an 81-77 lead on an alley oop finish to a fast break Jalen Washington that had the pro-Carolina crowd sensing the upset was about to happen.   In the huddle, however, Florida coach Todd Golden saw no panic in the eyes of his team.     “The thing I’m most proud of our group, four minutes to go in the game, down four in our huddle, I saw no disappointment,” Golden said. “I saw nobody pointing fingers. I saw guys that were poised and ready to attack the last four minutes – just defend, rebound and take care of the ball.   “I think we held them scoreless the last two minutes. I think we outrebounded them 8-1 down the stretch. Big-time offensive rebounds that allowed us to get an and-1 and then get two free throws to ice it down the stretch.   Once Martin hit his 3-pointer, the Tar Heels regained the lead on a layup by Elliott Cadeau, but that was the last time UNC put points on the board. The Gators tied the game at 84-84 when Martin made a couple of free throws after coming up with an offensive rebound with 1:48 left in the game.   The Gators took the lead for good with 54 seconds to go when Will Richard snaked in among the trees to stick back a miss by Martin. When All-American RJ Davis clanged a 3-pointer off the rim with 44 seconds left, the Gators killed some clock, forced up a 3-ball with 12 seconds left and Tommy Haugh hustled to grab the rebound for UF. Fouled immediately, Haugh sunk both of his free throws for an 88-84 Florida lead.   Although there were only seven seconds left in the game, the Gators made it interesting when Denzell Aberdeen fouled Cadeau with six seconds left, but the Tar Heel guard missed his free throw. Richard grabbed the rebound, was fouled and made the free throws for the final margin.   It was Aberdeen who came through in the first half. Clayton couldn’t get shots to go, so the backup point guard came through with nine of his 12 points to pick up the slack. Richard had the hot hand in the first half, hitting three 3-pointers en route to 13 very productive points.   This had the makings of an epic blowout win when Aberdeen drove to the rack and scored to make it 44-27 with 2:21 left in the half. From that point, the Gators starting fizzling and the Heels heated up behind Davis and Cadeau to trim the margin to 46-34 at the half. With the momentum changed, the Tar Heels came out sizzling to start the second half, scoring first 11 points in the first 2:25 of the final 20.   “ I think we were up 17 and playing really great basketball, and obviously you play a team like Carolina you know they’re not going away easy,” Golden said. “They cut it to 12 at halftime. I was not pleased with the way we performed coming out of halftime.   “That’s really the first time all year where we’ve allowed a team to dictate the terms of the game. Credit to them, though, I thought they were really a lot more aggressive defensively and then trying to get downhill driving the ball in the second half. To their credit, they made it a great game.” Although displeased with their play for much of the second half, Golden had to love the way the Gators finished. Merely good baasketball teams find a way to lose a game like that. Potentially great teams keep finding ways to win even when their leading scorer (Clayton) can't find the ocean from the end of the pier and even when an uncharacteristic 17 turnovers lead to 17 UNC points.   Teams that have the possibility to go deep into March when tournament play heats up played composed basketball and make their free throws when games are on the line. Although the Gators have been rampaging through the schedule, it was only a matter of time before there was a white knuckler that made them sweat. Sweat they did. Lose they didn't. "We know the rest of the season isn’t going to be easy, but it’s definitely preparing us for conference and the rest of the games we’ve got coming up," Richard said. "Definitely good to face a little adversity.”   The Gators will return home for a noon Saturday matchup with North Florida (7-5), which dropped a 91-85 decision to UNC-Asheville Tuesday night.   Game notes: Will Richard scored 22 points, grabbed six rebounds, handed out an assist and had two steals. Martin scored 19 to go with five rebounds, four assists and a steal. Aberdeen had 12 points, one rebound and two assists, while Clayton finished with 12 points, six rebounds and two assists ... Alex Condon, who surprised the Tar Heels by going 2-3 from the 3-point line, had nine points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three blocked shots. Rueben Chinyelu only scored four points, but he grabbed nine rebounds and had a couple of steals. Haugh finished with nine points, six rebounds and a steal ... The Gators were 30-65 overall from the field, 10-32 from the 3-point line after hitting 7-17 in the first half.   SEC Basketball Tuesday’s scores No. 7 FLORIDA (11-0) 90, North Carolina (6-5) 84 No. 1 Tennessee (11-0) 84, Western Carolina (3-7) 36 No. 2 Auburn (10-1) 100, Georgia State (4-7) 59 No. 17 Ole Miss (10-1) 74, Southern 61 South Carolina (8-3) 91, No. 25 Clemson (9-3) 88 Mississippi State (10-1) 83, Central Michigan 59 Missouri (10-1) 83, Jacksonville State (6-5) 72 LSU (9-2) 99, Stetson (1-10) 53   Today’s games No. 6 Alabama (8-2) at North Dakota (4-8) No. 14 Oklahoma (10-0) at No. 24 Michigan (8-2) The Citadel (5-5) at Vanderbilt (9-1)

Walter Clayton Jr. leads the Gators in scoring at 19.1 per game (Gator Bait Photo by Chris Spears) Forget that the North Carolina Tar Heels are off to the kind of start that their blueblooded fan base finds completely unacceptable. Winners of six NCAA championships and 21 times in the Final Four, Carolina basketball breathes the rarified air of high expectations. Any year the Tar Heels aren’t contending for a national championship is considered a disaster of Titanic sinking proportions.   So, even though Carolina comes into tonight’s Jumpman Invitational in Charlotte (7 p.m., ESPN) with 7th-ranked Florida (10-0) unranked and 6-4, any time you beat the Tar Heels is a very big deal. For one thing it would be the 11th straight win for the Gators, making it the second best start to a season in school history. Also, it would be a Quad 1 win, very important for the NCAA Net Rankings, which factor into seeding when tournament time rolls around in March.   When it comes to prestige, however, there is nothing like a win over one of college basketball’s most storied programs. It’s like beating Kentucky. Even if it’s not such a great year for the Wildcats, fans don’t see it that way. They simply look at those eight national championship banners hanging from Rupp Arena to know how important it is to beat Kentucky.   This isn’t a home game for the Tar Heels in that the game isn’t played at the Dean Dome in Chapel Hill, but make no mistake it’s a Carolina home game. Jumpman is the icon of the Jordan Brand, which Nike developed during its association with Michael Jordan, Carolina’s most glorified basketball alum. He’s a minority owner in the NBA Charlotte Hornets who play their home games in the Spectrum Center.   To overcome Carolina’s home court advantage, the Gators are going to have to defend the perimeter against the Tar Heels three lethal shooters led by All-American RJ Davis, who comes into the game averaging 17.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. Seth Trimble averages 15.4 points per game while hitting 45.2 percent from the 3-point line. Elliot Cadeau, who plays the point, averages 11.5 points and 5.6 assists.   Florida’s 3-guard perimeter has been on an offensive tear, but Walter Clayton Jr. (19.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists), Alijah Martin (15.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists) and Will Richard (12 points, 5.2 rebounds) have been distinguishing themselves on the defensive end as well. In Saturday’s blowout win over Arizona State, Clayton, Martin and Richard combined to hold the Sun Devils vaunted perimeter guys to 12-42 shooting.   Carolina runs a 1-4 set that has Orlando native Ven-Allen Lubin as the only true front court player at 6-8, 230. A two-time transfer (Notre Dame, Vanderbilt), Lubin averages 6.8 points and 4.7 rebounds. In two games against the Gators at Vanderbilt last year, Lubin scored 40 points while grabbing 18 rebounds.   With Lubin as UNC’s tallest starter, the Gators should have a clear advantage on the inside where the 4-man rotation of Alex Condon, Rueben Chinyelu, Tommy Haugh and Sam Alexis. Combined they average 31.7 points, 23.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 2.0 steals and 4.3 blocked shots per game.   Game stuff: The Gators are No. 5 in the NCAA Net Rankings, No. 7 in the kenpom.com analytics. North Carolina is No. 36 in the Net Rankings, No. 28 at kenpom.com ... The Gators are 2-4 all time against UNC, their most recent win, 71-59, at the Final Four in Indianapolis in 2000 ... The Gators, who are 6th in the Coaches top 25 poll, are one of only five remaining unbeaten teams in Division I ... The Gators are averaging 11.1 3-pointers made in the last seven games ... Walter Clayton Jr., who leads the Gators in scoring at 19.1 per game, has made a 3-pointer in 33 consecutive games, which ranks fourth all time at Florida. Michael Frazier II holds the all time record at UF at 41 consecutive games ... Clayton has scored 1,595 points in his 110 career games. He has scored 824 at Florida. Martin has scored 1,628 points in his 134 career games, 1,476 at Florida Atlantic. Richard has scored 1,263, 864 at Florida ... The Gators average 86.2 per game while holding opponents to 65.1. The Gators are 9th nationally in scoring margin at 21.1 per game. Florida is 17th nationally in scoring, 46th in scoring defense. The Gators are fifth nationally in fast break points per game at 19.5 ... The Gators are 7th nationally in rebounding at 43.4 per game, 14th in offensive rebounds (14.6) and 11th in rebounding margin (10.1).      Anticipated starting lineups No. 7 FLORIDA (10-0): Alex Condon (6-11, 230, SO); Rueben Chinyelu (6-10, 255, SO); Will Richard (6-4, 206, SR); Alijah Martin (6-2, 195, GR); Walter Clayton Jr. (6-2, 195, SR)   North Carolina (6-4): Ven-Allen Lubin (6-8, 230, JR); Drake Powell (6-6, 195, FR); Seth Trimple (6-3, 195, JR); RJ Davis (6-0, 180, SR); Elliot Cadeau (6-1, 180, SO)   Associated Press top 20: 1. Tennessee 10-0; 2. Auburn 9-1; 3. Iowa State 9-1; 4. Kentucky 10-1; 5. Duke 8-2; 6. Alabama 8-2; 7. FLORIDA 10-0; 8. Kansas 8-2; 9. Marquette 9-2; 10. Oregon 10-1; 11. UConn 8-3; 12. Texas A&M 9-2; 13. Gonzaga 7-3; 14. Oklahoma 10-0; 15. Houston 6-3; 16. Purdue 8-3; 17. Ole Miss 9-1; 18. UCLA 9-1; 19. Cincinnati 8-1;  20. Michigan State 8-2; 21. Memphis 8-2; 22. Dayton 9-2; 23. San Diego State 7-2; 24. Michigan 8-2; 25. Clemson 9-2   Coaches top 20: 1. Tennessee 10-0; 2. Auburn 9-1; 3. Iowa State 9-1; 4. Kentucky 10-1; 5. Duke 8-2; 6. FLORIDA 10-0; 7. Alabama 8-2; 8. Kansas 8-2; 9. Marquette 9-2; 10. Oregon 10-1; 11. Texas A&M 9-2; 12. Houston 6-3; 13. UConn 8-3; 14. Gonzaga 7-3; 15. Oklahoma 10-0; 16. Ole Miss 9-1; 17. Purdue 8-3; 18. UCLA 9-1; 19. Michigan State 8-2; 20. Cincinnati 8-1; 21. Michigan 9-1; 22. Memphis 8-2; 23. San Diego State 7-2; 24. Dayton 9-2; 25. Mississippi State 9-1   SEC BASKETBALL Today’s games North Carolina (6-4) vs.  No. 9 FLORIDA (10-0) in Charlotte Western Carolina (3-6) at No. 1 Tennessee (10-0) Georgia State (4-6) at No. 2 Auburn (9-1) No. 16 Clemson (9-2) at South Carolina (7-3) Southern (5-4) at No. 19 Ole Miss (9-1) Central Michigan (5-4) at No. 25 Mississippi State (9-1) Jacksonville State (6-4) at Missouri (9-1) Stetson (1-9) at LSU (8-2)

Jake Slaughter schmoozes with fans after Gators whomped Kentucky (Gator Bait Photo by Chris Spears) When it comes to Florida center Jake Slaughter, you have to ask what the hell are 15 coaches in the Southeastern Conference seeing and thinking? The coaches didn’t see fit to put Slaughter on either the first, second or third team All-SEC. The Associated Press and USA Today voters had him first team. Not only that the AP voted Slaughter first team All-America as did Pro Football Focus. Slaughter made second team All-America for CBS Sports and College Football News.   Per Pro Football Focus, Slaughter graded out as the top center in the SEC. He played 728 snaps, allowing just one sack, one quarterback hit and only six quarterback hurries. He committed only three penalties all season. Although he played significantly more snaps (150) in 2024, Slaughter allowed fewer sacks and committed fewer penalties.   In Tampa, where the Gators (7-5) are preparing for Friday’s Gasparilla Bowl matchup (3:30 p.m., ESPN2 with Tulane (9-4), Florida coach Billy Napier shrugged off what the other coaches in the league think and pointed to the Pro Football Focus analytics.   “I think the statistics speak for themselves ... to be a first-year starter, to be the highest-graded center in the country by PFF,  and obviously well-respected out there as a player,” Napier said. “So look, Jake's gonna play this game for a long time, and he ain’t worried about that, I can promise you that, but it has been good to be able to recognize him in front of his peers. And, you know, it's pretty cool to be an All-American, right, and, not many of those and, and he’ll always be able to look back at that and be proud of it.”   By making first team All-America, Slaughter has earned a brick in the sidewalk at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. A redshirt junior from Sparr who prepped at Trinity Catholic in Ocala, Slaughter is the third University of Florida center (Bill Carr and Maurkice Pouncey were the others) to earn first team honors.   Kudos to Cam Jackson Jackson is a senior who figures to be taken in the NFL Draft, particularly after the way he finished the 2024 season. Although he’s not at 100 percent after the regular season, Jackson is playing in the bowl game like several other Gators whose last game in a UF uniform will be Friday.   “ Cam has been a little bit limited in bowl practice, you know,” Napier said Monday. “He got banged up in the Florida State game, but just in general, for him to, you know, finish the season with his team, be around for bowl practice, and obviously he's a Senior Bowl invite. He'll be an NFL Draft pick, but look, these guys enjoy being around each other. I think that's part of the positive here is, like, you got, you know, sometimes you’ll have a guy pack it up and head off and start training, but I think these guys enjoy each other's company, you know. And I think this team, when we look back at it, I think this ‘24 team, what they were able to accomplish, the way they finished, I think would be significant in the future.”     SEC FOOTBALL: PORTAL DEPARTURES/ARRIVALS Alabama:  LB Keanu Koht (RJR) to Vanderbilt ; CB Jahlil Hurley (FR) to Kansas ; WR Kobe Prentice (JR); DL Jehiem Oatis (JR) to Colorado;  WR Kendrick Law (JR); OT Miles McVay (FR); WR Caleb Odom (FR); OT Naquil Betrand RFR); DL Hunter Osborne (FR); QB Dylan Lonergan (RFR); LB Braylon Chatman (SO); RB Justice Haynes (SO); CB Devonta Smith (RJR) to Notre Dame; CB Jaylen Mbakwe (FR) to Ole Miss ; WR Emmanuel Henderson Jr. (JR)   Arkansas:  WR Jaedon Wilson (RJR) to UCLA; QB Malachi Singleton (FR); TE Tyrus Washington (SO); TE Var’keyes Gumms (JR); OG Patrick Kutas (JR) to Ole Miss ; TE Luke Hasz (SO) to Ole Miss ; S Nico Davillier (JR); WR Kamron Bibby (SO); LB Kaden Henley (SO); LB Alex Sanford (SO); WR Davion Dozier (RFR); S Dallas Young (FR); P Sam Dubwig (FR); RB Emmanuel Crawford (FR); LS Eli Stein to Wisconsin ; S Tevis Metcalf (SO) to Michigan ; CB TJ Metcalf (FR) to Michigan ; LB Carson Dean (FR); RB Isaiah Sategna (RSO); OG Joshua Braun (RSR) to Kentucky ; DL Ty’kieast Crawford (SR); EDGE Brad Spence (SO) to Texas ; OG Addison Nichols (RSO); OT Jac’Qawn McCray (FR) from Oregon; CB Jaylon Braxton (SO) to Ole Miss; WR Raylen Sharpe (RJR) from Fresno State; EDGE Ken Talley (RSO) from Michigan State   Auburn:  DL Gage Keys (RJR); TE Grant Hidalgo (RJR); QB Holden Geriner (RSO); OG EJ Harris (SO); P Gabe Russo (FR); WR Camden Brown (JR); TE Micah Riley (SO) to Texas A&M ; EDGE T.J. Lindsey (FR); S Caleb Wooden (JR); QB Hank Brown (RFR) to Iowa ; CB Antonio Kite (SO); WR Horatio Fields (RJR) from Wake Forest; QB Maalik Murphy (RSO) from Texas; LB Phoenix Jackson (RJR) from Fresno State; LB Laquan Robinson (JR); QB Jackson Arnold (SO) from Oklahoma; RB Durrell Robinson (SO) from UConn; P Hudson Haak (SO) from Oklahoma State; QB Walker White (FR); OT Xavier Chaplin ( from Virginia Tech; S Taye Seymore (SO) from Georgia Tech; CB Raion Strader (SO) from Miami (OH); EDGE Amaris Williams (FR); QB Ashton Daniels (JR) from Syracuse   FLORIDA:  DE Justus Boone (RJR); OL Mike Williams (RFR); EDGE Quincy Ivory (RJR); EDGE Bryce Capers (SO); WR Andy Jean (RFR); CB Ja’Keem Jackson (SO) to LSU ; DL Kelby Collins (SO); OG Christian Williams (RSO); TE Arlis Boardingham (RSO); LB Deuce Spurlock (RSO); QB Parker Leise; EDGE Jack Pyburn (RSO) to LSU ; TE Gavin Hill (RFR); P Tommy Doman (SR) from Michigan   Georgia:  CB Julian Humphrey (SO) to Texas A&M ; WR Nitro Tuggle (FR); David Daniel-Sisavanh; WR Michael Jackson III (SR); DL Jamaal Jarrett (SO); EDGE Samuel M’Pemba (SO); LB Troy Bowles (SO); CB Justyn Rhett (RFR); S Jake Pope (RSO); WR Rara Thomas (SR)   Kentucky:  DL Keeshawn Silver (RJR); LS Walker Himebauch (SO); CB Avery Stuart (FR); WR Dane Key (JR); LB Jayvant Brown (SO); EDGE Tommy Ziesmer (FR) to Eastern Kentucky ; TE Khamari Anderson (SO); TE Tanner Lemaster (FR); OT Courtland Ford (SR); WR Barion Brown (JR) to LSU ; WR Anthony Brown-Stephens (SO); OT Ben Cristman (RJR); EDGE Noah Matthews (SO); EDGE Tyreese Fearby (RSO); QB Gavin Wimsatt (RJR); S Jarard Mosely (JR); RB Chip Trayanum (RSR); EDGE Caleb Redd (FR); WR Brandon White (RSO); EDGE Sam Greene (RFR) from Southern California; LB Landyn Watson (RJR) from Marshall; OT Alexander Wollschlaer (SR) to Kentucky; OG Joshua Braun (RSR) from Arkansas   LSU:  WR London Ibieta (SO); QB Rickie Collins (RFR); WR CJ Daniels (RJR); S Kylin Jackson (FR); WR Shelton Sampson JR (FR); LB Xavier Atkins (FR); CB JK Johnson (JR); PK Nathan Dibert (JR); S Jordan Allen (RSO); CB Jalailin Johnson (RJR); TE Ka’Morreun Pimpton (SO); CB Bernard Causey (FR); DL Jay’viar Suggs (RSR); S Sage Ryan (RJR); DE Da’Shawn Womack (SO) to Ole Miss; TE Bauer Sharp (JR) from Oklahoma; CB Ja’Keem Jackson (SO) from Florida; WR Barion Brown (JR) from Kentucky; S Jordan Allen (JR) to Houston; EDGE Jimari Butler (RJR) from Nebraska; QB Michael Van Buren Jr. from Mississippi State; EDGE Jack Pyburn (RSO) from Florida; CB Mansoor Delane (JR) from Virginia Tech;   Mississippi State:  QB Chris Parson (RFR); WR Creed Whittemore (SO) to Utah ; WR JJ Harrell (FR); CB Jayven Williams (SO) from Kennesaw State;  EDGE Ty Cooper (JR) to Tulane ; LB John Lewis (RJR); OT Makylan Pounders (JR) to Louisville ; LB Tabias Hinton (FR); WR Antonio Harmon (JR); LB Marcus Ross (JR); WR Mario Craver (FR); CB Raydarious Jones (SR); CB Khamauri Rogers (SO); CB Brice Pollock (SO) to Texas Tech ; DL Gabe Moore (FR); LB Jarvae Gilmore (RSO); DL Eric Taylor (SR); Christopher Keys (RSR); QB Michael Van Buren Jr. to LSU ; EDGE Redd Hibbler (SR) from North Carolina State; S Jahron Manning (JR) from Old Dominion; CB Kevin Coleman (JR) to Missouri; EDGE Nevaeh Sanders (RJR) from Northern Illinois; WR Brenen Thompson (JR) from Oklahoma; WR Jaron Glover (RSO) from Michigan State; OT Jesse Ramil (JR) from James Madison     Missouri: LB Brayshawn Littlejon (FR); P Will Safris (FR); WR Mekhi Miller (JR); PK Brody Boehm (FR); P Orion Phillips (SO); S Phillip Roche (SO); IOL Jack McGarry (RSO); EDGE Jaylen Brown (FR) to South Carolina; CB Kevin Coleman (JR) from Mississippi State; EDGE Williams Nwaneri (FR) to Nebraska; QB Aidan Glover (FR); RB Kewan Lacy (FR) to Ole Miss ; S Santana Banner (FR) from Northern Illinois; LB Josiah Trotter (RFR) from West Virginia; LB Mikai Gbayor (JR) from Nebraska   Oklahoma:  WR Jaquaize Pettaway (SO); QB Jackson Arnold (SO) to Auburn ; RB Kalib Hicks (FR) to Oklahoma State ; WR Nic Anderson (SO); RB Emeka Megwa (JR); TE Bauer Sharp (JR) to LSU ; CB Makari Vickers (SO); RB Chapman McKown (FR); CB Kani Walker (RJR); OG Geirean Hatchett (SR) to Washington;  CB Jayden Rowe (SO) to Kansas State ; OT Kenny Wermy (RFR); IOL Joshua Bates  (RFR); WR JJ Hester (RSR); WR Jalil Farooq (SR); S Makari Vickers (SO); WR Andrel Anthony (SR); TE Josh Fanuiel (RSO); LB Phil Picciotti (RFR); QB Brendan Zurbrugg (FR); WR Brenen Thompson (JR) to Mississippi State ; S Dasan McCullough (JR); QB John Mateer (RSO) from Washington State; IOL Eugene Brooks (FR)   Ole Miss:  S Key Lawrence (RSR); QB Walker Howard (RSO) to Louisiana;  OT Cam East (RSO); OT Mana Taimani (RSR); OT Jack Mills (SR); LB Rodney Groce Jr. (SR); OT PJ Wilkins (RFR) from Charlotte; EDGE Da’Shawn Womack (SO) from LSU; OG Patrick Kutas (JR) from Arkansas; CB Jaylon Braxton (SO) from Arkansas; TE Luke Haasz (SO) from Arkansas; EDGE Princewill Umanmielen (SO) from Nebraska; RB Kewan Lacy (FR) from Missouri; CB Jaylen Mbakwe (FR) from Alabama   South Carolina:  LB Bangally Kamara (RSR) to Kansas; LB Mohamed Kaba (RSR); WR Tyshawn Russell (SO); TE Connor Cox (SO); TE Nick Elksnis (RJR); WR CJ Adams (RFR); QB Robby Ashford (RJR); DL Jamaal Whyce (RSO); DL Elijah Davis (SR); EDGE Jaylen Brown (FR) from Missouri; IOL Nick Sharpe (RJR) from Wake Forest; WR Debron Gatling (FR) to Georgia Tech   Tennessee:  OG Vysen Lang (FR); RB Khalifa Keith (SO); WR Kaleb Webb (SO) to Wake Forest ; CB Jordan Matthews (RFR); LB Jalen Smith (RFR); WR Chas Nimrod (SO); QB Ryan Damron (FR); WR Nathan Leacock (RFR); TE Luke Shouse (RSR); WR Nate Spillman (RFR)   Texas:  WR Johntay Cook II (SO); DL Jaray Bledsoe (RSO); DL Aaron Bryant (SO); LB Derion Gullette (FR); EDGE Tausill Akana (FR); DL Tiaoalii Savea (SR); CB Jay’vion Cole (JR); P Jack Bouwmeester (RJR) from Utah; Edge Justice Finkley (JR); DL Cole Brevard (RSR) from Purdue; EDGE Brad Spence (SO) from Arkansas; DL Sydir Mitchell (SO)   Texas A&M:  DL Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy (SO); QB Conner Weigman (RSO) to Houston ; WR Cyrus Allen (JR) to Cincinnati ; TE Jaden Platt (FR); QB Jaylen Henderson (JR); OT Aki Ogunbiyi (JR);OT Hunter Erb (SO); CB Kevin Longstreet Jr. (FR); EDGE Malick Sylia (JR); LB Martrell Harris Jr. (JR); WR Micah Tease (SO); OG TJ Shanahan (FR); P Keegan Andrews (JR); LB Chantz Johnson (SO); OG Cam Dewberry (JR); EDGE Josh Celiscar (RSR); QB Jacob Zeno (RSR) from UAB; WR Jake Bostick (RSO); CB Donovan Saunders (JR) to Utah ; EDGE Enai White (JR); WR Jacob Bostick (RSO); DL Samu Taumanupepe (RFR) to Baylor;  CB Julian Humphrey (SO) from Georgia; WR Micah Hudson ( from Texas Tech   Vanderbilt:  LB Jeffrey Ugochukwu (JR); QB Nate Johnson (JR); EDGE BJ Diakate (JR); LB Steve Sannieniola (JR); DL Devin Lee (SR); OT Gunnar Hansen (SR); CB Alan Wright (SR); EDGE Darren Agu (JR); TE Tyler Fortenberry; PK Will Faris (SR); WR Ezra McAllister; CB Alvin Williamson Jr. (FR); EDGE Evan Hermann (SO); EDGE Callahan Blair (FR); LB Keanu Koht (RJR) from Alabama; P Nick Haberer (RJR) from Washington State

The Gator men and women will face North Carolina Tuesday and Wednesday in Charlotte. By Loren Meadows, GatorBaitMedia.com The Gator’s men’s and women’s basketball teams fresh off a weekend that saw both teams notch dominating wins now turn their attention to the Queen City of Charlotte, North Carolina for one of basketball’ most unique events. The Jumpman Invitational features the original four Jordan Brand sponsored schools Florida, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Michigan in a rotating competition where the schools have alternated playing one another since 2022. In the inaugural year of the competition the Gators teams faced Oklahoma, followed by Michigan in 2023.   Tuesday, the Gators will face the de facto hosts of the event, the North Carolina Tar Heels. The North Carolina men is the only team of the eight to have never lost in the event but currently sit outside the Top 25 after four early losses. The Gator men are 10-0 for the first time since the 2005-2006 season in route to the schools’ first national title. The Gators have been led by senior guard Walter Clayton Jr. who has been stellar this season making history from the 3-point line. In Saturday’s dominating win over Arizona State Clayton became just the second Gator along with Anthony Robeson (2005) to make at least five 3-pointers in three straight contests. Clayton also leads the team in assists and is impressively fourth on the team in blocks.   In North Carolina they will face an opponent that is looking to right the ship after tough early losses including a blowout loss at home to Alabama in the SEC/ACC Challenge 79-94. The Jumpman will certainly have a home feel for the Tar Heels and will be a great early season test for the Gators who along with Clayton feature senior guards Will Richard and Alijah Martin who was a member of the Florida Atlantic team the made the Final Four in 2023. In describing his team Florida coach Todd Golden stated, "We have really good players. They've bought into each other, they play hard for each other and there's no selfishness on this team right now.”   The men will take center stage on the events first night with Florida versus North Carolina at 7pm followed by Michigan versus Oklahoma at 9:30pm. The women’s teams will follow Wednesday evening with Florida versus North Carolina at 6:30pm followed by Oklahoma versus Michigan at 9pm. Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. (Chris Spears photo)   The Gator women have also played well the past two weeks as they prepare to head to Charlotte. The Gators are currently on a four game winning streak including a dominating performance on the road at Clemson in the SEC/ACC challenge winning 77-64. The Gators have been led by senior center Ra’Shaya Kyle who has registered four straight double-doubles and seven in the team’s first eleven games. The 6-6 Kyle returned from ACL surgery two months early and has been one the SEC’s best post players. Freshman Liv McGill is one of the top freshman scorers in the country and is currently second on the team behind Kyle.   In North Carolina the Gators will face their fourth ACC foe (Miami, FSU, Clemson) this season and will like the men deal with a pro Tar Heel crowd Wednesday. The North Carolina women had won seven straight until a home loss to Georgia Tech Sunday. The Gators will have to play some of their best basketball to get the win but the play of Kyle gives the Gators someone to hang their hat on. “Shay is extremely athletic, she’s very versatile”, stated Florida coach Kelly Rae Finley after the teams win against Longwood on Sunday.  Florida center Ra'Shaya Kyle (Courtesy of Florida Women’s Basketball) The Jumpman Invitational will treat all the programs to a first class experience the next three days. There are photo shoots, one of a kind apparel, corporate events, the finest dining, and the opportunity to showcase their talents in an NBA arena as well as access to the Charlotte Hornets practice facilities. While it is rumored that this could be the last year for this event the players and coaches are looking forward to all that comes with being involved with the world’s most notable athletic brand. “They do an elite job of making our student-athletes experiences second to none”, stated Finley. “We are looking forward to it”.

(Gator Bait Photo by Chris Spears) It is Monday morning, December 16, 2024. Does today feel any different to you today than say a year ago?   It does to me.   In recent years I haven’t felt this good about being a Gator until January when gymnastics, swimming and the Mouse Holloway Invitational, better known as the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, are in full swing. Then we have February and baseball, softball,  lacrosse, tennis and golf are about to kick off, plus we have Anthony Nesty’s relentless pursuit of national championships in men’s and women’s swimming, plus the Mouse Holloway Spring Invitational, also known as the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.   Well, this year is different. A whole lot different. Football and men’s basketball have given me a case of the warm and fuzzies. It’s been awhile since both football and basketball had it going at the same time.   Take football, for instance. The Gators are 7-5 with their first end of the year 3-game winning streak since 2019, Dan Mullen’s second year on the job. The Gators finished out the season with wins over Vanderbilt, Missouri and Florida State by a combined 119-23 to finish the regular season 10-2. The Gators got a New Year’s Six bowl game. Had there been a 12-team playoff you can bet the farm Florida would have been in, something that could have completely reshaped the Mullen era at UF. Kyle Trask was the UF quarterback and the Gators had one of the best defenses in the country. Yes, Third and Grantham had a couple of good years before things went south on him. The Gators would go on to beat Virginia 36-28 in the Orange Bowl, finishing the season 11-2 and the No. 6 national ranking.   The Gators are also assured of a winning season, their first since the 2020 season, no matter what happens in the Gasparilla Bowl against Tulane. By winning those last three games, the Gators averted a fourth straight non-winning season, something that hasn’t been done since the 1940s when the coach was Raymond Wolf, nickname Bear. Yeah, I know, we got the wrong Bear. Bear Wolf was a great coach at North Carolina, which was 38-17-3 during his six years at the helm. He coached the Georgia Pre-Flight team for the Navy in 1942. Everything about Bear Wolf said that he was going to lead Florida to the Promised Land. We’ve had those expectations about coaches before, haven’t we? He coached the Gators to consecutive losing seasons before going 5-5 in 1948. He went 4-6-1 in 1949 although he did beat Georgia. He was canned and Bob Neyland protege Bob Woodruff was hired from Baylor. Woodruff once coined the oft-repeated phrase, “Remember, the team that makes the fewest mistakes makes the fewest mistakes.”   And here we were thinking ...   If the Gators beat Tulane Friday, they will finish with a 4-game win streak and eight wins. The Gators finished 2019 with a 4-game win streak. The last Florida team to win eight games was the 2020 edition, which was 8-1 when it went in the tank, losing to LSU in the “Shoegate” game, to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game, and to Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl. So many what ifs from the end of that season. What if Marco Wilson doesn’t heave the shoe in the fourth quarter? What if the Gators don’t set an SEC Championship Game record for self-inflicted wounds and beat Alabama? What if so many key players don’t opt out of the bowl game? A lot of what ifs that tell us Dan Mullen is probably still Florida’s football coach, that’s what if.   If the Gators beat Tulane to finish 8-5, it’s almost a given they will be ranked top 10 or 15 to start the 2025 season. Expectations will be higher than they’ve been in a long time. Billy Napier will be viewed as a coach whose plan to win is succeeding and DJ Lagway will be on everybody’s Heisman Trophy short list.   And that’s just football.   Sometime around midday, Todd Golden’s Florida basketball team will be ranked somewhere around sixth or seventh in the Associated Press poll. The Gators are 10-0 and playing like a team that has everything necessary to do some serious dancing in March.   At 10-0, the Gators are off to the second best start in Florida basketball history. If they beat North Carolina tomorrow night in the Jumpman Invitational in Charlotte, the Gators can lay claim to a win over one of college basketball’s bluest of blue blood programs. The coach isn’t Frank Maguire, Dean Smith or Roy Williams, but it doesn’t matter. It’s Carolina, winner of six NCAA championships and 21 times in the Final Four. It’s Michael Jordan’s school. Sure, the Tar Heels are off to an horrendous (for them) 6-4 start which has the faithful in the early stages of apoplexy, but once their heartbeat slows back to normal, they will tell you Carolina doesn’t rebuild, it simply reloads. So this is a reload year, but even so it is Carolina. Beat the Tar Heels and even if they’re having a bad year, you have a signature win.   A year ago the Gators were a good team that went on to surprise us by making it to the championship game of the SEC Tournament. A year ago, we like to think that if Micah Handlogten hadn’t suffered a broken leg against Auburn in the SEC title game that the Gators might have at least made the Sweet Sixteen or maybe even the Elite Eight. One year later, the Gators are visibly better than the team of a year ago. They have more offensive options but then again, any Todd Golden team is going to score a lot of points. This one has what Todd calls “spurtability,” which is to say they go on these mind boggling, sub-sonic runs in which they leave teams gasping for air and suddenly trailing by 20 points.   This Florida team plays defense. They were allergic to defense a year ago. This one has held seven of 10 opponents to 69 or fewer points. They smother opponents. Kill them on the boards. Keep the pressure on by keeping fresh legs in the game. Hands in the passing lanes. Rejections at the rim. Transition from defense to offense in a blur that results in points at the other end.   Walter Clayton Jr. scores with such ease that you get the impression one of these games he’s going to really heat up and drop 40 on someone. Fifty? Yeah, when he goes into a shooter’s coma that’s possible.   Alijah Martin looks like he should be playing strong safety in the NFL. He is the glue guy that came in from the portal. He plays lock down defense, fearlessly drives the lane, knocks down threes, rebounds like a small forward even though he’s 6-2 and he’s almost too unselfish.     Speaking of a shooter’s coma, Will Richard has those games but he can also take your breath away with one of his thunder dunks on a breakaway. He has figured out he doesn’t have to have a big game scoring to impact winning.   The other five guys in the regular rotation -- Alex Condon, Rueben Chinyelu, Tommy Haugh, Sam Alexis and Denzel Aberdeen -- fully understand that some nights they’ll carry the load, other nights they’ll simply be contributors.   The Gators are good. Very good. Maybe even Final Four good. Talk to the NBA scouts who are flocking to Florida games and they’ll tell you it’s possible. Talk to some of the better zebras who will give you an honest opinion as long as it’s off the record and they’ll tell you Florida is a team capable of beating anyone on the schedule and once into March, capable of beating anyone in the country. Beat the Tar Heels tomorrow and then finish 2024 with cupcakes North Florida and Stetson. A 13-0 start? Mick Hubert would say “oh my” to that.   Good football that could finish 8-5. A good future with a potential Heisman Trophy winner. A foundation being built with a football culture that doesn’t require regulars in a police lineup to succeed.   Basketball played the way the Gators played when we called it Billy Ball. The Gators score, play defense, rebound and share the basketball. They win and so far every game has been decided by at least 13 points.   It’s not even January and optimism is contagiously taking over the Gator Nation. There is reason to smile and be hopeful and the sports in which the Gators always contend for national championships haven’t even begun.   It’s been a long time since it felt this good to be a Gator in December.