Well, the post Billy Napier up-and-down cycle fortunately continued to the end of the season.  Florida bounced back from it’s putrid performance the previous week against Tennessee and routed Florida State 40-21 Saturday.  It had to be cathartic for all of Gator Nation – for at least 1 week – to take out all the frustration and disappointment from a miserable 2025 season on the Seminoles, with the added bonus of denying them a bowl game.

The Gator offense kept it fairly simple, and fortunately executed the game plan to near perfection.  It was – finally – the Jaden Baugh show, as he ripped through FSU’s defense for 266 yards and 2 TDs on 38 carries.  The monster game made Baugh the 10th Gator RB with over 1,000 yards in a season, and the 3rd underclassmen to do so.  It was what everyone had been begging for all season, and finally the staff let it happen.  Despite the Seminole defense recognizing early on that Baugh was going to be heavily featured, they were powerless to stop him, and were beaten down by both Baugh and the O-line.  Watching it unfold live was especially satisfying, as the FSU defenders visibly wore down and eventually gave up trying to tackle Baugh head on as the game progressed.  DJ Lagway was efficient with 15 completions for 168 yards and 3 TDs.  Two of the TD throws were set up by play fakes to Baugh, allowing TEs Tony Livingston and Hayden Hansen easy receptions for scores.  WRs J Michael Sturdivant and Aiden Mizell contributed with some clutch drive-extending receptions.  It was a complete performance from start to finish and the most fun the players and fans had experienced since the upset win over Texas in October.

Florida’s defense played a solid game, despite having to once again overcome a myriad of injuries both coming into and occurring during the game.  FSU QB Tommy Castellanos hurt the Gators a handful of times with his legs on designed QB draws, which was disappointing to see after the defense had 11 games of tape to study and know it was coming.  He also was bailed out a few times with some ridiculous catches by his WRs, or else the final result would have been even uglier for the Noles.  The secondary did an excellent job on WR Duce Robinson, limiting him to only 3 receptions.  It was again all hands on deck, as senior safety Alfonso Allen, freshmen safety Lagonza Hayward, and freshman CB Ja’Vari Flowers filled in admirably.  Flowers played most of the game with a wrap on his right forearm which hindered his tackling ability, but he toughed it out in extended action.  The front seven played well, getting pressure on Castellanos and repeatedly winning at the line of scrimmage to disrupt the other FSU ball carriers.  DT Caleb Banks looked much better than the previous week, his first after missing most of the season due to foot surgery.  His leadership was apparent, as the DL and LBs played with aggressiveness and energy all game.  True freshman Edge Jayden Woods was a beast, harassing Castellanos all game while racking up a sack and other tackles for loss.  LBs Myles Graham and Aaron Chiles played sideline-to-sideline, repeatedly coming up with big plays.  The defense overall allowed only one true extended drive – and made two critical 4th-down stops to give the offense short fields that led to touchdowns and kept the Gators in the lead the entire way.

Now comes the offseason, with Florida welcoming it’s 5th head coach in the 15 years after the departure of Urban Meyer.  Jon Sumrall comes in from Tulane, after building that program into a Top 25 team the past 2 seasons.  He comes from the same conference and with an eerily similar record as Napier, but the hope is that he actually understands the importance of professional and accomplished coordinators and assistants.  He actually seems to have a pulse and shows some fire on the sidelines, a complete departure from the buzzkill that was Rural Meyer.  He has a huge task ahead of him – building out the roster, trying to keep the handful of key players, and starting to rebuild the Florida brand.  I wish him the best, but Gator Nation needs to be patient, as Napier, AD Scott Stricklin, and the UAA have essentially torn the program down to where it was before Charley Pell took over in 1979 – it’s that bad.  I hope that the money saved from aborting the Lane Kiffin pursuit will be used on filling out a legit SEC-quality coaching staff, and that the same additional funds promised to Kiffin for talent acquisition are given to Sumrall and his staff. 

All the best to Coach Sumrall, and here’s hoping for better days ahead for the program.  It’s time to flush away the entire Napier Error, and look ahead to the challenges of 2026 and beyond.

Go Gators!

Welcome to the ‘Massive Disappointment Bowl’, between 2 teams that had aspirations for big seasons and instead have had them turned into busts.  The only juice is that this is a rivalry game, but you wonder if either team’s players will show up with any real interest.  F$U actually can still make it to a bowl game with 6 wins, so they actually have more motivation than Florida, which has looked like it’s playing out the string and wanting to get the season over with.

The Seminole offense looks essentially like their 2023 version, albeit with lesser talent.  QB Thomas Castellanos plays the role of Jordan Travis – dangerous runner, poor passer, and WR Duce Robinson the role of Johnny Wilson – oversized WR that tries to physically overpower DBs and is good at jump balls.  Castellanos is their leading ball carrier in OC Gus Malzahn’s weird rushing scheme, and they spread the balance of the carries among a plethora of RBs.  They have piled up some decent numbers against their usual weak ACC schedule, but if they are physically challenged or fall behind, tend to make mistakes and fold under pressure.  The plan for the Gator defense is simple – contain Castellanos in the pocket, employ a spy to limit his running when the protection breaks down, and use bracket coverage on Robinson to force other players to step up.  F$U’s O-line has had it’s struggles, and Florida should be able to get penetration into the backfield and disrupt plays – if the players are motivated.  If DT Michael Boireau can play, the rotation of him, Jamari Lyons, and Caleb Banks could be disruptive.  The Gator secondary has been riddled with injuries, and DC Ron Roberts needs to actually earn his salary in his last game and give these guys their best chance of winning with an aggressive scheme.

I know what I want to see from Florida’s offense, but I also know what they are (and aren’t) capable of, especially with the terrible playcalling and game-planning by the offensive staff.  RB Jaden Baugh is the one consistent threat on offense, and even if F$U’s defense keys on him, must see 25+ touches running and receiving.  The WR corps has to contribute beyond just Vernell Brown, and the O-line needs to show some pride and play better – and smarter – than it has most of the season.  Since the Gators seem incapable of generating many explosive plays, it will have to be a grind combined with being opportunistic.  Sadly, there have been precious few examples of that this season.  Florida State’s defense has been erratic most of the season, but does have some excellent talent.  Safety Earl Little is by far their leading tackler, and also has 4 interceptions.  LB Blake Nichelson is disruptive, and DE Mandrell Desir has racked up 6 sacks.  Their defensive statistics overall look impressive, but they have been exploited by better teams.  It all comes down to the limitations of Florida’s offensive talent and whether the Florida staff goes out with one final professional effort to maximize what the players can execute.

It’s hard to believe that the combined wins coming into this year’s game is less than last year, when F$U finished 2-10.  But the Gator program took it’s turn cratering in 2025, and this matchup resembles the early 1970s based on where each program is.  Sadly, there is more interest from Gator Nation in the coaching search than the results on the field.  But at least Florida is not stuck with a head coach it doesn’t want like F$U is with Mike Norvell, with the albatross of a $50M+ buyout making him essentially unfireable for another season or two.  That narrative will kill them in recruiting and through the portal.

Gator Nation has admirably supported the team by continually filling the Swamp during this disastrous season, and I hope they do so on more time to try and rally the team.  The Gator players deserve so much better than what the coaches, AD, and UAA have done to them since 2022, and I understand why many have mentally started to check out.  Florida can easily stay with the Seminoles and win this game, but only if the players are engaged for 60 minutes and play for themselves and their teammates.  Hopefully they can overcome their own coaching staff to win the game.  The Gator players have one last chance to put something positive on film for their next head coach and/or team, while spoiling FSU’s bowl opportunity.  Hoping for the best, expecting the worst, and I have no idea what’s going to happen.

Prediction:

Florida St. 27

Florida 24

Well, if anyone wanted evidence as to how badly Billy Napier has damaged the program, they got it Saturday night.  The Gators looked just as poorly coached as usual, as they essentially laid down in embarrassing fashion in a 31-11 loss at home.  It was 31-0 at halftime, the defense was easily pushed around as it played passively (again), and the offense was inefficient and ineffective (again).  Things got so bad that the television announcers sounded sorry for the program and it’s fans, wondering what has happened to the program.  Welcome to the Napier Error and it’s aftermath.

The Gator defense looked disinterested while playing a soft scheme, and appeared it was simply hoping for Tennessee to make mistakes instead of dictating the action.  The D-line was gashed by the running game, and the pass coverage looked lost and confused by simple crossing routes.  The return of DT Caleb Banks had zero impact, as he looked out of shape and far from game-ready.  DC Ron Roberts refused to load the box to stop the run, even after the Volunteers scored easily on their first 2 drives.  When Tennessee threw, they ran simple crossing routes time and again, and the LBs and safeties were incapable of covering them.  It was as basic a game plan you could get, and yet Florida had no answers.  There was no fire exhibited by the defense, and most of the players looked like they were just going through the motions.  Another lost season has obviously affected them mentally.  To add insult to injury, CB Cormani McClain suffered what looked like a nasty knee injury.

Florida’s offense was just as brutal.  After falling behind 7-0 on Tennessee’s opening drive, the offense actually made a big play on a nice catch and run by Jaden Baugh into Volunteer territory to get the players and crowd back into the game.  However……another penalty on the O-line called the play back, and it seemed to deflate the offense the rest of the half.  That just shows how fragile and soft the mentality of the team is right now, and another indictment of the poor culture and losing environment this coaching staff has subjected them to.  The playcalling was uninspiring as usual, as was the execution.  Baugh was a one-man gang, willing himself for extra yards on running plays, and scoring the only TD on a 4th quarter reception.  DJ Lagway was allowed to play the entire game for some reason, with no live reps (again) for any backups in case they are needed next week.  The lack of competence and professionalism from the offensive staff is mind-boggling, and they can’t be gone soon enough.

That’s 3 out of the last 4 matchups for Tennessee, and their first win in the Swamp since 2003.  The Billy Napier legacy continues to grow.  I wish I could conduct a deeper dive into what I hoped would be a competitive game, but that’s simply not the case.  It’s been a roller-coaster of efforts since Napier was fired – Georgia (good), Kentucky (terrible), Mississippi (good), Tennessee (bad).  I can only hope the pattern continues for the last game and that the Gators show some heart and play with pride.

The long, slow, painful slog to the finish continues for the Gators, as Tennessee comes to the Swamp looking to finish strong after a somewhat disappointing season to date.  The Volunteers come into this game at 7-3, including close home losses to Georgia and Oklahoma where turnovers played a large part in those defeats.  They still have faint hope to sneak into the Playoff or a significant bowl game, and will be motivated for this game.

Tennessee’s offense is 2nd in the nation in scoring at 43 points per game, and is averaging just under 500 yards per game.  They play at the same fast pace as Mississippi does, so at least the Gator defense will be prepared for it.  QB Joey Aguilar leads the SEC in total yards and TD passes, and has 2 excellent WR targets in Braylon Staley and Chris Brazzel.  Brazzel leads the SEC in reception yards and TD catches, so the entire Florida secondary will be tested all night.  RBs Desean Bishop and Star Thomas average over 5 yards per carry, and take advantage of how head coach Josh Heupel’s scheme spreads the field.  This is likely the best offense the Gators will face in 2025, and it will take a massive effort to keep the score close enough for the offense to have a chance.  There’s a chance that DT Caleb Banks will be active for this game, with his only action this season coming in the 1st half at LSU.  If he does play, his presence alone would provide a huge boost to Florida’s chances, even if he gets only limited snaps.  He’ll be needed, as Michael Boireau will be out.

The Florida offense will again be forced to try and keep pace with an opponent’s high-powered attack, and that hasn’t worked out very well since the start of 2022.  DJ Lagway has to build upon his first half performance at Mississippi last week, and the playcalling must stay aggressive for 4 quarters – something not seen in a long time.  Jaden Baugh again will be the player that the defense must control first, and the Vols certainly will try.  If Tennessee crowds the LOS, their secondary must be exploited.  They are allowing 260 yards and close to 2 TD passes per game, and have struggled all season.  I just wish I had more confidence in both the players and the playcalling so that Florida can take advantage of that.  There’s hope that WR Vernell Brown III can return this week, and he’s desperately needed.  TJ Abrams and J Michael Sturdivant had their moments last week, but they need help.  The Gator O-line will face another good pass-rushing team, with the Vols averaging over 3 sacks per game.  It may be too late now to try some different lineups, but the OL somehow have to hold up for the entire game, something they haven’t done against quality opponents.

Florida has dominated this rivalry for the past 35 years, and especially at home.  Maybe that, along with a boisterous nighttime crowd in the Swamp, can provide some extra push to pull off an upset.  The Gators will have to play a clean game and win the turnover battle to have a chance, but that hasn’t been the case for 2025, and I’m afraid the current in-season losing streak extends to 4 games.

Prediction: 

Tennessee 35

Florida 27

Florida gave a spirited effort in Oxford Saturday night, taking Mississippi deep into the 4th quarter before falling 34-24.  Credit to the defense for bouncing back (somewhat) after it’s dreadful effort the previous week at Kentucky, and the offense actually looked good for one half before tanking.  With all of the hysteria around the Kiffin Bowl, the players stayed focused and played hard for the entire game……just not always well.

The Gator offense shocked everyone – including their own fans – by moving the ball well the entire first half.  The Rebels were loading up the box to stop Jaden Baugh at all costs, so DJ Lagway started taking shots downfield to TJ Abrams and J Michael Sturdivant, and actually made some accurate throws to set up touchdowns and loosen up the defense.  The running game was able to get going in the second quarter, and Florida was able to keep up with the powerful Ole Miss offense, giving the Gators a 24-20 halftime lead.  This was Lagway’s best half of football since last year’s Ole Miss game.  The playcalling was aggressive and kept the Rebel defense off balance..

However……the second half was mostly a dud.  Once again, the ghost of Billy Napier seemed to affect the playcalling, as it became painfully conservative and allowed the Rebels to dictate the action.  The Gator defense was hung out to dry, and Mississippi moved the ball at will.  The only thing that kept Florida in the game was a goal line stand and some key 4th down stops, and Lane Kiffin ignored taking easy FGs and almost cost his team the game and a Playoff spot……again.  DT Michael Boireau, LB Myles Graham, and DB Devon Moore all came up with big plays to thwart scoring drives until finally capitulating early in the 4th quarter.  After falling behind 27-24, the Gators put together their only drive of the second half, mixing the run and pass well to move inside the 30-yard line.  Then came the play of the game – Lagway rolled left on 3rd down, and made another of his trademark off-balance throws behind his receiver, resulting in a tipped pass and interception, killing the drive and momentum.  The Rebels immediately drove the length of the field, but again threw Florida a lifeline with an ill-advised 4th down double-pass attempt near the goal line that never had a chance.  The Gators still had almost 3 minutes and all of their timeouts, but couldn’t even muster one first down.  Ole Miss then got a window-dressing TD from close range to end the game.  That last Florida possession was a microcosm of the entire Napier Error regarding never developing a 4- or 2-minute offense that could have success when having to play under a time crunch.

I suppose you could take some positives from the game, including the effort and brief signs of life from the offense.  But the defense gave up over 500 yards, the offensive staff for no good reason went into a shell, and the final result was another road loss.  This is what bad teams and losing programs do, and right now that’s what Florida is.  There’s no let up in the schedule, with Tennessee coming to the Swamp and looking to pile on to the Gators’ misery.  It will be a tall order to win next week with all of the injuries piling up along with the losses.

Florida travels to Oxford for another Saturday night, prime-time beatdown, this time at the hands of a Rebel team that can’t wait to exact revenge for last year’s loss which ended their Playoff run.  On top of that, there’s the even bigger story of the Lane Kiffin sweepstakes, with Florida and a few other schools actively courting him in-season to be their new head coach.  

The Gator defense will have to play for pride and each other – hopefully – in order to avoid another blowout loss.  They were embarrassed at Kentucky last week and looked like they just gave up.  That’s a terrible look, but not completely surprising given their watching the offense struggle so often.  If Florida is going to have any chance in this game, the D-line has to be the start of it.  Mississippi has done a great job of seamlessly moving from Austin Simmons to Trinidad Chambliss after Simmons was injured over a month ago.  Chambliss seamlessly fit in and has been a revelation, both passing and running.  He is the second-leading ball carrier behind RB Kewan Lacy, one of the best in the SEC who is closing in on 1,000 yards rushing.  Ole Miss is also loaded with skill players, led by WRs Harrison Wallace and Deuce Alexander and TE Dae’Quan Wright, who is averaging 18 yards per catch.  The Rebel offense will test every area of the field, and it looks like it’s a long night ahead for the Gator defense.  I just don’t see the defense having enough impact players to even slow the Rebel attack, and their mental state can’t be good at this point.

Florida will apparently be led by DJ Lagway at QB, but I can see an early hook if he struggles out of the gate.  Mississippi’s defense has had it’s own problems, giving up a lot of points against better opposition, and wasting a great performance by their offense in their lone loss – allowing 43 points at Georgia and blowing a double-digit lead in the second half.  They are susceptible to the run game, but with the Gator passing game such a mess and missing so many WRs now, I doubt Florida can exploit it.  The big question is whether the Gators can actually put together a game plan that challenges the Rebels, let alone execute it behind an O-line that’s become a sieve the past month.  Mississippi is led by LBs T.J. Dudley, Suntarine Perkins, and Princewill Umanmielen – a name that’s familiar to Gator fans as the brother of Princely.  All 3 are excellent pass rushers, and whoever the Gator QB is will have to get the ball out of his hands quickly and decisively.

I will be shocked if this game is close into the second half, or if the Gators can stay within 3 touchdowns.  Things are that bad now, and Kiffin will relish piling on for style points with the Playoff selection committee, as well as showing Scott Stinklin what he missed out on after sticking with Billy Napier in 2024.  I hope to be wrong and have a positive review to share with you next week, but don’t count on it.  The pain continues.

Prediction:

Mississippi 45

Florida 10

Wow.

That’s most of the in-depth analysis you’ll get from me on this game.  In a shocking reversal from the previous week’s down-to-the-wire game against Georgia, the Gators mailed in a pathetic effort in an embarrassing 38-7 loss to the Wildcats.  The fear I shared in the Georgia review was realized, as it appears the team emptied the tank physically and emotionally, and there may be nothing left.  This is the 3rd straight loss at Kentucky, and could be a harbinger of a disastrous finish to this season.

Florida’s offense was inept and overwhelmed all night.  The offensive line was truly offensive, getting bullied and rarely giving Jaden Baugh or DJ Lagway any opportunities to make plays.  But I’m not sure it mattered with Lagway, as he delivered another putrid performance that included 3 turnovers and only one decent drive until he was finally – and rightfully – pulled in the second half.  It was left to Tramell Jones to unfairly take his own lumps most of the second half, and he fared no better.  There was no cohesiveness between the QBs and the skill players, and the playcalling was all-too-reminiscent of what Billy Napier continually rolled out.  It all led to only one score – a short field resulting from a Kentucky turnover to tie the game early at 7-7.  No other real threat was generated.

It took all the way until the ninth game, but the Florida defense finally caved in.  The players looked uninterested and eventually lost their competitive desire, getting pushed around the last 3 quarters of the game.  The D-line was beaten down from start to finish, and the LBs and secondary didn’t fare much better.  The scheme looked strangely soft and passive as well, and it makes you wonder if DC Ron Roberts is mentally checking out as well.  Kentucky’s offense has stunk for most of the season, and to watch it run over the Gators was sad and aggravating to watch.  I wish there was something positive to hold onto, but that defensive performance looked scarily similar to all of 2023 and most of 2024.  This could easily be another sign of the locker room starting to fracture, as the defenders have to be tired of watching the offense do little or nothing time and again.

It’s only going to get harder the last 3 games of 2025, with Mississippi, Tennessee, and Florida St. ready to pick at the carcass of the Florida football program.  After everything these players have had to endure – freshmen all the way to seniors – we can only hope they haven’t just quit on themselves and each other……but it may be the case.

Wow.

Florida heads to the Bluegrass State to take on Kentucky Saturday night, in a game that has no interest or juice outside of two disappointed fan bases.  Both teams have struggled on offense, and have defenses that have carried their respective team for much of the season but are now starting to crack under the constant pressure to keep the game within reach.  I can’t wait!

The Gator offense showed some life last week against Georgia, but ultimately scored only 20 points due to erratic QB play and an underperforming O-line.  And now things are even worse, with injuries sidelining WRs Dallas Wilson and Tre Wilson.  Vernell Brown III is a game time decision, and even if he plays he won’t be 100% healthy.  This likely means the Wildcat defense can load up to stop the run, and it could be another long night for Jaden Baugh to try and keep the chains moving and give DJ Lagway and the remaining receivers a chance at victory.  I expect Kentucky to blitz early and often to exploit the shaky play of Lagway and the O-line – it could be a real struggle for them.  Unless Brown, J Michael Sturdivant, or Aidan Mizell somehow can make a few big plays, this could get ugly, and against a bad Kentucky team that Florida normally should defeat handily.  It may be time to give some snaps to true freshman Naeshaun Montgomery, who impressed in fall practice.  The coaching staff needs to give Lagway some quick throws to beat the pressure and generate a few scoring drives.  Kentucky’s leading tacklers are LB Alex Afari Jr. and DBs Ty Bryant and Jordan Lovett, which indicates that perhaps Florida can generate a running game against a Wildcat D-line that has not impressed this season.

The Gator defense should have a marked advantage over a Kentucky offense that has been bad against SEC competition.  The QB play between starter Cutter Boley and Zack Calzada has been inefficient and lacking in explosive plays.  Calzada may have to start due to injuries to Boley, and if he does play the Florida front seven will need to apply pressure and force him into mistakes.  The Wildcats, as usual, depend on their running game, led by RBs Seth McGowan and Dante Dowdell.  Neither is a particular threat to break a long run, but both are tough inside runners that can break tackles.  UK’s passing game has struggled all season, and Florida’s secondary needs to make sure that continues to give the offense enough chances to score points.

Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops will do his usual in these circumstances – ugly up the game, try to control the clock and win time of possession, and hope the opponent implodes with turnovers.  What’s scary is that it could actually work – again – against a Gator offense lacking in confidence and playmakers right now.  I’m hopeful that somehow the coaching staff can squeeze enough out of the guys that can play and get out of Lexington with a close win.  If the defense can generate some turnovers of it’s own, the job will be much easier, but something tells me that this will be another game decided in the 4th quarter.  The fear is that the team may have little left in the tank mentally or physically after taking Georgia to the limit last week, and that the carryover effect may be a detrimental one.  It’s hard to believe Florida has lost it’s last 2 trips to Lexington, and could lose again.

Prediction:

Florida 20

Kentucky 17

Florida gave Georgia all they wanted and more on Saturday.  However, like so many other times since 2022, the Gators faded in the 4th quarter due to some questionable play calls, sketchy QB play, and a defense that cracked at the worst time.

As I hoped, the offense came out with some added juice without the anchor that was Rural Meyer holding them down.  DJ Lagway was accurate early, and Tre Wilson came straight off of a milk carton to make some impact plays, including a 42 yard TD reception after a Lagway scramble to tie the game at 7.  It was a nice response to Georgia’s opening TD drive, and provided a peek at how close this game would turn out to be.  Florida had another nice drive on it’s next possession to take a 10-7 lead before the 1st quarter ended, with a clutch 54-yard FG bomb from Trey Smack.  Then, both offenses were pretty much shut down until the Bulldogs scored just before halftime, set up by a short punt.  By then the Gators had less than 30 yards rushing, and they had to make some adjustments during the break.  After Georgia scored on their first possession of the 3rd quarter to take a 17-10 lead, you could feel the momentum swing their way, and the Gators needed to respond.  And eventually they did, tying the game at 17 midway through the quarter with a more balanced drive that saw the running game start to have an impact.  After getting the ball back following a bad Bulldog punt, Florida took the lead 20-17.  And here’s where the game was decided.  After the Gator defense got the ball back, Florida executed one of it’s best drives of the season, a methodical mix of quick passes and tough runs to drive inside the UGA 30-yard line with just under 7 minutes to play.  And then……the wheels fell off.  After Lagway was stopped just short on 3rd down and 3, interim coach Billy Gonzales seemed to suddenly become possessed by the ghost of Billy Napier.  I was fine giving the ball to your best player – Jaden Baugh – on 4th down, but I absolutely hated the bunch formation, which made it too easy for the Bulldogs to stuff him on the carry.  And just like that, everything changed.  Georgia drove right down the field for the go-ahead TD.  Florida tried to respond, but Lagway grossly underthrew J Michael Sturdivant on a broken play, wiping out a potential long pass completion down to the Bulldog 25-yard line.  That was followed by a missed read on a 4th down pass, and the game was essentially over.  Georgia ran out the clock and Florida never touched the ball again.

The Gator defense played well in spurts throughout the game, but never could make the key stop to secure the win.  Allowing an opening TD drive was disappointing, as QB Gunnar Stockton passed at will for an easy score.  The defense responded well after that, stopping the Bulldogs most of the rest of the half, until……giving up the go-ahead TD right before the half.  After letting the Bulldogs stretch their lead to 7 on the first possession of the second half, the defense again stiffened until the failed Gator 4th-down run, and after that simply could not get off the field.  Too many 3rd-down conversions allowed – collapsing at precisely the worst time.  There were some heroic efforts from a handful of the linemen and LBs, and even the Edge rushers finally showed up for a few sacks and key stops.  But there’s just enough lack of experience and elite talent to get close, but not quite to, the finish line against good competition.

It was a solid effort, and with a few better coaching decisions and more consistent execution from Lagway, the upset was there for the taking.  Instead, it became a trick instead of a treat the day after Halloween, and the Florida football program remains haunted after another failed coaching tenure.  Lagway’s play has been far short of the hype and NIL payments he has received, and the criticism is growing louder……much of it warranted.  Despite the documented injuries, his judgement and reading of coverages has been poor throughout 2025, and it has directly cost Florida wins over USF, LSU, and now Georgia.  Will we see Gonzales go to the bullpen to perhaps find a spark with another QB, or even light a fire under Lagway?  It’s doubtful, but it should have happened already earlier in the season.  We’ll see how well the staff can rally the team to play a good game at Kentucky.  My fear, though, is that the players may be on the verge of losing focus and intensity, and the rest of the season turns even uglier.

Well, this edition of The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party got a shot of juice of a different kind with the unceremonious firing of Rural Meyer.  Gator Nation’s 45-game nightmare is over, and the process of starting to move forward can begin.

There’s a lot of optimism about the potential of seeing an offense based in the 21st century again.  WR coach Billy Gonzales is the interim head coach, and stated in his initial press conference that the offensive attack should look more wide-open and aggressive, and utilize DJ Lagways’s strengths more often.  That sounds good in theory, but unless the O-line plays a LOT better, no offense is going to look good.  If the plan is to spread the field with additional WRs, you’d better make sure that Lagway gets the ball out of his hand quickly and decisively, or he’ll get eaten alive.  He’s already playing on one leg, and not having a mobile QB against the UGA defense is putting yourself at a disadvantage.  Jaden Baugh and the running game still have to be the engine behind any game plan, and he’ll need to have a big game to give the Gators a chance.  I’m sure WRs Dallas Wilson and VB3 are excited to show out – I just hope they’re given the opportunity.  The other change I hope to see is a big change in the down-and-distance tendencies.  It became a running joke among the fan base that they could call the plays themselves based on the situation and formation……and that was true far too often.  Thus the repeated instances of Napier getting stuffed into a locker by opposing defensive coordinators who actually could tell what was coming pre-snap, and openly talked about it afterwards.  It’s far past time to change that narrative.  Interestingly, Georgia’s defense is led this season more by it’s LBs and secondary than it’s D-line.  LBs CJ Allen and Raylen Wilson are by far their leading tacklers, and CB KJ Bolden is one of the better players in the SEC.  The hope is that Florida’s O-line and TEs can actually open some holes for the run game, and that the Bulldogs’ weaker-than-usual pass rush can be handled just enough to allow Lagway enough time to actually make plays.

Florida’s defense has held together in the front seven despite injuries to the DT rotation and being forced into playing young, inexperienced guys.  LB Myles Graham has been terrific all season, and his leadership has held the front together so far.  Unfortunately……he can’t help the secondary.  The Gators were forced into playing 4 true freshmen and a senior scout team player against Mississippi St., and no one knows who will be available going forward.  Georgia’s offense has not been as run-dominant this year as in previous seasons, as they have been more balanced and relied more on the passing game led by QB Gunnar Stockton.  Surprisingly, he has shown some development as a passer, and is a consistent threat when scrambling or on a designed run.  The Bulldogs split carries evenly among two solid RBs in Nate Frazier and Chauncey Bowens.  Neither is particularly explosive, but run hard and gain yards after contact.  Zachariah Branch and Colbie Young lead a WR corps that are more of a ball-control group than producing big plays.  Florida will have to employ a spy on Stockton occasionally, and they have to find a way to get more pressure from their pass rush.  Based on the season to date, I feel the Gator front seven should be able to control the running game, but have the added pressure of getting pressure on the QB to help out the depleted secondary.  I don’t know if a coaching change will have any positive effect on the disappointing play from the Edge rushers, but it would be a revelation at this point if they finally decided to show up this week.  

At least there’s a spark of interest and excitement again.  But as much as I’d like it, I don’t see Florida winning.  Unless the Gator O-line and injured secondary far exceed their performance to date, the Bulldogs have too much talent and depth.  Perhaps the coaching change is worth an extra TD to the offense, but that won’t be enough.  Georgia will have to help the Gators by giving up some turnovers and playing less than their best.  Additionally, even with Florida struggling – again – Kirby Smart feels the same way about the Gators that Steve Spurrier did about the Bulldogs.  I can’t see him allowing his team to sleepwalk through this one.

Prediction:

Georgia 34

Florida 17