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  • Staff Picks: Gators vs Arkansas

    Staff Picks: Gators vs Arkansas

    Photo by James Gilbert | Getty Images

    Saturday represents the first ever “black out” in the Swamp as Florida takes on Arkansas at noon.

    The following are our staff’s predictions for Florida vs Arkansas:

    Carson Euverard – Billy Napier announced the Gators will be without their leading-tackler Shemar James for the rest of the season, leaving Scooby Williams to anchor the linebackers. Arkansas’ offense is ranked 120th nationally, so the defense should be able to control the tempo of the game with James’ absence. The Gators only have four turnovers this year and will have to start forcing more turnovers to get the offense into a rhythm. Austin Armstrong will need to dial-up pressure on KJ Jefferson and force him to make mistakes.

    The Gators offense will look to bounce-back after facing a sound Georgia defense. Expect to see Eugene Wilson III to get the ball more after a stellar first drive against the Bulldogs. The Gators will have their way on defense and take this one, 27-17.

    Hugh Green – Coming off a lackluster performance last week against Georgia, the Gators will try to bounce back against a much lesser opponent in Arkansas. Florida will be without linebacker Shemar James for the rest of the year after injuring his knee against the Bulldogs. James leads the team in tackles, so filling his shoes will be a tough task.

    This week offers what should be a friendlier matchup than last week as the Gators are back in the Swamp against the Razorbacks. Arkansas has lost their last six games after winning the opening two. The Razorback defense has been keeping them in games as they have lost their last three by a combined 14 points. However, the Arkansas offense has not been up to par. This was shown last week as they scored just three points in a 7-3 loss to Mississippi State.

    The Florida defense should be able to handle the Arkansas offense that has struggled so mightily in recent weeks. On the offensive side, the Gators will need to get back to how they played against Vanderbilt and South Carolina, when they scored 38 and 41, respectively. Graham Mertz will be a big part of that as he looks to lead his team to victory. Florida, 31-14.

    Regan Roberts – Arkansas is 0-5 in SEC play this season and is coming off of their bye week. Their last game against Mississippi State they only put up 3 points in a 7-3 loss. The Razorbacks schedule does not reflect their strength of schedule. They lost 34-31 to No. 13 LSU, 27-20 against No. 11 Ole Miss, and 24-21 to No. 8 Alabama. The Razorbacks held their own in those games and posed a real threat to those teams.

    The Gators are coming off of a rough week against the Bulldogs in Jacksonville. Mertz had a decent offensive showing with 230 passing yards and 2 touchdowns in an otherwise blank Gators offense. The Razorbacks will be more of a test to the Gators than people would expect from their be record and they will be hungry for an SEC win. If the Gators can get their offense to produce, they should be able to handle Arkansas, but it will be a closer game than most will expect. Florida, 21-14.

    Brian Fox – If you think Florida has had a rough year, the fans in Fayetteville aren’t going to want to hear it. The Hogs are 0-5 in SEC play despite big expectations for an offense led by QB KJ Jefferson.

    In this matchup, the Gators are the better team and should take the win, though the game will likely be closer than it should. Florida 27, Arkansas 21.

    …

    Florida and Arkansas are set to kick off at 12:00 PM from Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. The game will be aired live on ESPN2.

  • VB: Gators Lose Thrilling Five Setter to Tennessee

    VB: Gators Lose Thrilling Five Setter to Tennessee

    Photo by Brian Fox | ChompTalk

    The Florida Gators Volleyball team hosted the Tennessee Volunteers in an SEC showdown at the O’Dome Friday. The matchup came down to the wire in thrilling five set fashion as the Volunteers were able to come out victorious.

    Florida moves to 14-6 overall on the season and 6-5 in conference play.

    The Gators fell behind early in the first set of the match 6-2. Freshman Kennedy Martin quickly had an answer for UF posting back-to-back kills on the way to taking a 12-9 lead. The Volunteers refused to back down in set one. They went on a 4-0 run to regain the lead 15-13 to force a Florida timeout.

    Martin continued to put her talents on display throughout an impressive first set performance. Her four kills and two aces helped the Gators secure a 25-23 win in the opening set.

    The Volunteers got off to a strong start in the second set gaining a 9-5 advantage. They never looked back as UT held the lead for the entirety of the second set as they cruised to a 25-14 victory.

    Moving to the third set, senior AC Fitzpatrick had the Gators offense cooking early in the set for a 6-5 lead. Sofia Victoria followed her lead tallying three straight kills to extend the UF lead to 13-7. The Gators pushed Tennessee to set point before Fitzpatrick recorded an ace to edge the Volunteers 25-20.

    The fourth set was a close battle as neither team could gain much of an advantage. The lead didn’t grow to more than two until Tennessee went on a 3-0 run to lead 13-10. They carried their momentum to set point before earning a 25-23 victory to even the match 2-2.

    The fifth and final set featured a winner take all first-to-15 affair. The Vols offense was able to catch fire as they found themselves with a 9-6 lead. They continued to execute at a high level down the stretch to secure the match victory after winning the fifth set 15-13.

    Florida’s offense was led by Martin who posted a match-high 28 kills. Following her lead was Sofia Victoria with 14.

    Nnedi Okammor held things down on the defensive side of the net for UF. She posted a team-high five blocks in her efforts Friday.

    Senior Elli McKissock continues to climb her way up Florida’s all-time digs list as she posted 24 against Tennessee.

    The Gators will be back in action Sunday as they play host to the Kentucky Wildcats. First serve is slated for 3 p.m. at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville, Florida.

    Grad transfer Kennedy Muff facilitated the Gators offense with an impressive 60 assists.

  • MBB: Gators Ready to Bounce Back in Golden’s Second Season

    MBB: Gators Ready to Bounce Back in Golden’s Second Season

    Photo by James Gilbert | Getty Images

    Coming into the 2023-24 season, the Gators are looking to bounce back after a disappointing first year under head coach Todd Golden. Florida finished last season with a 16-17 record and went .500 in conference play. With lots of new faces on the squad this year, Golden and company are hoping to get the Gators back in the NCAA tournament for the first time in three seasons.

    New Look Gators

    This Florida Gators team is going to look a lot different than it did a year ago. Florida lost nine of it’s 15 rostered players from last season. The most notable of those nine is big man Colin Castleton. Castleton was the Gators’ leading scorer, rebounder and blocker in the ’22-’23 season. He was also a captain and leader on the court with his enthusiasm and passion for the game. He signed with the Los Angeles Lakers this summer as an undrafted free agent.

    With just six returners for this year, Golden had to find high-level talent to replace some big holes in the team. He did that in both recruiting and the transfer portal.

    Walter Clayton Jr. was one of Florida’s big splashes in the portal this summer. Clayton is a junior guard who spent his first two years in college with Rick Pitino at Iona. Last year, he averaged 16.8 points per game to go along with four rebounds, three assists and 1.8 steals per contest. He shot 46% from the field and 43% from deep. He also led the nation in free throw shooting as he went 102-107, a 95% clip. Clayton’s impressive season earned him MAAC Player of the Year honors.

    To go along with Clayton in the backcourt, Golden added graduate transfer Zyon Pullin from UC Riverside. Pullin brings a lot of experience to this Gator group as he has scored over 1,300 points in his 109 game career. He scored 18.3 points a game a year ago, shooting at an efficient 49%. Pullin was awarded First Team All-Big West honors last season, the third time was named to an all-conference team. The sharpshooting guard will be a great piece for this Florida squad.

    The Gators added three more transfers this offseason. Graduate transfer guard Julian Rishwain played at and graduated from San Francisco where he was coached by Golden for two years. He will be reunited with his old mentor in Gainesville.

    Micah Handlogten and Tyrese Samuel are the final two pieces from the portal added to the Florida Roster. Handlogten is a 7’1″ center from Marshall who will add some much-needed size to the Gator roster. Samuel is a graduate of Seton Hall who started every game for the Pirates last season.

    Familiar Faces

    While Florida added some big-name transfers in the summer, there are a few guys coming back who will be key to the success of this program going forward.

    Riley Kugel is the first name that comes to mind. Kugel, who is now in his sophomore season, will play a huge role on this Gators’ team this year. As a freshman, he averaged over 12 points per game in SEC play, including back-to-back 20 point performances against Kentucky and Vanderbilt. He was put on the Jerry West Award Watch List and earned Preseason All-SEC Second Team honors before the year tips off. His scoring ability earned him SEC All-Freshman honors last year and solidified his spot in the starting lineup this season.

    Will Richard is another guy who will need to be on his game if Florida wants to get back into the Big Dance. Richard led the Gators in 3-point shooting volume and accuracy as a sophomore. He made 51 threes on 40% shooting from deep. His best performance last year was a 24-point game with five made triples against Georgia. Richard will be playing a bigger role this season, and it looks like he is up for the task.

    Tip-off Around the Corner

    The Gators will open their season at the O’Dome on Monday against Loyola Maryland. While Florida should handle the Greyhounds and a few other mid-major schools, there will be some tough tests for the Gators in non-conference play.

    Florida will face off with Virginia, Florida State, Pittsburgh, Wake Forest and Michigan all before the conference schedule begins.

    Once the Gators get into the SEC play, it does not get any easier. They start conference play with a bang against Kentucky at home on Jan. 6. There are five SEC teams ranked in the preseason AP Poll and Florida will have to face all five, including Alabama and Kentucky twice.

    Although the Gators lost some key players from last season’s roster and have a tough schedule this year, Golden has high hopes for his squad. Look for Florida to make a big jump forward in the shooting department and show some exciting sparks on the defensive end. It will be interesting to see if these components will be enough to get the Gators back in the national conversation.

  • VB: Florida Swept by No. 10 Arkansas

    VB: Florida Swept by No. 10 Arkansas

    Photo by Brian Fox | ChompTalk

    The Florida Gators Volleyball team came up short against the No. 10 Arkansas Razorbacks Sunday at the O’Dome. The Gators are now 14-5 in regular season play and 6-4 in the conference.

    Arkansas took advantage of the opening set and never looked back. They defeated the Gators in the first set 25-23. The Razorbacks kept their foot on the gas as they cruised to a 25-19 victory in set two.

    Looking to avoid the sweep, UF displayed their competitiveness in a close third set. Arkansas edged Florida in tightly-contested 25-23 affair.

    Freshman Kennedy Martin showed fight for the Gators posting a team-high 11 kills. Following her lead was senior Sofia Victoria who tallied nine kills. Gabbi Essix and AC Fitzpatrick rounded out Floirda’s offensive attack with six kills apiece.

    Fifth year senior Kennedy Muff eclipsed 4,000 career assists during the match. She facilitated the Gators offense while dishing out 31 assists. Muff added seven digs to go along with her historic night.

    Florida was not able to build any sort of momentum from their defensive performance Sunday. The team posted a total of just six blocks with Nnedi Okammor tallying one solo block.

    The backcourt was led by Senior Elli McKissock with 12 digs. Trinity Adams and Emily Canaan each recorded six of their own.

    Florida will try to get back to their winning ways as they remain at home to battle No. 12 Tennessee Friday, Nov. 3 at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. First sever is slated for 7 p.m. and will be available on SEC+.

  • GameDay Central: Gators vs Georgia

    GameDay Central: Gators vs Georgia

    Photo by James Gilbert | Getty Images

    Florida and No. 1 Georgia renew their gridiron rivalry this afternoon with kickoff slated for just after 3:30 PM in Jacksonville.

    The game is being aired live on CBS, but if you are unable to watch, today’s liveblog can be found below:

    …

    …

    12:00 PM – SEC Nation Picks:

    • Roman – Georgia
    • Jordan – Georgia
    • Paul – Georgia
    • Tebow – Georgia

    However, ESPN’s Kirk Herbsreit picked Florida as his Superdog, predicting the Gators to cover the 14.5-point spread.

    3:20 PM – 247Sports’ Jacob Rudner reports that the entire Gators offensive line was warming up, including Kingsley Eguakun. Eguakun was not listed as the starter at center, though, Jake Slaughter was by the video boards in the stadium.

    3:40 PM – CBS just showed the condition of the field and it is ROUGH. The city re-sodded the field Monday and Tuesday and some of it hasn’t held together yet. During warm-ups, Shemar James had to stop mid-drill and was taken back to the locker room.

    3:45 PM – Gators receive the opening kickoff and Trevor Etienne returns its 23 yards to the 34.

    UF 1-10 – Mertz with a strike to Wilson for 27 yards into UGA territory.

    3-9 – Mertz finds Wilson and the true freshman extends the drive with a nine yard gain.

    3-6 – MERTZ HITS WILSON ON A SLANT AND WILSON DOES THE REST, GETTING TO THE END ZONE TO PUT FLORIDA AHEAD. (CONFIRMED ON REPLAY). PAT GOOD. Florida leads 7-0.

    UGA HELD TO FIELD GOAL, Gators lead 7-3.

    UF 2-8 – Etienne sweeps to the right for 14 yards and a Florida first down.

    3-11 – Mertz hit, fumbles, recovered by Florida. Gators live to punt the ball away.

    UGA 3-4 – Beck finds Thomas for 19 yards and a first down into Florida territory.

    2-10 – Beck finds Ladd McConkey for a 41 yard touchdown. PAT good. Georgia leads 10-7.

    UF 3-5 – Jackson with the grab on the slant, ruled a first down. What a bounceback from a first down face mask penalty for the Gators, which set them behind the sticks at 1st and 22.

    End Q1, Gators trail Georgia 10-7.

    After review, the officials determine Jackson was down just short. Gators appear to be going for it on 4th and inches.

    4-1 – UGA will take over in plus territory after a trick play gone wrong for Florida. Etienne was looking to pass the ball but the UGA rush got there too quickly, he had zero chance.

    UGA 2-10 – Touchdown Georgia. Edwards runs it twenty yards for the score. Georgia leads 17-7.

    Back to back sacks and a fumble give UGA possession inside the ten yard line. It has gotten ugly quick.

    Touchdown Georgia on 4th and 1. Edwards gets in easily. Georgia leads 24-7.

    Gators go three and out. UGA blocks the punt and it goes out of the end zone for a safety. Georgia leads 26-7.

    Gators will take over inside their own 20 following a Georgia punt.

    Gators with a quick three and out, but the punt is successful. UGA to start at the 20-yard line.

    Georgia punts it inside the ten yard line. Gators possession with 1:50 left in the half.

    Mertz finds Pearsall for a 29-yard gain.

    Gators lined up to go for it on 4th and 10 from midfield, but Napier calls a timeout right before the snap. They opt to punt the ball following the timeout. UGA will take over on the 1-yard line.

    Halftime: Georgia 26, Florida 7

  • Staff Picks: Gators vs Georgia

    Staff Picks: Gators vs Georgia

    Photo by Jacob Kupferman | ChompTalk

    The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party is set to get underway from Jacksonville as the Florida Gators are set to take on No. 1 Georgia. The back to back defending national champions haven’t suffered a loss since the 2020 season, but will be without Heisman Trophy candidate, tight end Brock Bowers.

    The following are our staff’s predictions for Florida vs Georgia:

    Carson Euverard – Billy Napier and Graham Mertz are riding high after a statement victory over USC, and will look to carry that momentum into Jacksonville. Mertz showed he’s capable of pushing the ball down the field and adds another wrinkle to Napier’s offense.Β 

    Georgia has the sixth-ranked total defense, allowing only 4.39 yards per play. The Gators’ run blocking hasn’t been strong this year and the Bulldogs’ elite front seven might give Trevor Etienne and Montrell Johnson Jr. issues.

    Georgia’s first-year quarterback, Carson Beck, will be without his best playmaker Brock Bowers. Austin Armstrong will need to dial up pressure to make Beck uncomfortable in the pocket. This game won’t be a blowout but I think the UGA defense gets some late stops. Georgia, 28-24.

    Alyssa Britton-Harr – The Florida-Georgia rivalry runs deep, and with the Gators confidence booster after their victory against South Carolina, I believe they are ready for a fight. Graham Mertz and Coach Napier expressed in their press conferences this week how they are blessed to have this opportunity to play against teams like Georgia, and that it puts the team at good use to see what they can do together. The Bulldogs have had a lot of success within their football team the past two seasons, however Florida has also played some of its best football this season with pivotal wins against Tennessee and South Carolina. Despite Georgia’s prominent winning record, the matchup between Carson Beck and Mertz is something I believe many fans will be surprised by. UF does have a young team, but within the SEC offensively and defensively they are showing out amongst other teams. The Gators I believe will come out strong, but with the solid group Georgia has had I think they will still come out on top. I’m going Georgia, 40-24.

    Hugh Green –Β Both Florida and Georgia will be well-rested coming into this storied rivalry. The Gators are coming off a very encouraging victory on the road against South Carolina two weeks ago. Graham Mertz and Ricky Pearsall led the way as Mertz threw for a career-best 423 yards and added three touchdowns. The last was to Pearsall, who had 10 receptions for 166 yards. The two of them will need to replicate this performance if they want to pull off a huge upset in Jacksonville.

    The reigning back-to-back national champion Bulldogs have gone unbeaten so far this year, but some experts believe they are not on the same level they have been the past two seasons. Georgia’s defense has been one of the strong points of the team though, as they have not given up more than 21 points in a game this season.

    Georgia’s front seven will be too much for the Gator running attack, which will make Florida one-dimensional. Because of this, the Bulldogs will have the upper hand, but not by much. Georgia, 30-24.Β 

    Regan Roberts –Β With both teams coming off of their bye week, they will look to finish their respective season’s strong. The next 4 of Georgia’s opponents will be a test for them as Brock Bowers status is still uncertain and they face three top-25 ranked teams in Mizzou, Ole Miss, and Tennessee. Saturday’s game will be the first in three years that Bowers will not play for the Bulldogs. This loss will have a huge impact on the offense, as the tight end has been key for them all year.Β 

    Florida is coming off a strong ending performance in South Carolina. Mertz threw for a career-high 423 yards with three touchdowns to give the Gators the edge late in the 4th quarter. If they can keep the same offensive momentum, the Bulldogs might be on upset watch. This game will be a close one for a while, but in the end the Bulldogs will pull it out. Their defense will be too much to handle for Mertz and the rest of the Gators offense. Georgia, 21-17.

    Brian Fox –Β Can Florida build off the way the South Carolina game ended? Can the Gators find room in the run game against a formidable defensive front seven? How much will Brock Bowers’ injury affect the UGA offense?

    Unfortunately, we are about to learn just how well Kirby Smart has recruited over the last half dozen years. TE Oscar Delp will be tasked to fill in for Bowers for the near future and he was only the No. 1 TE in the 2022 class.

    Florida is currently a 14.5-point underdog, but started out as a three touchdown dog. I can see the Gators keeping it close through the first half, but the talent on the other sideline will be too much to overcome. Georgia, 38-17.

    …

    Florida and Georgia will kickoff at 3:30 PM from TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville. The game will be broadcast live on CBS.

  • SOC: Gators Season Ends With Scoreless Draw vs No. 13 South Carolina

    SOC: Gators Season Ends With Scoreless Draw vs No. 13 South Carolina

    GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Gators goalkeeper Alexa Goldberg recorded her eighth clean sheet of the season in a 0-0 draw against the no. 13 ranked South Carolina Gamecocks. The Gators needed a win to advance to the SEC tournament and will finish the season with a 6-5-6 record. The Gators improved on their record from last year and relied on freshmen, Megan Hinnekamp and Lena Bailey, as the team’s leading goal scorers. The young attacking group should give the Gators momentum heading into next season.

    The match was even throughout the game, with the Gators outshooting the Gamecocks 8-7. The two teams had four corners each.

    Florida’s back line stifled the Gamecock offense, drawing USC offsides five times. Defenders Josie Curtis, Anna DeLeon, Daviana Vaka and Madison Young played all 90 minutes in the contest. Goldberg recorded three saves in the shutout.

    Head coach Samatha Bohon has put together a talented, young roster and will look to build on this season next fall. The team got much needed experience and played quality matches against SEC opponents this year. If the majority of the roster stays together, Bohon should have the Gators back in the SEC title mix

  • VB: No. 19 Gators take care of business in 3-0 sweep at Ole Miss

    VB: No. 19 Gators take care of business in 3-0 sweep at Ole Miss

    The Florida Gators Volleyball team captured a road SEC victory Wednesday night in Oxford, Mississippi. UF moves to 14-4 on the season and 6-3 in SEC action.

    Every set was competitive until the very end. The Gators had to battle to edge the Rebels in the first set. Florida used a 4-0 run to propel them to a victory in set one 26-24.

    The Gators put themselves in a solid position after they gained a 2-0 match advantage after edging Ole Miss in the second set 25-23. UF carried their momentum over to the third and final set as they cruised to a 25-19 win. The match marked the team’s sixth sweep of the 2023 regular season.

    Florida was led offensively by standout freshman Kennedy Martin. Martin tallied a team-high 19 kills at a .586 clip. Senior AC Fitzpatrick posted 12 kills of her own with fellow senior Sofia Victoria just behind her with nine respectively.

    Grad transfer Kennedy Muff facilitated the offense dishing out an impressive 40 assists at a .367 clip. Muff also tallied three kills of her own in the match.

    Nnedi Okammor and Gabbi Essix were a combined force at the net defensively for the Gators. The teammates both posted two solo blocks as Florida held Ole Miss to a .185 offensive clip.

    Senior libero Elli McKissock held down the backcourt for the Gators. Mckissock recorded 19 digs as she continues to work her way up the top-5 digs list in program history. The senior also contributed a team-high three aces to set a three-set individual high on the season.

    The Gators will return home to battle the No. 10 Arkansas Razorbacks on Sunday. First serve is slated for 1 p.m. for the Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville, Florida. The match will be available on SEC+.

  • Gators Land Commitment From 5-Star DL LJ McCray

    Gators Land Commitment From 5-Star DL LJ McCray

    Photo by Andrew Ivins | 247Sports

    Florida may be on a bye week, but the Gators’ coaching staff just landed one of the biggest wins of their careers. Five-star defensive lineman LJ McCray announced his commitment to the program Saturday.

    McCray is rated No. 2 in the 2024 recruiting class at his position and No. 6 overall according to 247Sports.

    The Daytona Beach native is listed as 6’6 and 260 lbs. As a junior, he recorded 47 tackles, 17.5 for loss, and three sacks.

    McCray officially visited UF in June and was back on campus when the Gators played Tennessee. He’s also taken official visits to Florida State, Georgia, Miami, and Auburn.

    McCray becomes the highest rated player in Florida’s 2024 class and joins fellow five-star prospects, QB DJ Lagway and CB Xavier Filsaime. The class is currently ranked No. 3 in the team rankings for the ’24 cycle.

  • VB: No. 17 Gators Edge Texas A&M in Four Sets

    VB: No. 17 Gators Edge Texas A&M in Four Sets

    The Florida Gators Volleyball team traveled to College Station, Texas Friday. The team came out victorious in four sets. The Gators improved their record to 13-4 on the season and 5-3 in SEC play.

    After a competitive first set, Florida fell 25-23. The Gators executed down the stretch of the second set to even the match 1-1 after a close 25-23 battle in set two. UF was able to win the pivotal third set as they cruised to a 25-21 victory. Florida was able to carry their momentum into the fourth set winning in dominant fashion in the final set 25-12.

    The offensive attack was led by Senior Sofia Victoria posting a team-high 17 kills. Kennedy Martin and AC Fitzpatrick added 15, and 14 kills to the stat sheet on the night.

    Fifth year Kennedy Muff had another exceptional performance dishing out 43 assists while recording 10 digs. Senior Elli McKissock tallied seven assists herself.

    Defensively, the Gators were led by Martin and Gabbi Essiz with eight blocks apiece. McKissock held down the backcourt while digging 17 balls for Florida.

    The Gators will continue their road trip Thursday as they travel to Oxford, Mississippi for a battle with Ole Miss. First serve is slated for 7 p.m. and the match will air on SEC+.