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The Gators head to Rocky Top coming off a pair of convincing victories and now seeking a signature win in 2024. The rival Vols are 15.5-point favorites, but have not won consecutive visits from Florida since 1990 and 1992. Meanwhile, coach Billy Napier has not won consecutive road games at UF. Something's gotta give. During the latest Swamp Things,…
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Florida’s long-awaited matchup with UCF turned into a one-sided show of superiority by Billy Napier’s team. With their coach’s future in doubt, the Gators have now won two straight games by double digits. The schedule gets only tougher, but it’s a start. During the latest Swamp Things, Edgar and Mark reflect on the Gators performance and whether it…
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The Gators and Knights will square off during the regular season for the first time since 2006, back when UF was en route to a national championship and UCF on its way to a 4-win season during its second season in Conference USA. Times have changed. Florida has fallen to the back end of the SEC and faces its latest must-win game under coach Billy N…
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Florida took care of business with a decisive showing at Mississippi State. The two-quarterback system ignited a big day on offense, but continued defensive issues kept things interesting against the SEC bottom-feeding Bulldogs. While the performance won’t save Billy Napier, it allowed the Gators embattled coach to fight another day. During the lat…
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Billy Napier’s team seeks a rare road win when the Gators head to Starkville to face the Bulldogs. UF is just 2-10 away from Gainesville under Napier, but is a surprising six-point favorite against the rebuilding Bulldogs under first-year coach Jeff Lebby. A Florida win entering a bye week could stabilize a chaotic situation a bit before UCF’s Oct.…
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It’s a matter of when not if UF decides to move on from their embattled and overmatched head coach. A 33-20 home to Texas A&M to open SEC play was more of the same for a program with seven straight losses to power conference foes and a pedestrian 10-6 on the Gators iconic home field. Napier survived to coach another week, Saturday at Mississippi St…
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Florida opens conference play looking to build on a feel-good win against Samford and prove a season-opening loss to Miami was an anomaly. The Gators have lost six straight games to power conference opponents, but have reason for optimism after true freshman quarterback DJ Lagway’s breakout performance. How Billy Napier capitalizes and handles his …
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A record-setting performance by Florida’s quarterback of the future and overmatched opponent has given Billy Napier and Gator fans hope. Lagway’s 456 yards yards shattered the UF’s single-season standard for a freshman and breathed some hope and excitement back into the Gators. During the latest Swamp Things, Mark and Edgar reflect on the beginning…
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Florida’s head coach is squarely on the hot seat. Another poor showing could spell the end early in his third season. The good news for Napier’s Gators is Samford visits the Swamp Saturday. It’s the only gimme on the nation’s toughest schedule and a chance for a feel-good win. Gator Nation is going to need a lot more to feel warm and fuzzy for Napi…
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Florida’s third season under Napier could not have gotten off to a worse start than a 41-17 drubbing in the Swamp by in-state rival Miami. The Gators were beaten on both sides of the ball in every way possible. Napier’s offseason overhaul, optimism and assurances fell as flat as his offense. Talk of a much-improved defense proved to be false hopes …
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The stakes and emotions will be high when Billy Napier’s Gators and Mario Cristobal’s Hurricanes square off Saturday in the Swamp. The game matches once-proud programs in need of a strong start to pivotal seasons. Predictions, speculation and a long offseason will soon be over. During the latest Swamp Things, Mark and Edgar chop it up one last time…
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The Gators’ season-opening visit from Miami will begin to answer the questions swirling around coach Billy Napier and his program. Besides Napier, what players and assistants are on the spot? Is Miami the biggest game of a pivotal season? What has Napier done to impress and what does he have to do to survive? During the latest Swamp Things, Edgar a…
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Florida enters the final days of fall camp with competition at its highest level under Billy Napier. The Gators’ depth has helped them weather top tailback Montrell Johnson Jr.’s knee injury. The team’s leading rusher in 2022 and 2023 is on the mend, but will he be ready for Miami? Having more options also requires difficult decisions. Napier calls…
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The Gators are entering the throes of preseason practices as competition heats up for starting roles. Tailback was a position already locked up, but top rusher Montrell Johnson Jr. is sidelined by a minor knee injury. His timeline is TBD a little more than three weeks before a season-opening visit from Miami. The Gators’ depth and talent will be te…
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College football season has officially arrived. Florida staged Media Day Tuesday on the eve of the opening of fall camp Wednesday. Billy Napier sent out four coaches, two of them in new roles and two staff newcomers. More than 30 new players hit the field a day later as the Gators pushed to capitalize on the many changes after a 5-7 season. During …
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Florida football practice opens July 31 during a pivotal Year 3 for Billy Napier. Expectations rarely have been this low, but the Gators are eager to prove nay-sayers wrong. Meanwhile, the Paris Olympics begin with a record 40 athletes with UF ties at the Games. During the latest Swamp Things, Edgar and Mark discuss whether the Gators’ high hopes r…
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The 2024 football season unofficially began at SEC Media Days. Billy Napier and the Gators were optimistic and stuck to the script amid a sea of skeptics. But the week’s big surprise was the sudden retirement of UF president Ben Sasse because of his wife’s health issues. The native of Nebraska quickly became an ardent Gators fan and was sure to hav…
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Florida’s slow progress on the recruiting trail picked up pace with the commitment of West Broward receiver Joshua Moore, who credited DJ Lagway with luring him to Gainesville. Billy Napier does not shun a helping hand, positioning the Gators to capitalize on the NCAA ruling to allow analysts to coach the field. Meanwhile, the Florida-Georgia game …
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Home run king Jac Caglianone’s place in UF history is secure after he led the Gators’ unexpected postseason run. Does Cags belong on Mark and Edgar’s Gators’ Mt. Rushmore? Who makes their top 10? Speaking of lists: what are the top-5 highs and lows of 2023-24. During the latest Swamp Things, Edgar and Mark lean on their 20-plus years around the pro…
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The Gators’ baseball team is the last UF program still going after an improbable run to the College World Series. Along the way, Jac Caglianone has left no doubt he’s the program’s greatest slugger — and among the best all time. Mike Holloway’s place in the coach pantheon was already secure, yet Florida’s three-peat in men’s track and field and Par…
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Last week’s SEC Spring Meetings in Destin painted a challenging financial future, even for a UF program among the nation’s healthiest and wealthiest. Coach Billy Napier will likely have to adjust his master plan due to the inevitable revenue increases and cost-cutting measures spurred by the House v. NCAA $2.77 billion settlement. Amid important di…
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Football coach Billy Napier and UF’s administration thought they finally could move on from former signee Jaden Rashada and his representatives. Not so fast. On Tuesday, the 20-year-old sophomore already with this third school filed a lawsuit against Napier, mega-booster Hugh Hathcock and others seeking more than $10 million in damages. The suit mi…
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It’s that time of year for the Gators, when Florida’s Olympic sports seize center stage. Parker Valby put on a show in the 5,000 at SEC track and field championships, lacrosse is Final Four bound, men’s golf pushes to defend its 2023 national title and softball is poised for another deep postseason run. Baseball is the only struggling spring sport,…
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Basketball coach Todd Golden’s roster overhaul picked up the pace, highlighted by the arrival of FAU guard Alijah Martin. Billy Napier’s first week in the transfer portal was quieter, but time remains for the Gators to fill some gaps. The real drama involved former quarterback recruit Jaden Rashada, who is on the move again. Meanwhile, slugger Jac …
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Florida’s spring game was an improvement on 2023 and gave fans their first look at Billy Napier’s 2024 team. Those on hand left with reasons for optimism entering the offseason of a pivotal Year 3. Meanwhile, Todd Golden picked up his first commit, Chattanooga transfer Sam Alexis of Apopka, as he restocks UF’s roster during a busy offseason. During…
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Florida’s spring game is set for Saturday in the Swamp. Fans get their first chance to see the Gators in action following a 5-7 season and sweeping offseason changes to Billy Napier’s roster and staff. While spring football nears the finish line, the college basketball concluded with UConn and South Carolina living up to the hype and potentially es…
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Florida football is amid a two-week stretch Billy Napier calls “critical” to his program’s turnaround. The Gators have two scrimmages, including the spring game, to sharpen their focus entering the offseason. Meanwhile, the biggest weekend in college basketball takes center stage, with UConn looking to become the first back-to-back champion since t…
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Kugel returned to school expected to be a star. Instead, he endured a stunning sophomore slump ending with his much-anticipated transfer less than week after UF’s NCAA Tournament loss. Todd Golden now pushes to match last spring’s transfer portal success and maintain the Gators’ upward trajectory. Meanwhile, Billy Napier’s squad will stage its firs…
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Florida is back in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in three years and capable of a deep run if the pieces fall into place as Todd Golden’s team looks to continue the program’s Year 2 turnaround. Back in Gainesville, the Gators’ Pro Day was an all-time dud, highlighting the lack of depth Billy Napier inherited from Dan Mullen. Meanwhile, Jenn…
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Florida is all-in on coaches Todd Golden and Billy Napier, giving Golden a contract extension on the eve of the SEC tournament and increasing the recruiting budget 45% for Napier’s football program. Golden has revived the men’s basketball program and re-energized the fan base. A postseason run would punctuate the Gators’ direction. Resources have n…
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Billy Napier’s third season in Gainesville is unofficially underway with the start of spring football practices. During the next six weeks, a remade roster and staff will push to turn the page on consecutive losing seasons and search for answers, leaders, playmakers and momentum. Meanwhile, Todd Golden’s Gators are ahead of schedule and poised to m…
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Florida reached 20 wins in men’s basketball for the first time since 2018 as Todd Golden’s program pushes to make a postseason run. But with three regular-season games to go, the Gators continue to show a lack of killer instinct while the mystery of Riley Kugel continues. Meanwhile, Billy Napier’s third season in Gainesville begins in earnest with …
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Florida’s upset bid in men’s basketball came up short in overtime at Alabama. Coach Todd Golden’s squad let a golden opportunity slip away, but the Gators have found their stride with March Madness on the horizon. Meanwhile, Billy Napier’s program will kick off spring football in two weeks with 30 new players and a retooled staff. After spending a …
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The early signing period has devalued National Signing Day on the first week of February. Even though the Gators didn’t add to the 2024 class, Billy Napier had plenty to discuss following offseason changes to virtually every aspect of his program. Something had to give after consecutive losing seasons. During the latest Swamp Things, Edgar and Mark…
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Florida’s upset at Kentucky in men’s basketball gave Todd Golden a much-needed signature win and supercharged the Gators’ NCAA Tournament resumé. Wins at Rupp Arena don’t come easily. Prior to Wednesday, UF had won just 10 times in 50 visits to Lexington since 1974. Napier’s last trip to Kentucky ended with a 33-14 beat down, one of 14 losses in hi…
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A year after Florida made national headlines and the Billy Napier’s NIL approach became a punchline, news surfaced that a failed $13.8 million deal with Rashada is under NCAA scrutiny. But will the slow wheels of justice ultimately impact the football program? Otherwise, it’s been a good week for Napier’s Gators, who continue to acquire talent in k…
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By virtually any measure, Billy Napier entered 2024 squarely on the hot seat after consecutive losing seasons and a substandard brand of football. Florida AD Scott Stricklin disagrees and passionately backs the coach he hired to turn around the Gators. Will Stricklin be the one who ultimately decides Napier’s fate? During the latest Swamp Things, M…
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The GOAT is gone. Alabama coach Nick Saban’s retirement rocked the college football world to kick off a year shaping up to be unlike any other in moden college football. Add the exit of the face of the sport to a list including an expanded College Football playoff, SEC, ACC and Big Ten expansion and efforts to legislate NIL. During the latest Swamp…
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A new year brings new hope for Florida football. Coming off a 5-7 season and 11-14 overall, Billy Napier has to sell the future. It begins with 5-star quarterback signee DJ Lagway, one of three incoming Gators who played during the recent Under Armour All-American game, a half-dozen newcomers from the transfer portal and some new staff additions. A…
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Florida’s 2024 class didn’t turn out to be what it could have been but might have been more than it should have been after another losing season in Gainesville. A pair of 5-star prospects, quarterback DJ Lagway and defensive lineman LJ McCray, headlined a class that settled at a respectable No. 16 in the ranking after it peaked at No. 3 prior to a …
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The Gators’ 2024 schedule was going to be difficult, however it shook out. But the SEC did UFno favors, saddling Napier with a November featuring five games against teams currently ranked in the top 13 of the College Football Playoff rankings. A coach already feeling the heat now will have to navigate one of the toughest slate in school history, cu…
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UF hired Napier for his ability to identify talent and build a roster as much as coaching acumen. The time has arrived for the 44-year-old to prove he was worth his $7 million-plus salary. The transfer portal opened Monday, National Signing Day is in less than two weeks, the Gators roster and staff is in limbo, and rumors are flying throughout coll…
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Coach Billy Napier didn’t waste much time shaking up his staff following a season-ending loss to FSU, jettisoning two veteran defensive assistants. A handful of players also made known their futures known as the week unfolded. It’s just the beginning of a hectic, critical stretch as Napier aims to get the Gators on track after going 11-14 his first…
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The Gators’ 24-15 loss to their rival Seminoles in the Swamp dropped UF to 5-7 and left coach Billy Napier 11-14 after two seasons in Gainesville. He is now on the clock entering a critical offseason. Napier must rebuild his staff and roster, finetune his messaging and regain the confidence of Gator Nation. During the latest Swamp Things, Edgar and…
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The 2023 Gators’ goals are long gone, but Billy Napier’s squad still has plenty to play for against the rival Seminoles. UF pushes to avoid a losing season while cutting the Noles down to size and ending their College Football Playoff hopes. Two backup quarterbacks forced into action are among the many storylines Mark and Edgar address on a Thanksg…
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The Gators’ last-second loss was tough to take for Billy Napier’s team. Florida had a late lead and a chance to close the deal at Columbia, but could not make the plays or avoid mental mistakes when it mattered. UF now looks to end a four-game skid at the expense of rival FSU in a sold-out Swamp. During the latest Swamp Things, Mark and Edgar break…
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The chance for a winning season is fleeting for Billy Napier’s team. In fact, finishing above .500 is a likely pipe dream at this point. A visit to surging and surprising Mizzou poses challenges on multiple fronts from the Tigers’ balanced attack, a defense with talent at all three levels, a clutch placekicker and a November chill with temperatures…
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The Gators were left to lick their wounds and pick up the pieces after failing to keep up in a shootout at Tiger Stadium. Billy Napier’s squad showed fight and offensive spark against LSU, but UF’s reeling defense could not keep up with Daniels as he supercharged his Heisman campaign. Edgar and Mark unpack the LSU loss during the latest Swamp Thing…
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Billy Napier’s team pushes to bounce back from a disheartening home loss to Arkansas with an upset win under the lights at LSU. The Gators are 14.5-point underdogs facing the SEC’s top offense and toughest environment - a night game in Tiger Stadium. Star quarterback Jayden Daniels (concussion) is expected to play and continue his Heisman Trophy ca…
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Florida’s overtime loss to Arkansas reverberated 48 hours later. Napier was eager to move on, even if questions remained about the Gators continued special teams miscues, game management and lost opportunity. There is no avoiding what’s next: a three-game meat grinder beginning with Saturday’s visit to Tiger Stadium. With a losing season a distinct…
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