Florida Gators @ Mississippi State Bulldogs September 21 // 12 p.m. ET // Starkville, Miss. ESPN

Florida Gators (1-2, 0-1 SEC)
at
Mississippi State Bulldogs (1-2, 0-0 SEC)

ESPN
Play-by-Play: Dave Pasch
Analyst: Dusty Dvoracek
Reporter: Taylor McGregor
Channel (Cox): 26 / 1026 [HD]
Channel (DirecTV): 206 [HD]

Gator Sports Network from LEARFIELD
Play-by-Play: Sean Kelley
Analyst: Shane Matthews
Reporter: Tate Casey
Channel: Local Affiliates
SiriusXM Channel: 374

 

TEAM INFORMATION
FLORIDA
Head Coach: Billy Napier
Career Record: 52-28 (27-5 Sun Belt) [7th season]
Record at UF: 12-16 (6-11 SEC) [3rd season]
Record vs. MSU: 0-0
Rankings: NR (AP) / NR (Coaches)
2023 Record: 5-7, 3-5 SEC (T-4th in East)

MISSISSIPPI STATE
SERIES HISTORY
Overall: Florida leads, 34-19-2
Last Meeting: Florida 13, Mississippi St. 6
(Sept. 29, 2018 - Starkville)
Recent History: Florida, W1 (3 of last 4 since ‘05)
In Gainesville: Florida leads, 19-8-1

 

NUMBERS OF NOTE
46.18 / 9.0 / 29.6 / 0.67 / 13.0
Led by first-year senior analyst Joe Houston, Florida
boasts the No. 1-ranked special teams unit in the
country per ESPN’s SP+ metric. Florida ranks seventh
nationally in net punting (46.18), ninth in kickoff return
defense (9.0), 12th in kickoff return average (29.6),
t-30th in punt return defense (0.67) and t-35th in punt
return average (13.0). Freshman RB Jadan Baugh ranks
fifth in the FBS as the SEC leader in yards per kick
return (30.0). The next closest returner in the SEC is
Mississippi State’s Davon Booth (24.0).

 

THE STORYLINE​

• Week 4 marks the 56th meeting between Florida and Mississippi State including the 13th matchup in Starkville

• The Gators lead the all-time series, 34-19-2, but are 5-7 in Starkville despite wins in their last two visits (2018, 2009).

• Florida and MSU last met in 2018 in Starkville, with the Gators producing a 13-6 victory.

• In that 2018 meeting, both squads kicked two field goals while Florida scored the only touchdown.

• The lone touchdown in that game was a 20-yard pass from WR Kadarius Toney to WR Moral Stephens.

• QB Feleipe Franks was 22-for-31 passing for 219 yards while RB Lamical Perine rushed 10 times for 55 yards.

• Florida’s last loss in Starkville came on Oct. 23, 2004 (L, 38-31).

• Across the last 10 meetings, Florida holds a 6-4 record against MSU and is averaging 27.5 PPG.

• The Gators have won 14 of the last 19 meetings overall since 1982, including wins in three of the last four since 2005.

• The first ever matchup between Florida and MSU occurred in Jacksonville in 1923 and ended in a 13-13 tie.

• This is the first meeting between UF HC Billy Napier and MSU HC Jeff Lebby as head coaches (more on Page 9).

• Napier has coached against MSU five times (4-1) as Alabama’s assistant coach/WR coach from 2013-16 (4-0) and as
the head coach at Louisiana in 2019 (0-1).

• The Gators sit No. 1 in the FBS in special teams per ESPN’s SP+ metric while ranking nationally in multiple categories.

• Florida ranks seventh in net punting (46.18) and ninth in kickoff return defense (9.0).

• Florida enters Week 4 ranking t-39th in the FBS in passing offense (279.0) and 44th in passer rating (154.0).

• Florida owns the No. 1 strength of schedule in the country, featuring eight Preseason AP Top-20 opponents.

• Last season, Florida ranked second nationally and first in the SEC in completion percentage (72.3%).

• Dating back to the 2018 season, Napier ranks 15th in the FBS with 52 total victories. He has more wins than Mike
Norvell (50), Sonny Dykes (49), Mario Cristobal (50) and Mark Stoops (48) in that time, among others.

• The Gators have won 14 of their last 20 games in The Swamp (including nine of 14), but are 2-16 in their last 18
contests outside The Swamp and 2-12 in their last 14 true road games.

• Florida has scored in 451-consecutive games dating back to 1988 - an NCAA record and 53 games longer than any other college football team in the history of the sport.

 

- MERTZ, LAGWAY LEAD TWO-QB SYSTEM -​

• Florida deployed a two-QB system in Week 3, with QB Graham Mertz handling the odd-numbered drives of
each half and QB DJ Lagway taking the even drives.
.
• Mertz completed 12-of-15 passes (80.0%) for 195 yards, one touchdown and one interception to finish with a
197.9 rating, while Lagway was 6-of-13 (46.0%) for 54 yards, one touchdown and two picks for a 75.7 rating.

• Mertz has now thrown for over 3,000 yards in his Gators career.

• Mertz has posted a completion % above 62.0% with at least one passing touchdown in 12 of his 13 starts at UF.

• The only game he fell short of those marks was the Week 1 loss to Miami.

• Mertz’s 197.9 rating in Week 3 vs. A&M was his highest yet against a P5 opponent and his second-best as a
Gator, after having his first UF game with a rating below 137.0 in Week 1 (83.2).

• Making his first-career start in the Week 2 win over Samford, Lagway passed for the most yards ever (456) by
a Florida true freshman quarterback, breaking Chris Leak’s mark of 269 vs. Kentucky in 2003.

• Lagway’s 456 passing yards are the tied for the most in the FBS this season and rank ninth all-time at Florida
(most since Emory Jones threw for 464 yards vs. Samford on Nov. 13, 2021).

• Lagway completed 18-of-25 passes (72.0%) highlighted by three touchdowns and a 264.8 rating.

• Lagway became Florida’s first true freshman starter at quarterback since Treon Harris in the 2014 Birmingham Bowl (seventh true freshman starter at quarterback overall).

• After leading the SEC with a program-record 72.9% completion percentage last season (third nationally), QB Graham Mertz missed his second game in three contests in Week 2 against Samford.

• Lagway made his UF debut in the fourth quarter of Week 1 and showed flashes, finishing 3-for-6 passing for 31 yards and one interception while rushing for 20 yards on four carries.

• Mertz has thrown just four interceptions across his last 388 passes.

• Across his last eight games dating back to last season, Mertz has thrown for 1,969 passing yards (246.1 YPG), 174 completions, a 68.5% completion percentage, 15 touchdowns and three interceptions.

• Mertz has started all 45 games he has played since 2020, ranking second among active FBS QBs (DJ Uiagalelei)

 

- JOHNSON JR.’S DOAK WALKER CAMPAIGN -​

• Entering with three rushing TDs on the season, RB Montrell Johnson Jr. saw just seven rushes in Week 3 as one of five non-quarterbacks to register a carry.

• Through three games, Johnson Jr. owns 166 rushing yards, 5.0 yards per carry and three rushing TDs.

• Johnson Jr. ranks 17th in the SEC in rushing YPG, t-eighth in rushing TDs and 24th in yards per carry.

• Johnson Jr.’s 30 career rushing TDs are seven more than any other active SEC player and sit t-fifth in the FBS.

• He owns 32 multi-purpose TDs (20 at UF: 18 rushing, two receiving).

• Representing UF’s first TD of the season, Johnson Jr.’s 71-yard TD in the second quarter vs. Miami is tied for the 13th-longest rush in the FBS so far this year.

• Johnson Jr. eclipsed 2,500 career rushing yards and 2,000 all-purpose yards at UF in Week 1.

• Johnson Jr. rushed for 100 yards for the ninth time in his career and for seventh time as a Gator in Week 1.

• Johnson Jr. is tied for ninth in the SEC (seventh among RBs) with 18 rushing touchdowns since 2022, includ-
ing t-third among active SEC rushers.

• Last season, Johnson Jr. led UF in carries (152) and net rushing yardage (817) for the second-straight year.

• Florida’s streak of nine-consecutive games with a rushing touchdown was snapped in Week 3

 

- EUGENE ‘TRE’ WILSON III’S SOPHOMORE STANDOUT -​

• WR Eugene Wilson III paced UF with a career-high 141 yards on six catches and one touchdown in Week 2.

• Wilson III ranks sixth nationally with 185 yards after the catch.

• It marked his first-career 100-yard receiving game and his 141 yards came on 136 yards after the catch.

• It was the ninth time in the last 10 games that Wilson caught at least six passes.

• Wilson III’s 85-yard touchdown was Florida’s longest since Mark Thompson’s 85-yarder vs. Iowa in 2017.

• Since Week 4 vs. Vandy in 2023, Wilson III is averaging 6.9 catches and 69.4 YPG with seven TDs (10 games).

• In his last eight games, he has produced 561 yards on 54 catches including six TDs.

• Wilson III led all FBS true freshmen in receptions per game (6.1) in 2023 while ranking second in catches (61), t-second in receiving TDs (six), fourth in receiving YPG (53.8) and seventh in receiving yards (538).

• Wilson III was the first Florida true freshman to eclipse 500 receiving yards since Antonio Callaway in 2015.

• In Week 10 vs. Arkansas, Wilson III became the first true freshman receiver at Florida to record multiple touchdowns in a contest since Riley Cooper recorded three vs. Western Carolina on Nov. 18, 2006.

• Against Georgia in 2023, Wilson III set a UF freshman record with a career-high 11 receptions.

 

- THE 2024 RECEIVING ROOM -​

• WR Chimere Dike led UF receivers with six catches and 91 yards including his first TD as a Gator in Week 3.

• Dike surpassed 1,600 career receiving yards with the strong effort.

• Dike caught three passes for 43 yards in the first half highlighted by a 39-yard grab in Week 3.

• WR Elijah Badger put Florida on the board with a 14-yard reception in the third quarter of the loss to Texas A&M, marking the 150th catch of his career.

• Badger has now caught a pass in 29-straight games, which ranks t-10th in the FBS.

• TE Tony Livingston caught his second-career reception for a career-long 11 yards in Week 3.

• UF returned four of its top-five receivers in terms of receptions AND yardage in 2024: Eugene Wilson III (61 for 538), TE Arlis Boardingham (26 for 289), WR Kahleil Jackson (21 for 251) and RB Montrell Johnson Jr. (30 for 236).

• Of those to catch multiple touchdown passes for Florida last year, three of four were freshmen: Wilson III (6),
Boardingham (4) and TE Hayden Hansen (2).

• Florida had two 100-yard receivers vs. Samford in Wilson III (6 catches, 141 yards) and Badger (3 catches, 123
yards) for the first time since Nov. 19, 2022 at Vanderbilt (Daejon Reynolds & Justin Shorter).

• Badger’s 77-yard grab from QB DJ Lagway in Week 2 marked the longest of his career.

• The 77-yard pass marked Florida’s longest Oct. 29, 2022 vs. Georgia (Xzavier Henderson 78-yard touchdown
reception) and second-longest non-TD pass since 1996 (Quinton Dunbar, 83 yards vs. Georgia on Nov. 2, 2013).

• Badger totaled 100 receiving yards for the fifth time in his career in Week 2 vs. Samford (first at UF).

• In Week 2, WR Tank Hawkins became the first UF true freshman to catch a TD pass for his first-career recep-
tion since Caleb Douglas vs. Eastern Washington in 2022.

 

- BOLSTERING THE BACKFIELD -​

• Florida has rushed for 100-plus yards in 22 of their last 28 games dating back to last season.

• RB Ja’Kobi Jackson scored his first-career touchdown in the fourth quarter of Week 3.

• RB Treyaun Webb paced Florida with 37 yards on six carries in Week 3 for 6.2 YPC.

• RB Jadan Baugh and RB KD Daniels made their college debuts in Week 1 while Webb scored his third-career TD.

• Primed to serve as Johnson Jr.’s primary backup, sophomore Webb rushed 26 times for 163 yards and one
touchdown in 2023 while pacing UF with 6.3 yards per carry. He also added four catches for 18 yards.

• Webb is one of seven FBS sophomore running backs to post over 6.2 YPC on at least 25 carries last season.

• True freshman RBs Baugh (No. 342 recruit per On3) and KD Daniels (No. 168 recruit per On3), along with Coahoa CC transfer RB Ja’Kobi Jackson, figure to slot in on the depth chart behind Webb.

• Jackson started nine games at CCC in 2022, leading the team in rushing yards (661), TDs (7) and YPG (73.4

 

- SLAUGHTER HIGHLIGHTS O-LINE PLAY -​

• As a member of the Preseason Rimington Trophy Watch List, C Jake Slaughter returns after rating as the No. 9 center in the FBS last season (out of 295) with a 77.8 grade, per PFF. He played a grand total of 622 snaps.

• This season, Slaughter ranks ninth out of 250-plus FBS centers through Week 3 with a 80.6 grade, highlighted by an 89.4 pass blocking grade.

• Slaughter has not allowed a QB pressure across 98 passing snaps so far in 2024 (9 in 434 career pass plays).

• Slaughter allowed two sacks in the 2023 season opener at Utah, but has not allowed a single sack since then. He allowed just two QB hits all year long, both of which came in the final two weeks of the year.

• Florida has allowed 61 sacks in 28 games under HC Billy Napier, which ranks t-ninth in the SEC.

• Across the last four seasons (2021-24), Florida’s 75 sacks allowed is the t-40th-fewest in the FBS and t-fifth-least in the SEC. During that span, the Gators have out-sacked opponents by a plus-11 margin (86-75).

 

- OFFENSIVE GRAB BAG -​

• Over the last five seasons (2020-24), Florida ranks 14th in the P5 and seventh in the SEC with 448.1 YPG.

• Since 2018, UF ranks ninth in the P5 in passing efficiency (152.7) and 14th in TD-INT ratio (2.81).

• The Gators have totaled 500-plus yards in six of the last 25 games and in 18 of their last 52 contests.

• In Week 2 vs. Samford, the Gators eclipsed 400 yards for the 13th time since the start of 2022 (first of 2024).

• Florida has amassed 400-plus total yards 30 times in its last 50 games including 43 of the last 69 contests.

• With 261 yards at Missouri, UF rushed for 200 yards 17 times since 2021 including 11 occasions in the Napier era.

• Florida has scored 40 points nine times in 41 games from 2021-24 including five times in the Napier era.

• Florida has scored 30 points 20 times in 41 games from 2021-24 including 14 times in the Napier era.

 

- YOUTH + NEW FACES MAKE UP FLORIDA D -​

• A mixture of second-year players, highly-touted true freshmen and transfers make up the 2024 Gators defense.

• The trio of sophomore defenders in DB Jordan Castell, ILB Grayson Howard and ILB Jaden Robinson are all tied for the team-high in tackles with 13.

• Robinson posted his career-high with a team-best eight tackles vs. Texas A&M in Week 3.

• The Gators trio comprises the team’s top-graded tacklers according to PFF: Castell (89.1), Howard (85.3) and Robinson (85.0). They have not missed a tackle and they all have played 70-plus snaps.

• Through three games, eight players made their first starts for the Gators with six making their first collegiate starts in DB Sharif Denson, DB Aaron Gates, EDGE George Gumbs Jr., ILB Grayson Howard, DB Ja’Keem
Jackson, EDGE Kamran James and EDGE T.J. Searcy.

• Out of 33 starting opportunities on defense in 2024, 16 have been by underclassmen and eight from transfers.

• Additionally, 12 players have made their collegiate debuts and 18 their Florida debuts.

• In Week 1, Howard led the team in tackles with six (three solo) including a solo stop on third down at Florida’s five-yard line to hold Miami to a field goal.
» He earned a PFF grade of 80.5 in Week 1, the highest among Gators defenders.

• Gumbs Jr. recorded three solo tackles, which all were tackles-for-loss, including a solo sack for an eight-yard loss along with a quarterback hurry vs. Samford in Week 2.

• After only playing four games and redshirting last season, DB Aaron Gates has flashed in Weeks 2 & 3.
» Against Samford, he had two tackles with a fumble recovery on the opening drive and a pass breakup.
» He recorded his first-career tackle-for-loss against Texas A&M (-2 yards) and had a solo tackle that held an Aggie pass to zero yards, all coming in the opening drive of the game.

• K. James finished with a career-high four tackles (three solo) and recorded his first-career quarterback hurry that led to LB Shemar James’ first-career interception in the first quarter against Miami.

• Through three games and 36 snaps, true freshman EDGE LJ McCray has five tackles, three quarterback hurries,
and 0.5 tackles-for-loss.

• True freshmen – DL Michai Boireau (8), ILB Aaron Chiles (6), McCray (5), ILB Myles Graham (3), DB Gregory Smith III (1) – have totaled 23 tackles.

 

- CASTELL IMPRESSIVE FROM DAY ONE -​

• UF true freshman S Jordan Castell began his legacy among Gator
Nation in his first season.

• Playing in all 12 games in 2023, he started the last 11 contests of the
campaign. In his first start vs. McNeese in Week 2, he tallied three
tackles and played the most snaps among defensive players (27).

• The first-year player finished as the team-leader in tackles with 60
total; 30 assisted and 30 solo.

• He also added 1.5 tackles-for-loss (-11 yards), three pass breakups
and one interception.

• Castell’s season performance in tackles ranked tied for 35th in the
SEC and fourth among true freshmen, trailing Alabama’s Caleb
Downs (99), South Carolina’s Jalon Kilgore (76) and Texas A&M’s
Taurean York (66).

• He collected a trio of postseason honors in being named Freshman
All-SEC, ESPN All-America and CFN Freshman All-America Honorable
Mention.

• Castell was also named to the FWWA (Football Writers Association
of America) Midseason Freshman All-America Watch List.

• The Orlando native played the most defensive snaps on the team with 660 and was one of two UF players (Jason Marshall Jr. / 651) to play 600-plus snaps.

• There were only 51 total defensive plays that Castell did not play.

• He accumulated a total of 751 snaps played in 2023 (51 on special teams), marking the only defensive player to play in 700-plus snaps.

• According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Castell finished with a 75.7 grade, ranking fifth among FBS true freshman and second in the SEC behind Alabama’s Caleb Downs.

• His Week 3 performance in the 29-16 victory over No. 11 Tennessee earned him a pair of weekly honors in SEC Freshman of the Week and Shaun Alexander National Freshman of the Week.

• He had his first of two double-digit tackle games with a team-high 10 tackles and one pass breakup.

• Against Arkansas, Castell recorded his first-career interception to end Arkansas’ last drive of the first quarter and also finished with a career-high 11 tackles

• He was the first UF true freshman to register an interception since Marshall Jr. vs. Florida State in 2021.

 

- 2023 YOUTH MOVEMENT LOOKBACK -​

• The 2023 Florida defense featured a majority of underclassmen (two seasons or fewer) making an impact.

• Then-freshman S Jordan Castell finished as the team-leader in tackles with 60 while LB Shemar James ranked second with 55 and Bryce Thornton seventh with 34.

• James (5.5) ranked second in TFLs while true freshmen EGDE T.J. Searcy (3.5) and S Bryce Thornton (3.5) tied for sixth. RS freshman DL Jamari Lyons (2.5) placed 10th.

• Searcy was UF’s best tackler with a 87.5 PFF grade, as he did not miss a tackle across 250 defensive snaps.

• Freshmen CB Ja’Keem Jackson and Castell were third on the team in pass breakups with three each.

• The duo of Castell (660 snaps) and James (395 snaps) ranked first and seventh in total defensive snaps.

• A combined 56 starts came from players in their second season or less.

• 24 starts were made by true freshmen on both offense and defense - Castell (11), Eugene Wilson III (7), Thornton (4), OL Knijeah Harris (1) and LB Jaden Robinson (1).

• Castell started at safety in each of the last 11 games as fellow true freshman Thornton started alongside him four times, signifying Florida’s first game starting two true freshmen at safety in the last 25 years (Week 6 vs.
Vandy). The duo started again vs. Arkansas along with first-year Robinson.

• The 15 combined starts by Castell and Thornton were the most in the FBS by true-freshman DBs.

• Florida’s true freshman DBs accounted for 1,759 total snaps - again the most in the FBS.

• Then-freshman CB Aaron Gates made his collegiate debut and made two crucial plays at South Carolina - a tackle to stop a two-point conversion and an interception on the lateral on the last play of the game.

• The debut by Gates marked the 11th out of 12 Class of 2023 defensive players to play last season and the 17th out of 21 total signees to appear in a game.

• Eight of the 12 played in all 12 games while the class totaled 1,969 defensive snaps.
» The eight players were: EDGE Kelby Collins, Castell, CB Sharif Denson, EDGE Kamran James, CB Dijon
Johnson, Robinson, Searcy and Thornton.

 

- HOUSTON’S GAME CHANGERS​

• This offseason, the Gators added senior special teams analyst Joe Houston to the fold. He comes from the New England Patriots after spending four seasons (2020-23) as a special teams assistant.

• Houston has helped launch the Gators to rank No. 1 in the FBS in special teams by ESPN’s SP+ metric while ranking nationally in multiple categories.

• Florida ranks ninth in kickoff return defense (9.0), 12th in kickoff returns (29.6), seventh in net punting (46.18), and fourth in the SEC in punt returns (13.0).

• P Jeremy Crawshaw is the NCAA’s active career leader in net punt average at 46.5, ranking third in the SEC and 13th in the FBS this season with an average of 46.4 yards per punt.

• In 11 punts this season, Crawshaw is averaging 46.36 yards per punt with four of 50-plus yards, seven inside the 20-yard line and two 61-yard punts.

• Against Texas A&M, he had one punt downed at the one-yard and another at the eight-yard line.

• Crawshaw set the single-season program record with 48.9 yards per punt last season and was named an AP All-SEC Second Team selection.

• The 46.7 yards per attempt moved Crawshaw to the all-time program leader in career average punting yardage, passing Johnny Townsend (46.2) and Tommy Townsend (44.8).

• He has punted 142 times in his career for an average of 46.7 per attempt, 14 60-plus yards, 59 50-plus yards, 58 inside the 20-yard line and 50 for fair catches. His 142 attempts now rank ninth all-time at UF, passing Bill
Conover.

• Freshman RB Jadan Baugh has shined as the Gators primary kick returner, ranking fifth in the FBS as the SEC leader in yards per return with a mark of 30.0. The next closest returner in the SEC is Davon Booth of
Mississippi State at 24.0.
» He highlighted his collegiate debut with a 35-yard kickoff return against Miami, which marked Florida’s
longest kickoff return since 2022.
» Baugh had another 30-plus yard kick return with a 31-yard in Week 2 vs. Samford and then added two
27-yard returns vs. Texas A&M despite receiving both in the end zone.

• Veteran WR Chimere Dike has been productive in both phases of the punt game.
» He ranks fifth in the SEC and 20th in the FBS in yards per return with 13.0, owning a long of 31 yards
» Dike adowned a punt vs. Texas A&M on the one-yard line and one on the three-yard line against Miami.

• K Trey Smack took over place-kicking duties in Florida’s 29-16 win vs. No. 11 Tennessee in Week 3 of last season and went on to be named a 2023 Lou Groza Award Semifinalist, making 17-of-21 FG attempts (81.0%)
highlighted by a pair of 54-yarders.

• Smack is 2-for-2 on field goals and 10-for-10 on PATs so far in the 2024 season.

• He made all five FG attempts vs. Charlotte [23, 23, 27, 36, 54] last year and drilled seven touchbacks on all seven attempts. He became the first Gator to make five field goals in a single game since Eddy Pineiro in 2017.

• Smack was also perfect in kickoffs for three-straight weeks with 13-consecutive touchbacks vs. Tennessee and Charlotte, then again vs. No. 1 Georgia, going 4-for-4.