OGT: Ole Miss at FLORIDA -- November 23, 2024 -- 12:00 Noon [ABC]

Senior Day . . . the last home game of 2024 in The Swamp this Saturday . . . we're glad GatorGrowl is home and recovering and can watch from his favorite recliner!

 

Florida Gators (5-5, 3-4 SEC) vs. #9 Ole Miss Rebels (8-2, 4-2 SEC)

November 23 // 12 p.m. ET // Gainesville, Fla. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Steve Spurrier-Florida Field (88,548)

ABC
Play-by-Play: Bob Wischusen
Analyst: Greg McElroy
Reporter: Molly McGrath

Channel (Cox): 7 / 1007 [HD]
Channel (DirecTV): 8 [HD]

Gator Sports Network from LEARFIELD
Play-by-Play: Sean Kelley
Analyst: Shane Matthews
Reporter: Tate Casey

Channel: Local Affiliates SiriusXM Channel: 106 / 190

 

THE OPENING DRIVE:

• Week 13 marks the 26th meeting between Florida and Ole Miss including the 12th matchup in Gainesville.
• While the all-time series is tied at 12-12-1 after Florida’s 2020 win, the Rebels own a slim 6-4-1 edge in The Swamp.
• Although UF won just one of the first nine meetings (1-7-1) from 1926-1958, Florida is 11-5 vs. Ole Miss since then.
• The two teams first met in Gainesville in 1926 (Ole Miss 12, Florida 7).
• Florida’s first win over Ole Miss came in Jacksonville in 1945, 26-13.
• The Gators have won three-straight games in The Swamp by double-digits, outscoring opponents by 50 total points.
• This is the first meeting between UF HC Billy Napier and Ole Miss HC Lane Kiffin as head coaches.
• However, Napier and Kiffin coached together under Nick Saban at Alabama from 2014-16 (more on Page 9).
• Florida is the only team to have all five of its losses come against opponents currently ranked in the AP Top 15.
• The Gators have recorded a takeaway in seven-straight games and have forced a turnover in nine of 10 overall.
• Florida started a true freshman QB and RB in QB DJ Lagway and RB Jadan Baugh for the second-time in program history in Week 12 and is now 2-0 with the only two FBS wins this season while starting a true freshman backfield.
• Among quarterbacks with at least 90 pass attempts this season, Lagway (sixth, 20th - 161.9) and QB Graham Mertz (fourth, 15th - 164.1) both rank top-six in the SEC and top-20 nationally in passer rating.
• Florida is one of three teams in the country with two qualified receivers averaging 19.0 yards per catch in WR Elijhah Badger (second - 23.0) and WR Chimere Dike (25th - 19.0), with the others being Ole Miss and East Carolina.
• Led by first-year senior analyst Joe Houston, Florida ranks seventh in the FBS in net punting (43.49), 11th in punt return average (15.40) and 60th in kick return average (20.33), and has been inside the top-13 all season in ESPN’s SP+ metric.
• Florida enters Week 13 ranking ninth in the SEC and 43rd in the FBS in passer rating (142.1).
• C Jake Slaughter grades as the No. 6 center in the FBS (79.0) highlighted by the 18th-best pass block grade (83.7).
• The Gators have allowed just 13 sacks all season, which is tied for the fewest in the SEC and t-28th in the FBS.
• Since the 2018 season, Napier ranks 15th in the FBS with 56 total wins, ahead of Mike Gundy (54), Sonny Dykes (52), Mike Norvell (51), and Mark Stoops (50) in that time, among others.
• The Gators have won 17 of their last 23 games in The Swamp (including 12 of 17), but are 3-19 in their last 22 contests outside The Swamp and 3-14 in their last 17 true road games.
• Florida boasts a 363-117-13 (.749) all-time record at The Swamp, holding the third-highest home winning percent- age in the nation since 1990 with a 182-38 (.827) record. » The Gators have outscored opponents, 8,197 to 3,606 in 220 games inside The Swamp since 1990, putting the average outcome at 37.3 to 16.4 (20.9 points).
• Florida has scored in 458-consecutive games dating back to 1988 - an NCAA record and 54 games longer than any other college football team in the history of the sport (TCU, 404-straight games, active streak).

 

NEW BELLCOWS BE BAUGHLIN':

• In Week 12 vs. LSU, true freshman RB Jadan Baugh made his third-career start and carried six times for 65 yards (10.8 YPC) and one touchdown.
• Baugh’s seven TDs in the last four games are highlighted by a record-setting, five TD performance in Week 8.
• RB Ja’Kobi Jackson rushed six times for 37 yards (6.2 YPC) and gave UF its first lead over LSU with a oneyard TD rush in the fourth quarter, marking his fifth TD of the season (four of five in SEC play).
• Jackson (75.5) and Baugh (74.4) were Florida’s highest-graded offensive players in Week 11, per PFF.
• Florida has rushed for 1,116 combined yards across the last seven games for 159.4 YPG.
• Baugh rushed 64 times for 323 yards in the last four games, with 180 of those yards after contact (55.7%).
• On the season, 290 of Baugh’s 476 rushing yards have come after contact (60.9%).
• Making his first-career start in Week 8 vs. Kentucky, Baugh scored the first-five rushing TDs of his career and finished with 22 carries for 106 yards (first-career 100-yard game) to earn SEC Freshman of the Week honors.
• Baugh’s five rushing TDs are tied for the most in a game in program history (Trey Burton vs. UK in 2010, Tim Tebow vs. South Carolina in 2007) and are the most ever by a Gator in his first-career start.
• Baugh became the first UF true freshman with at least three rushing TDs in a game since QB Trey Burton also had five vs. Kentucky on Sept. 25, 2010 (five ties true freshman record).
• Baugh is the first UF true freshman running back with multiple rushing TDs in a game since Malik Davis on Sept. 30, 2017 vs. Vanderbilt (two).
• In his first start in Week 10 vs. Georgia, Jackson rushed 12 times for 74 yards (6.2 YPC) and his fourth TD.
• Jackson scored the first three rushing TDs of his career in three-straight games vs. Texas A&M, MSU and UCF.
• Florida has rushed for 100-plus yards in nine of 10 games this season and 29 of 35 contests since 2022.
• Florida has scored a rushing TD in nine of 10 games this season, and 29 of 35 games in the Napier era.

 

BADGER & DIKE LEAD YOUNG WR CORPS:

• UF’s receiving duo of Elijhah Badger and Chimere Dike is among the best in the FBS.
• Both Gators are averaging over 57.0 yards per game and 19.0 yards per reception.
• Dike hauled in a 34-yard catch on UF’s second drive vs. LSU to increase his season total to 17 explosive plays
• Badger led the team with six catches and 131 yards with five receptions going for 17-plus yards in Week 12.
• Badger is fresh off his third 100-yard game of this season (team high) and the seventh of his career.
• Badger also caught his third TD of the campaign, which leads the Gators.
• Dike paced Florida at Texas with five catches for 95 yards and has 15 catches of 20-plus yards this year.
• Badger is second in the FBS with 23.0 YPC, pacing UF with 691 yards (ninth in SEC) and 76.8 YPG (second).
• Dike (19.0) ranks seventh in the SEC and 25th in the FBS in YPC.
• Florida is one of three teams in the country with two qualified receivers averaging 19.0 yards per catch.
• Badger ranks second in the SEC in receiving YPG while Dike ranks 14th with 57.0 YPG.
• Florida is one of four SEC teams with multiple receivers averaging over 55.0 YPG (LSU, Ole Miss, Mizzou).
• Badger extended his streak to 35-straight games with a catch vs. LSU (t-11th-longest active streak in FBS).
• Badger reached 100 yards receiving for the second time this season (sixth of career), finishing with three catches for a career-high 148 yards (49.3 YPC) in the Week 8 win over Kentucky.
• In Week 7 at UT, Dike led UF in receiving yards (76) for the second-straight week (88 vs. UCF).
• Dike, TE Arlis Boardingham and WR Aidan Mizell are tied for second on the team lead two receiving TDs

 

SLAUGHTER AND BCD HIGHLIGHT TOP SEC O-LINE:

• Florida has not allowed a sack in four separate games this season including the Week 12 win vs. LSU.
• The Gators have given up just 13 sacks all season, which ranks first in the SEC and 28th nationally.
• Florida grades as the No. 12 pass blocking team in the country (81.4) and is second in the SEC behind Texas.
• C Jake Slaughter ranks sixth among FBS centers through Week 12 with a 79.0 grade.
• Slaughter has allowed zero sacks, one QB hit, five hurries and just six pressures in 313 pass block snaps.
• Slaughter sits 18th among FBS centers with an 83.7 pass block grade this season.
• Slaughter allowed two sacks in the 2023 season opener at Utah, but has not allowed a single sack since.
• RT Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson has allowed zero QB hits and eight pressures in 287 pass block snaps in 2024.
• Crenshaw-Dickson’s 82.1 pass block grade ranks 33rd among FBS offensive tackles.
• In Week 4, OL Austin Barber became UF’s first OL with a TD in 300 games (one of four FBS OL to score this season).
• Florida has allowed 69 sacks in 35 games under HC Billy Napier, ranking sixth-lowest in the SEC.
• Across the last four seasons (2021-24), Florida’s 83 sacks allowed are the 35th-fewest in the FBS and fifthleast in the SEC. During that span, the Gators have out-sacked opponents by a plus-25 margin (108-83).

 

THE DJ LAGWAY FILE:

• True freshman QB DJ Lagway returned in Week 12 vs. LSU for his fourth-career start after missing Week 11 due to injury and completed 13-of-26 passes for 226 yards and one touchdown for a 135.7 rating.
• Lagway is the third Gators true freshman QB to start at home vs. a ranked opponent (AP Poll) – Lagway marked the first QB to win. • Lagway’s win vs. No. 21 LSU was the sixth time a Gators true freshman QB has won a game.
• Lagway is the second Gators true freshman QB to start against three ranked teams in a season (other is Chris Leak).
• Lagway has thrown five touchdowns to two interceptions in his starts.
• Florida has started three different quarterbacks this season for the first time since 2017 (Franks, Zaire, Del Rio).
• Through nine games (four starts), Lagway has completed 69-of-118 passes (58.5%) for 1,297 yards, (144.1 YPG), seven touchdowns and five interceptions.
• In Week 10, Lagway connected with WR Aidan Mizell for a 43-yard TD pass at 0:06 in the first quarter for his 11th completion of 40-plus yards this season – in just his first three starts and 90 pass attempts.
• Lagway had five completions of 40-plus yards in each of his first two career starts (vs. Samford, vs. UK).
• No other Florida quarterback has completed five passes of 40-plus yards in a game in the last 20 years.
• Lagway’s 161.9 rating ranks sixth in the SEC and 20th in the FBS among quarterbacks with at least 90 pass attempts. How about QB Graham Mertz prior to his injury? Fourth in the SEC and 15th nationally at 164.1.
• Unsurprisingly, Lagway entered the bye week leading all FBS quarterbacks with a 63.2% completion percentage on 20-plus-yard throws downfield.
• Lagway led his third 90-plus-yard scoring drive of the season vs. Kentucky.
• In his first SEC road game at MSU, Lagway led two scoring drives starting inside UF’s 10-yard line, becoming the first freshman QB to lead a pair of 90-plus-yard drives in a road SEC tilt since Jalen Hurts in 2016.
• 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 fifth-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 became Florida’s first true freshman starter at quarterback since Treon Harris in the 2014 Birmingham Bowl (UF’s seventh true freshman starter at quarterback overall).

 

MONTRELL JOHNSON JR's STELLAR CAREER:

Bittersweet that this will be the last time we see Montrell in The Swamp . . . I'm sure we'll see him playing in the NFL though.

• Owning four rushing TDs, 387 rushing yards, 55.3 yards per game and 5.4 yards per carry on the season, RB Montrell Johnson Jr. returned in Week 12 and carried twice for 14 yards.
• Johnson Jr. exited in the second half of the Week 7 loss before missing Weeks 8, 10 & 11 to injury.
• Johnson Jr. owns 31 career rushing TDs (19 at Florida), which is the most of any active SEC rusher.
• He has totaled 33 multi-purpose TDs (21 at Florida: 19 rushing, two receiving).
• In Week 4, UF rushed for a season-high 226 yards, eclipsing 200-plus yards for the first time this season.
• 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 10th in the SEC (eighth among RBs) with 19 rushing touchdowns since 2022, including t-fourth among active SEC rushers.

 

OFFENSIVE GRAB BAG:

• Over the last five seasons (2020-24), Florida ranks 16th in the P5 and seventh in the SEC with 439.0 YPG.
• Since 2018, UF ranks ninth in the P5 in passing efficiency (151.6) and 14th in TD-INT ratio (2.72).
• In Week 11 at Texas, Florida became the first team to eclipse 300 total yards against Texas this season (329).
• The Gators totaled 197 yards rushing – the most against Texas this season.
• In Week 8 vs. UK, the Gators eclipsed 400 yards for the 15th time since the start of 2022 (third of 2024).
• With 226 yards at MSU, UF rushed for 200 yards 18 times since 2021 including 12 occasions in the Napier era.
• Florida has scored 40 points 11 times in 48 games from 2021-24 including seven times in the Napier era.
• Florida has scored 30 points 22 times in 48 games from 2021-24 including 16 times in the Napier era.

 

YOUTH AND NEW FACES MAKE-UP FLORIDA D:

• A mixture of second-year players, highly-touted true freshmen and transfers make up the 2024 UF defense.
• Oregon transfer DB Trikweze Bridges leads the team in tackles with a career-high 53 (27 solo) to carry a stat line of three pass breakups, two forced fumbles, one interception and one tackles-for-loss.
• Bridges has started the last five games with two-straight starts at corner after his three prior were at safety.
» Against No. 2 Georgia, he led the team in tackles for the second-straight game with eight (four solo).
» Against UK, Bridges set a career-high in tackles with 11 (six solo) along with a forced fumble and interception.
• Along with Bridges, the SO DB trio of Jordan Castell, Dijon Johnson and Bryce Thornton played all 92 defensive snaps vs. LSU.
• Sophomores DB Jordan Castell (46), LB Jaden Robinson (43) and LB Grayson Howard (37) rank four-five-six in tackles.
• According to PFF, Howard(87.5) and Robinson (85.4) own UF’s top tackling grades, ranking them fourth and seventh among SEC linebackers. The two have only missed three tackles total and have combined for 35 stops.
• Soph. EDGE Kamran James recorded his first career sack vs. No. 21 LSU with two quarterback hurries to lead the team with six. • Through 10 games, 15 players made their first UF starts while eight made their first collegiate starts: DB Sharif Denson, DB Aaron Gates, ILB Grayson Howard, DB Ja’Keem Jackson, EDGE Kamran James, DB Dijon Johnson, EDGE T.J. Searcy and DL Brien Taylor Jr.
• Of the 111 starting opportunities on defense, a combined 67 have been from underclassmen (45) and this season’s transfers (22). • Gumbs Jr. is second in tackles-for-loss with 6.0 (-33 yards) and sacks with 4.0 (-26 yards).
» This is just his second season on defense after three seasons at Northern Illinois; 1 at WR, 1 at TE and 1 at DE.
• Through just 116 defensive snaps, true freshman EDGE LJ McCray has four QB hurries, 11 tackles, 1.0 tackle-for-loss, 0.5 sacks and led a goal-line stand at MSU in the fourth quarter.
• Freshman LB Myles Graham made his first-career sack vs. Georgia, which was a 10-yard loss on 3rd & 2 in the 4th quarter.
» He forced his first-career fumble at No. 5 Texas that led to a Gators touchdown drive.
» The next week vs. No. 21 LSU, he played a season-high 31 snaps and had season-best seven tackles with two stops while grading as the Gators best defensive player and tackler according to PFF.
• 2023 All-SEC Freshma, EDGE T.J. Searcy has tackle-for-loss (2 sacks) in three of the last four games with forced fumbles in back-to-back games.
• Colorado transfer DB Cormani McClain made his UF debut vs. Kentucky and had a pick-six of 29 yards and a pass breakup in the endzone. Against No. 2 Georgia, he had four tackles (three solo) and 0.5 tackle-for-loss.

 

GATORS D RE-GROUPS vs LSU:

• With a six-sack performance against an LSU offensive line that entered the week fourth in the FBS (first in the SEC) in sacks allowed per game, Florida’s pass rush improved from t-47th in the FBS (t-10th in the SEC) in sacks per game to t-31st in the FBS (t-sixth in the SEC). The Tigers O-Line entered the game allowing six sacks all season.
• Florida set a season high in sacks (six) and tackles for loss (11) led by EDGE Tyrek Sapp’s career-high 4.0 tackles-for-loss.
» Sapp had a career-best eight tackles and sack. He is team-leader in TFLs (9) and sacks (4.5), doubling his numbers from last season of 4.5 tackles-for-loss and 2 sacks.
• The defense combined for 10 TFLS, six sacks, six quarterback hurries, six pass breakups, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
• Seven Gators combined for the team-high in TFLs and sacks with LB Shemar James’ career-high of two sacks. He had team- high 11 tackles (five solo), two sacks and two pass breakups.
» James sacked Garrett Nussmeier for eight yards then had a pass breakup on the next play to force an LSU field goal.
• DL Caleb Banks had an all-around performance with three tackles (two solo), three quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles, a sack and fumble recovery.
• LSU was held to an average of 2.9 yards per carry and 128 total rushing yards, marking the seventh time this season Florida has limited to 150 rushing yards in a game.
» UF only allowed 390-yards of total offense, its four time keeping opponents to 400-yards of total offense.
• The Gators forced -62 rushing yards, a season-high and tied for 7th most by an SEC team and 21st by an FBS team this season. • In the second-half vs. LSU, Gators held them to 52 total rushing yards on 24 attempts (2.2 YPC) while forcing -52 rushing yards.

 

DENSON & GATES ARE STARS:

• The pair of second-year DBs Sharif Denson and Aaron Gates highlight the STAR/Nickel position.
• Gates started vs. No. 2 Georgia and had his best game to date, as the Georgia native made his debut in the rivalry game.
» He finished with four tackles (three solo), 1.0 tackle-for-loss, one interception, one pass breakup and one QB hurry.
• At No. 5 Texas, Gates lined up at both STAR and safety while starting at STAR in back-to-back games to go with a ca- reer-high eight tackles and his second fumble recovery of the season.
• Gates ranks third on UF in TFLs with 4.0 to go with 26 total tackles (14 solo), three PBUs, two fumble recoveries and one QB hurry.
• Gates logged a pass breakup on 4th-and-11 vs. Kentucky to force a turnover on downs, setting up a Florida touchdown drive five plays later.
• Gates recorded his first-career TFL vs. Texas A&M (-2 yards) and had a solo tackle that held an Aggie pass to zero yards.
• Despite playing only four games last year, in his collegiate debut at South Carolina, Gates stopped a two-point conversion and intercepted a lateral on the game’s final play to secure the victory.
• Denson has 25 total tackles (15 solo), ranking t-fourth on the team with 3.5 tackles-for-loss to go with one solo sack, one interception, one forced fumble, one QB hurry and one pass breakup.
• At No. 8 Tennessee, Denson recorded his first-career interception for a return of 20 yards while adding a solo TFL that came on a third-and-three, forcing UT to punt and Florida responding with a touchdown drive.
• Denson started in Week 4 at Mississippi State for an injured Gates and posted career bests with seven tackles (five solo), 2.5 tackles-for-loss, one strip sack, one forced fumble and one pass breakup.

 

DEFENSIVE NOTABLES:

• Florida posted its seventh-straight game with a takeaway vs. No. 21 LSU and have forced a turnover in nine of 10 games.
• With 14 takeaways this season, UF has doubled their takeaways (seven) from last season already.
• Eight of the turnovers gained have been by underclassmen.
• Over the last seven games and six straight starts, EDGE Jack Pyburn has recorded 38 tackles (16 solo) with 10 stops.
• The Gators have held its opponent to zero points on the opening drive in each of the last four games.
• The UF defense had its best stretch of outings from Week 5-8, allowing its least amount of points (13, 20, 23) in FBS games.
» Against No. 21 LSU, UF only allowed 16 points, its fewest in SEC-play this season and second-lowest in FBS competition.
» One touchdown vs. Kentucky came on a kickoff and one touchdown came in overtime at No. 8 Tennessee.
» Two touchdowns vs. No. 2 UGA were aided by a bad snap on a field goal attempt and an interception in the UF redzone.
• In back-to-back weeks, Florida held UCF and Tennessee (both top-five in total offense and rushing offense at the time) to current season lows in both categories.
» The Gators shut out the Vols in the first half (second time for UT this season), as Tennessee did not reach the red zone.
• Against Kentucky, the Florida defense posted three interceptions, its most in a game since Nov. 28, 2020 vs. the Wildcats.
» It also tied for the total amount of interceptions (three) the Gators had all of last season.
• The UF defense posted three interceptions in back-to-back games vs. Kentucky and Georgia for the first time since Sept. 14, 2019 vs. Kentucky (three) and Sept. 21, 2019 vs. Tennessee (three).
» Since 1996, the Gators are sixth nationally in interceptions with an SEC-leading 421.

 

HOUSTON'S GAME CHANGERS AMONG NATION'S BEST:

• 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.
• The Gators climbed to No. 1 in the FBS in special teams for three-consecutive weeks (Weeks 2-4) by ESPN’s SP+ metric and have been in the top-13 all season in the metric while ranking nationally in multiple categories.
• Florida is second in the SEC and 11th in the FBS in punt return average (15.4), sitting seventh in the FBS in net punting (43.09).
• 2024 Ray Guy Semifinalist P Jeremy Crawshaw is the NCAA’s active career leader in punt average at 46.5, leading by 1.6 yards.
• In 43 punts, Crawshaw is averaging 46.6 yards with 16 of 50-plus, 22 inside the 20-yard line and three 60-yard plus punts.
• Despite averaging 37.8 per punt vs. No. 21 LSU, all four punts landed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line with one landing on the 8-yard line and the other 10-yard line, the other two punts both went to the 16-yard line.
• He punted his season-long of 62-yards at No. 5 Texas while averaging 47.8 per punt on five attempts.
• Against No. 2 Georgia, he tied his career-high with eight punts, owing an average of 49.1 yards per attempt with five over 50-yards, four inside the 20-yard line and a long of 59 yards.
• He has been named one of “Ray’s 8” four times this season - one of three punters in the nation with four selections.
• Crawshaw was also dubbed the Ray Guy Award Punter of the Week for his performance vs. UCF.
• He set the single-season program record with 48.9 yards per punt last year and was named AP All-SEC Second Team.
• Crawshaw’s current career average of 46.6 yards per attempt makes him the all-time program leader in career average punting yardage, ahead of Johnny Townsend (46.2) and Tommy Townsend (44.8).
• He has punted 175 times in his career for an average of 46.6 per attempt, 16 60-plus yards, 71 of 50-plus yards, 73 inside the 20-yard line and 66 fair catches. His 175 attempts are sixth all-time in program history.
• Crawshaw has totaled 8,108 punting yards, which ranks third all-time, Buster Morrison (1972-74) is second with 8,374 in 209 career punts vs. Crawshaw’s current 175 attempts.
• K Trey Smack took over kicking duties in Florida’s 29-16 win vs. No. 11 Tennessee in Week 3 of last season and went on to be a Lou Groza Award Semifinalist, making 17-of-21 FGs (81.0%) with a pair of 54-yarders.
• Smack is 34-for-34 on PATs and 12-for-15 on FGs this season with a long of 54, and is 6-8 from 40-yards plus.
» He drilled a 49-yard and 55-yard field goal vs. No. 21 LSU, the 55-yarder is tied for 3rd longest in program history.
• He made all five FG attempts vs. Charlotte [23, 23, 27, 36, 54] last year and drilled seven touchbacks on all seven attempts, becoming the first Gator to make five field goals in a single game since Eddy Pineiro in 2017.
• True Freshman RB Jadan Baugh has shined as the Gators’ primary kick returner, averaging 21.55 yards in 11 attempts.
• Baugh is one of seven SEC players to own two 30-yard plus kick returns and one of seven freshmen in the FBS to do so.
» He highlighted his collegiate debut with a 35-yard kickoff return vs. Miami, marking Florida’s longest return since 2022.
» Baugh had another 30-plus yard kick return with a 31-yarder in Week 2 vs. Samford and then added two 27-yard returns vs. Texas A&M despite receiving both in the endzone.
• Veteran WR Chimere Dike has been productive in both phases of the punt game.
» He is averaging 15.40 yards per return, including an SEC-leading 17.80 yards per return in five returns.
» Out of his 10 returns, four of them have gone for 20-plus yards, making him one of 17 players in the FBS to do so.
» At No. 8 Tennessee, he had back-to-back punt returns of 27 and 30 yards, which helped set up a game-tying, 27-yard TD pass with 34 seconds left - that Dike himself caught.
» The 35-yard return at Mississippi State tied his career high and set up a two-play, 44-yard TD drive.
» Dike downed a punt vs. Texas A&M on the one-yard line.
• LSRocco Underwoodowns three solo tackles on punts highlighted by holding an MSU return to zero yards.
» He was named a semifinalist for the Mannelly Award, giving to the nation’s top long snapper.