OGT: LSU at FLORIDA -- November 16, 2024 -- 3:30 PM [ABC]

We still miss you and your OGTs GatorGrowl . . . but are happy that you're back in your hometown and in rehab and progressing!

 

Florida Gators (4-5, 2-4 SEC) vs. #21 LSU Tigers (6-3, 3-2 SEC)

November 16 // 3:30 p.m. ET // Gainesville, Fla. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Steve Spurrier-Florida Field (88,548)

ABC
Play-by-Play: Dave Pasch
Analyst: Dusty Dvoracek
Reporter: Taylor McGregor

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
Live Audio ESPN Gainesville – WRUF

Channel: Local Affiliates
SiriusXM Channel: 137 / 190

TV Replays
Tues. 11/19 – 2:00 a.m. ET – SEC Network
Tues. 11/19 – 10:30 p.m. ET – SEC Network

 

THE OPENING DRIVE:

• Week 12 marks the 71st meeting between Florida and LSU including the 35th matchup in Gainesville.
• Florida holds a slim 16-15-3 lead in the series in Gainesville despite trailing overall, 33-34-3.
• The two programs first met in Baton Rouge in 1937 (LSU 19, Florida 0), with the first matchup in Gainesville not coming until 1953 (Florida 21, LSU 21).
• Over the last five meetings with LSU, Florida is averaging 487.4 yards per game and 326.2 passing yards per game.
• The Gators have rushed for 100-plus yards vs. LSU in eight-straight games and in 12 of the last 13 meetings.
• This is the third meeting between UF HC Billy Napier and LSU HC Brian Kelly as head coaches (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.
• Meanwhile, the Gators’ next two games are against a pair of AP Top 25 teams in No. 21 LSU and No. 10 Ole Miss.
• In last week’s loss, Florida became the first team to eclipse 300 total yards against Texas this season (329) and totaled 197 yards rushing – also the most against this the Longhorns this year.
• The Gators have recorded a takeaway in six-straight games and have forced a turnover in eight of nine overall.
• Among quarterbacks with at least 90 pass attempts this season, QB DJ Lagway (third, eighth - 169.3) and QB Graham Mertz (fifth, 15th - 164.1) both rank top-five in the SEC and top-15 nationally in passer rating.
• Florida is one of four teams in the country with two qualified receivers averaging 18.0 yards per catch in WR Elijhah Badger (second - 23.3) and WR Chimere Dike (25th - 18.7), with the others being Ole Miss, Indiana and East Carolina.
• Led by first-year senior analyst Joe Houston, Florida ranks sixth in the FBS in punt return average (17.33), eighth in net punting (44.08) and 59th in kick return average (20.33), and has been inside the top-13 all season in ESPN’s SP+ metric.
• Florida enters Week 12 ranking eighth in the SEC and 41st in the FBS in passer rating (142.8).
• In the Week 8 win over UK, Florida started a true freshman at both quarterback (Lagway) and running back (Jadan Baugh) for the first time in program history, and is one of two FBS programs to do so this season (Stanford).
• C Jake Slaughter grades as the No. 9 center in the FBS (77.0) highlighted by the 14th-best pass block grade (84.2).
• The Gators have allowed just 13 sacks all season, which is tied for second-fewest in the SEC and t-37th in the FBS.
• Since the 2018 season, Napier ranks 15th in the FBS with 55 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 16 of their last 22 games in The Swamp (including 11 of 16), 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 362-117-13 (.749) all-time record at The Swamp, holding the third-highest home winning percent- age in the nation since 1990 with a 181-38 (.826) record. » The Gators have outscored opponents, 8,171 to 3,590 in 219 games inside The Swamp since 1990, putting the average outcome at 37.3 to 16.4 (20.9 points).
• Florida has scored in 457-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 (TCU, 404-straight games, active streak).

 

NEW BELLCOWS BE BAUGHLIN'

• In Week 11 at Texas, true freshman RB Jadan Baugh made his second-career start and carried 19 times for 88 yards (4.6 YPC) while scoring his sixth rushing TD of the season.
• Baugh’s six TDs in the last three games are highlighted by a record-setting, five TD performance in Week 8.
• RB Ja’Kobi Jackson added a career-high 116 yards rushing on 19 carries (6.1 YPC) for his first-career 100- yard performance while scoring his fifth rushing TD of the campaign in Week 11 at Texas.
• Jackson (75.5) and Baugh (74.4) were Florida’s highest-graded offensive players in Week 11, per PFF.
• Florida has rushed for 1,003 combined yards across the last six games (167.2 YPG).
• Baugh rushed 58 times for 258 yards in the last three games, with 166 of those yards after contact (64.3%).
• On the season, 276 of Baugh’s 411 rushing yards have come after contact (67.2%).
• 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 eight of nine games this season and 28 of 34 contests since 2022.
• Florida has scored a rushing TD in eight of nine games this season, and 28 of 34 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 58.0 yards per game and 18.0 yards per reception.
• Dike had three receptions of 15-plus yards (39, 20, 16) at Texas to increase his season total to 16 explosive plays.
• Dike paced Florida at Texas with five catches for 95 yards and has 14 catches of 20-plus yards this year.
• Badger is second in the FBS with 23.3 YPC while pacing UF with 560 yards (11th in SEC) and 70.0 YPG.
• Dike (18.7) 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 18.5 yards per catch.
• Badger ranks t-seventh in the SEC with 70.0 receiving YPG while Dike ranks 13th with 58.1 YPG.
• Florida is one of four SEC teams with multiple receivers averaging over 55.0 YPG (LSU, Ole Miss, Mizzou).
• WR Aidan Mizell’s 43-yard TD grab vs. Georgia marked the longest reception of his career as well as his second-career TD, as both have come this season on 40-plus yard catches.
• Badger’s 10-yard reception from Warner in the third quarter vs. Georgia extended his streak to 34-straight games with a catch (t-13th-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). • Badger, Dike, Boardingham and Mizell are all tied for the team lead in receiving TDs with two

 

SLAUGHTER & BCD HIGHILGHT TOP 3 SEC O-LINE:

• Florida has not allowed a sack in three separate games this season and allowed just one in Week 11 at Texas.
• The Gators have given up just 13 sacks all season, which ranks second in the SEC and 37th nationally.
• Florida grades as the No. 7 pass blocking team in the country (83.2) and is second in the SEC behind Texas.
• C Jake Slaughter ranks ninth among FBS centers through Week 11 with a 77.0 grade.
• Slaughter has allowed zero sacks, one QB hit, four hurries and just five pressures in 286 pass block snaps.
• Slaughter sits 14th among FBS centers with an 84.2 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 six pressures in 260 pass block snaps in 2024.
• Crenshaw-Dickson’s 86.9 pass block grade ranks 11th 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 34 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 fifth least in the SEC. During that span, the Gators have out-sacked opponents by a plus-18 margin (101-83).

 

THE SIGNAL CALLER FILES:

• True freshman QB DJ Lagway was a game-time decision in Week 11 but ultimately was unable to go.
• Lagway made his third-career start in Week 10 vs. Georgia, going 2-for-6 for 47 yards and one passing TD for a 154.1 rating while rushing four times for 18 yards before exiting in the second quarter due to injury.
• QB Aidan Warner made his first-career start in Week 11 and went 3-for-3 for nine yards on the opening drive.
• Warner finished 12-of-25 for 132 yards with two interceptions.
• Florida has started three different quarterbacks this season for the first time since 2017 (Franks, Zaire, Del Rio).
• Through eight games (three starts), Lagway has completed 56-for-92 passes (60.9%) for 1,071 yards, (133.9 YPG), six 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 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 169.3 rating ranks third in the SEC and eighth in the FBS among quarterbacks with at least 90 pass attempts. QB Graham Mertz? Fifth 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.
• In his first college season, Lagway’s 77.9 passing grade ranks 40th among FBS quarterbacks - three spots behind Jalen Milroe (79.0), two ahead of Garrett Nussmeier (77.5) and eight above Carson Beck (76.4).
• 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.
• Mertz has started all 48 games he has played since 2020, ranking fifth among active FBS QBs in that time.
• 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).

 

OFFENSIVE GRAB BAG:

• Over the last five seasons (2020-24), Florida ranks 16th in the P5 and seventh in the SEC with 440.7 YPG.
• Since 2018, UF ranks ninth in the P5 in passing efficiency (151.8) and 14th in TD-INT ratio (2.71).
• 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 47 games from 2021-24 including seven times in the Napier era.
• Florida has scored 30 points 22 times in 47 games from 2021-24 including 16 times in the Napier era.

 

YOUTH AND NEW FACES MAKE-UP FLORID'S 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 46 (12 solo) to carry a stat line of two pass breakups, two forced fumbles, one interception and 0.5 tackles-for-loss.
• Bridges has started the last four games with his most recent start at No. 5 Texas at CB after his three prior were at S.
» 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.
• Sophomores DB Jordan Castell (40), LB Grayson Howard (37) and LB Jaden Robinson (36) rank three-four-six in tackles.
• According to PFF, Howard(87.8) and Robinson (83.7) own UF’s top tackling grades, ranking them third and ninth among SEC linebackers. The two have only missed three tackles total and have combined for 32 stops.
• Through ten games, 15 players have made their first starts at UF 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 99 starting opportunities on defense this year, a combined 61 have been from underclassmen (40) and transfers (21).
• Gumbs Jr. is tied for the team-high in tackles-for-loss with 5.0 (-28 yards) and is second in sacks with 3.0 (-21 yards).
» He had a career and team-best 1.5 sacks with both sacks coming on third downs against UCF.
» 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 105 defensive snaps, true freshman EDGE LJ McCray has a team-high four QB hurries, nine 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.
• 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.
• McClain made his fifth-career start and first as a Gator vs. the No. 5 Longhorns in Week 11.

 

Not really OGT-related but since it's like we're getting together for a tailgate or to watch the game together, here's something:

 

OK . . . sorry. Enough recruiting but some positives I wanted out there.