The Opening Kickoff: Gators vs. South Carolina

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The last time Florida and South Carolina banged heads, the Gators and their fans stumbled away dizzy.

In South Carolina's 40-17 win in Columbia a season ago, the Gamecocks scored 30 unanswered points and placed a magnifying glass over what ailed the Gators. The loss was the beginning of the end for former coach Dan Mullen.

Fast forward a year, and Billy Napier is in charge of the Gators (5-4, 2-4 SEC) and has a team that is showing signs of life instead of death late in the season. Florida played arguably its best game of the season last week at Texas A&M and seeks to beat the Gamecocks (6-3, 3-3) for the fourth consecutive time at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Gators are far from a finished product and need a win in their final three regular-season games to become bowl eligible. Still, Napier left Kyle Field encouraged by his team's response after trailing at halftime.

Florida held the Aggies scoreless in the second half and took control of the game on a pair of third-quarter touchdown passes from quarterback Anthony Richardson.

"We've spent a ton of time on scheme, fundamentals, situational football,'' Napier said. "We lift weights. We run. We focus on all different forms of development physically. But I think that team dynamic – the quote/unquote, culture or brotherhood, however you want to describe that – the expectation from each other, the accountability at the player level … you've got to have that.

"And I think that's what we've been working hard on. You're starting to see some of that show up."

An experience like no other.

This is The Swamp. pic.twitter.com/SPvP0FOm1s
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) November 9, 2022

For the results to show up on Florida Field Saturday, the Gators will have to defeat a South Carolina team that has won five of six games. The Gamecocks became bowl eligible last week with a victory at Vanderbilt.

Second-year Gamecocks coach Shane Beamer sees some of the same things in the Gators that Napier does.

"Coach Napier has got a team that continues to improve,'' Beamer said. "Played a good half of football two weeks ago against Georgia in the second half. Carried that over to their performance in College Station last Saturday with probably their best performance of the year. Certainly, a dominant second half against Texas A&M.

"They don't beat themselves. They're number one in the SEC right now in turnover margin. They're one of the fewest penalized teams in the SEC, as well. They're doing a lot of things right and getting better each week."

The Gators and their fans – heading into the final home game of the season – await an opportunity to erase some of the sting from last year's miserable night in South Carolina.

For more on Saturday's game between the Gators and Gamecocks, here is The Opening Kickoff:

THREE STORYLINES

The Gators can become bowl eligible in head coach Billy Napier's first season with a victory over the Gamecocks. The Gators will honor 18 seniors on Senior Day, including sixth-year senior linebacker Ventrell Miller, who played for three head coaches at UF.
Florida snapped a two-game losing streak with a 41-24 win at Texas A&M a week ago, sparked by a resurgent defense in the second half that limited the Aggies to 106 yards after halftime. Can the Gators duplicate some of that defensive success Saturday against a Gamecocks offense ranked 10th in the SEC (368.3 yards per game)?
The quarterback matchup between UF's Anthony Richardson and South Carolina's Spencer Rattler is intriguing. Richardson has shown signs of improvement as the season has progressed while Rattler, the former Oklahoma standout, has been inconsistent in his first season with the Gamecocks. The Gators want to pay Rattler back for leading the Sooners to a runaway win over UF in the 2020 Cotton Bowl.

THREE PLAYERS TO WATCH

Gators outside linebacker Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr. delivered in his first career start. Powell-Ryland, getting the start following the dismissal of Brenton Cox Jr., finished with a career-high six tackles at Texas A&M. He also contributed a sack and forced fumble, making the most of his opportunity.
South Carolina receiver Jaheim Bell, who is from Lake City, rushed for 56 yards in last week's win over Vanderbilt with tailback MarShawn Lloyd sidelined with a thigh bruise. Bell's versatility is a factor UF's defense must consider.
Florida receiver Caleb Douglas, a former high school quarterback, moved up the depth chart this week with Ja'Quavion Fraziars sideline due to a shoulder injury. Fraziars and Douglas each had touchdown receptions in the decisive third quarter a week ago at Texas A&M. Douglas has just four catches for 87 yards, but two have been scores.

FIVE DIGITS

111 – Years since Florida first played South Carolina, a 6-6 tie in Columbia in 1911.
5 – Blocked punts for the Gamecocks this season, a school record.
6.6 – Yards per rush for Gators quarterback Anthony Richardson, which is tops among FBS quarterbacks.
16 – Turnovers forced by the Gators this season, second in the SEC. UF has scored 63 points off turnovers.
8 – South Carolina turnovers in its last three losses (Arkansas, Georgia, Missouri).

INJURY REPORT

GATORS — OUT: K Trey Smack (lower body), WR Ja'Quavion Fraziars (shoulder), TE Keon Zipperer (lower body), CB Devin Moore (shoulder, out for season), LS Marco Ortiz (upper body), TE Nick Elksnis (upper body), TE Arlis Boardingham (upper body); QUESTIONABLE — WR Justin Shorter (ankle), OL Ethan White (upper body). SOUTH CAROLINA — OUT: DB B.J. Gibson (hamstring), DB David Spaulding (foot), LB Mo Kaba (knee), DL Jordan Strachan (knee), TE Chad Terrell (knee), WR Corey Rucker (foot); QUESTIONABLE: RB MarShawn Lloyd (leg), DE Terrell Dawkins (undisclosed).

NOTES FILE

The Gators lead the all-time series 29-10-3, including 16-2 at home.
Florida rushed a season-high 50 times for a season-best 291 yards last week at Texas A&M. South Carolina enters with the SEC's 11th-ranked rushing defense (171.8 ypg).
Former Gators secondary coach Torrian Gray, who was on UF's staff in 2020, is in his second season as South Carolina's defensive backs coach.
Gators quarterback Anthony Richardson has comparable passing numbers to South Carolina's Spencer Rattler. Richardson has thrown for 1,839 yards, nine touchdowns and seven interceptions; Rattler has passed for 1,823 yards, eight touchdowns and nine interceptions. Richardson has a huge edge in rushing yards: 488 to 21.
Gamecocks freshman safety Nick Emmanwori is one of 14 semifinalists for the Freshman of the Year Award. Emmanwori has started the last eight games and leads the team with 60 tackles.
Receiver Xzavier Henderson has led the Gators in catches for five consecutive games. He has a team-high 36 catches for 395 yard and two touchdowns.
Gators ambassador Steve Spurrier is the all-time winningest coach at both Florida and South Carolina. Spurrier was 10-0 against the Gamecocks while at Florida, and 5-5 against the Gators while at South Carolina.
The Gators have gone three consecutive games without turning the ball over. The stretch includes a span of 38 possessions.
South Carolina coach Shane Beamer is 13-9 since taking over before last season. The Gamecocks drilled UF 40-17 in Columbia a season ago. This is the first time Beamer and Gators coach Billy Napier have faced one another.
Gators Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Danny Wuerffel is making his debut as a radio analyst, calling the game with play-by-play man Noah Britt on the Gridiron Radio Network's national broadcast.

THEY SAID IT

"He's the heart of the team, for sure. I tried to pick up whatever I can get from him to try to help him out, make his job easier." – Gators OLB Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr. on teammate Ventrell Miller
"Nobody's pretending that was anything other than what it was. South Carolina's defensive effort against Vanderbilt was deplorable. Disgusting. It flat-out stunk." – The Charleston (S.C.) Post & Courier columnist David Cloninger on South Carolina's defense in last week's win over Vanderbilt; the Commodores racked up 454 yards
"He's been modified in practice. He's been able to do some things. We've kind of got him on a pitch count. He's still questionable at this point in time." – Gators coach Billy Napier on receiver Justin Shorter, who missed last week's game at Texas A&M
"I'm still at the part of which route to go. I'll figure everything out at the end of the season." – Gators senior offensive lineman Richard Gouraige, who could come back for another season, on his future plans
"I don't." – A smiling South Carolina coach Shane Beamer when asked this week if he has a favorite Tom Petty song

THEY WROTE IT

Questions for Gators entering visit from South Carolina writes Edgar Thompson of the Orlando Sentinel.
Gators Senior Day Part 2 means saying goodbye again: may bode well for offensive lineman writes G. Allan Taylor of The Athletic.
Tampa Bay Times writer Matt Baker asks: is this Anthony Richardson's final Florida Gators home game?
Incoming UF President Ben Sasse vows to be a Gators super fan writes David Whitley of the Gainesville Sun.
Gators quarterback Anthony Richardson has netted more than $1 million in NIL deals writes Pete Nakos of On3.com.

BOTTOM LINE

Ben Hill Griffin Stadium will be filled with emotion on Saturday. It's Senior Day for 18 players who have experienced a wild ride as Gators. They have played in New Year's Six bowl games. They have endured a global pandemic. They have seen college football change drastically during their careers. They have been ranked in the top 10 and suffered a losing season. The Gators take the field Saturday fresh off one of their better performances of the season. With a lot to play for, I don't see a letdown against the Gamecocks. Florida wins to become bowl eligible and stays on track to send the seniors out the right way.

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