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Countdown to Kickoff Show: Florida Gators look to revive their season with trip to Miami to play the Hurricanes

by: Noah Gulley09/18/25canesport
Countdown To Kickoff

Tune in to this week’s CaneSport Countdown To Kickoff Show as Dara Karadsheh and Noah Gulley break down the Miami-UF game.

So far this season the two programs appear headed in opposite directions, with the Canes 3-0 and ranked No. 4 … and Florida 1-2 off two straight losses and nowhere to be found on the rankings.

But that’s not to say UF isn’t a dangerous team. The Gators were penalized for 103 yards in a last-second loss to USF and were done in by five interceptions thrown by DJ Lagway last weekend in a loss at LSU. In other words, if somehow Florida doesn’t make a lot of mistakes, perhaps they can keep this game close.

But whereas Miami’s been clicking on all cylinders on offense behind QB Carson Beck, and with a defense that’s caused all kinds of issues for opponents as well, Florida has just been struggling … and especially on offense.

The team has just two TDs in the last eight quarters. And Lagway has five TD passes and six INTs and averages 210 pass yards per game. He’s struggled with accuracy and consistency. Only two players have more than 100 receiving yards on the year – Vernell Brown III leads UF with 16 catches and 197 yards but has yet to find the end zone, and TE Hayden Hansen has 13 receptions for 117 yards and a score. Florida’s allowed five sacks and 13 TFL in the three games, and the run game hasn’t done much to take the load off the QB – Jadan Baugh has plenty of talent but averages 81 rush yards per game with one TD, and Ja’Kobi Jackson has just 59 yards on 20 carries with no scores.

On defense UF has just one interception and two sacks in the three games, but with that said the D’s only allowing 13 points per game and 264 yards. So that has been a decent unit. Up front DE Tyreak Sapp and interior defender Caleb Banks are considered solid NFL level talents. So far Sapp has eight tackles and a sack, and Banks (4.5 sacks last year) reinjured his foot last weekend and won’t be playing which is a big loss for UF. DE George Gumbs has picked up some of the slack, contributing 10 tackles, 2.5 for losses.

At linebacker the team relies on Myles Graham (team high 17 tackles, two TFL, two QB hurries), along with Jaden Robinson (52 tackles, 3.5 sacks last year; 12 this year with two TFL and a forced fumble). And in the defensive backfield safeties Jordan Castell (55 tackles, 2 TFL last year; seven tackles this year) and Bryce Thornton (3 INTs last year; 2 FRs, 3 PBU this year) are good enough playmakers while at CB there are some question marks with the starters Dijon Johnson (27 tackles last year, has the team’s lone INT this year) and Devin Moore (17 tackles, 2 INTs last year, 2 PBU this year).

So stay tuned for the latest chapter of this storied rivalry on Saturday night.

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