LSU tops No. 1 Wake Forest 5-2 to set up a rematch for a spot in the College World Series finals
Cade Beloso hit a go-ahead three-run homer, freshman Griffin Herring pitched 4 2/3 innings of shutout relief in his longest outing, and LSU defeated No. 1 national seed Wake Forest 5-2 to stay alive in the College World Series.
The โSuperโ challenge awaits: Hokies face Florida in Super Regional series
Survive and advance is the name of the game at this point in the season, and after beating Kentucky twice in the same day for the Super Regional berth, they now will face another SEC foe at Tech Softball Park, #13 Florida.
Kentucky rallies past No. 10 Florida 20-13 in SEC showdown
Trevin Wallace returned a blocked field goal 76 yards for the go-ahead touchdown late in the third quarter, Chris Rodriguez Jr. added a 9-yard scoring run early in the fourth and Kentucky made a final defensive stand to hold off No. 10 Florida 20-13.
QB debate continues as No. 13 Florida routs USF 42-20
No. 13 Florida tuned up for the start of Southeastern Conference play with a 42-20 rout of overmatched South Florida that did little to answer the question of whether starter Emory Jones or backup Anthony Richardson is best suited to run the Gators offense.
Florida gives Mullen 3-year extension, $1.5M raise annually
Florida football coach Dan Mullen received a three-year contract extension worth an additional $1.5 million annually following a disappointing season that closed with a three-game losing streak and included several public relations missteps and NCAA sanctions.
Sweet 16 bound: No. 15 seed Oral Roberts stuns Florida 81-78
Oral Roberts won 81-78. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)INDIANAPOLIS โ Dunk City, say hello to Max Abmas and the Golden Eagles of soaring Oral Roberts. Oral Roberts joins Florida Gulf Coast โ those guys from โDunk Cityโ โ as the only No. The Oral Roberts fans inside Indiana Famers Coliseum chanted โCinderellaโ during a wild celebration after the victory. SMART FOULOne of the biggest decisions of the game came with 3:11 left after Oral Roberts pulled within 76-75.
Short-handed Florida outlasts Virginia Tech in NCAA opener
10 seed Virginia Tech 75-70 in a first-round game on Friday. He finished with 30 points and scored the final 12 of regulation for Virginia Tech. Virginia Tech hit 5 of its first 10 3-point attempts, but made just two the rest of the way. Virginia Tech coach Mike Young said he considered keeping Aluma on the bench to start overtime. AdHINKLE'S LIGHTThe first NCAA Tournament game at Hinkle Fieldhouse in 81 years was rife with history, nostalgia and ... sunlight.
Florida beats No. 11 WVU in Big 12-SEC Challenge 85-80
11 West Virginia 85-80 on Saturday in the Big 12-SEC Challenge. Derek Culver led West Virginia (11-5) with a career-high 28 points, but he was bottled up in the second half. NICHOLS BACKFlorida assistant coach Darris Nichols faced West Virginia coach Bob Huggins for the third time. The Gators beat West Virginia in the 2016 Big 12/SEC Challenge in Gainesville, Florida, and at the 2018 Jimmy V Classic. 10 Texas Tech last Monday, Saturday's loss could prevent West Virginia from moving into the top 10 of the AP poll.
Short-handed Florida stuns No. 6 Tennessee 75-49
Florida guard Tre Mann (1) and Tennessee guard Davonte Gaines (0) compete for a rebound during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 19. 2021, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/Matt Stamey)GAINESVILLE, Fla. โ Noah Locke scored 14 points, Tyree Appleby added 13 and short-handed Florida stunned No. 6 Tennessee 75-49 on Tuesday night. Guard Scottie Lewis (COVID-19 protocols) and forward Colin Castleton (ankle) missed the game. But forward Omar Payne, starting for the first time in nearly a year, finished with nine points, nine rebounds and five blocked shots for Florida (7-4, 4-3 Southeastern Conference).
AP source: Florida fires 2 assistants after defensive fiasco
Florida coach Dan Mullen, center, watches play against Oklahoma during the first half of the Cotton Bowl NCAA college football game in Arlington, Texas, Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020. (AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)GAINESVILLE, Fla. โ Florida coach Dan Mullen wasted little time identifying problem areas following his teamโs worst defensive season in more than a hundred years. The Sooners racked up a whopping 684 yards โ the most any team has ever gained against Florida โ in the Cotton Bowl on Wednesday night. The Gators played without three defensive starters in the Cotton Bowl. Even with those give guys, Floridaโs defense was mostly a debacle.
Florida's Johnson rejoins team, works as coach amid recovery
(AP Photo/Matt Stamey, File)GAINESVILLE, Fla. โ Keyontae Johnson is back in Florida's basketball facility, just not on the court. Johnson was released from the hospital last week, 10 days after needing emergency medical attention. The Gators (3-1) postponed four games following Johnson's collapse and took 15 days off. โOur guys are ready to move forward, not move on from Keyontae, but move forward with him," White said. Kentuckyโs John Calipari is one of several coaches across college basketball who have said they would like to know if Johnsonโs collapse was related to his positive COVID-19 test months earlier.
Cotton Bowl: Big 12 champ Oklahoma vs SEC runner-up Florida
ARLINGTON, Texas โ Oklahoma is going right back to the stadium where the Sooners just won their sixth Big 12 championship in a row to play SEC runner-up Florida in the Cotton Bowl. During a Gators team meeting on Zoom to discuss their bowl destination, one of the first questions players asked Mullen was where the Cotton Bowl was played. Oklahoma is in the Cotton Bowl for only the third time, its first since a 41-13 loss to Texas A&M on Jan. 4, 2013. The Cotton Bowl will be played two days before Alabama faces No. Pitts announced is turning pro and won't play in the Cotton Bowl.
Harris scores 5 TDs, No. 1 Bama escapes No. 11 Florida 52-46
11 Florida in a 52-46 shootout for the Southeastern Conference championship Saturday night. โThe resiliency this team has shown this season to win 11 games is pretty phenomenal.โAfter trailing 35-17 at halftime, Florida (8-3, No. The Alabama senior also knocked off a couple of school records, setting new standards for career rushing TDs (44) and overall TDs (54). Florida: The Gators mightโve pulled off the upset if not for some crucial mistakes in the first half. But Florida also had two silly penalties on apparent third-down stops, extending a pair of drives that turned into touchdowns.
Swamp stunner: LSU beats No. 6 Florida with 57-yard FG late
We just missed it,โ Florida coach Dan Mullen said. โBoy, his confidence was incredible," LSU coach Ed Orgeron said. Trask and his fellow seniors helped Florida make a successful transition from coach Jim McElwainโs underwhelming tenure to coach Dan Mullenโs championship-centered regime. He fumbled trying to scramble with 10 seconds to play in the half, essentially handing LSU a field goal. Florida had first-and-10 at the LSU 15-yard line when Trask tried to connect with Kadarius Toney near the sideline.
Florida's Johnson hospitalized after collapsing on court
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. โ Florida coach Mike White declined to do any postgame media interviews. Johnson, the Southeastern Conference's preseason player of the year, collapsed coming out of a timeout against rival Florida State and needed emergency medical attention Saturday. Johnson was taken off the floor on a stretcher and rushed to Tallahassee Memorial for evaluation. The team said he was in critical but stable condition and later said he would remain in the hospital overnight. Johnson, a 6-foot-5 junior from Norfolk, Virginia, averaged a team-high 14 points last season to go along with 7.1 rebounds.
No. 6 Florida runs past Tennessee 31-19
Kyle Trask threw for 433 yards and four touchdowns, and the Gators beat Tennessee 31-19 on Saturday to clinch a spot in the SEC championship game. โIt felt like they threw on every snap.โPlaying with a depleted roster, Tennessee (2-6) dropped its sixth consecutive game. Florida stretched a 10-point halftime advantage to 24-7 with a 75-yard drive capped by an 8-yard pass from Trask to Trevon Grimes. โI think they did a great job โ Tennessee โ throughout the game of giving us some different looks," Trask said. The Tennessee defense stiffened and forced the Gators into a field goal attempt from 53 yards.
Heisman front-runner? Trask, No. 6 Florida thump Hogs 63-35
Trask repeatedly torched the Razorbacks (3-4), who were without coach Sam Pittman and without much of a chance by halftime. It was the second time this season Trask tossed six TDs in a game. โI think I did a great job of executing and being efficient,โ said Trask, who now has an SEC-record 28 TD passes and just three interceptions in six games. He became the third player in school history with at least 25 touchdown passes in multiple years, joining Heisman Trophy winners Tim Tebow and Danny Wuerffel. Florida: The Gators have the offense to beat anyone and the defense to keep everyone in games.
Trask, Florida upend Georgia 44-28 in 'Cocktail Party'
8 Florida beat fifth-ranked and undermanned Georgia 44-28 on Saturday. The Bulldogs (4-2), who entered the game as 3ยฝ-point favorites, were likely eliminated from College Football Playoff consideration and probably have a quarterback competition moving forward. Trask and the Gators took advantage, burning Georgia repeatedly with wheel routes while overcoming a 14-0 deficit. POLL IMPLICATIONSGeorgia likely will fall out of top 10 of T he Associated Press' college football poll for the first time this season. ___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
The Latest: No. 8 Florida reports no new COVID-19 positives
8 Florida reported no new COVID-19 positives in the past week, the first time since September the teamโs coronavirus numbers have remained steady. The Southeastern Conference postponed two of Floridaโs game following a COVID-19 outbreak that included coach Dan Mullen, at least two assistants and more than 30 players. The reserve/COVID-19 list is for a player who either tests positive for COVID-19 or who has been in close contact with an infected person. ___German soccer club Hertha Berlin says defender Jordan Torunarigha has tested positive for the coronavirus. Schalke said an unnamed player had also tested positive ahead of its German Cup game against Schweinfurt on Tuesday.
Toney, Trask shine as No. 10 Florida tops, fights Missouri
10 Florida returned from a three-week layoff to handle Missouri 41-17 on Saturday night in the Swamp. It could be costly for Florida (3-1), which plays rival and fifth-ranked Georgia next week in nearby Jacksonville. The referee huddled Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz and Mullen near the goal line and then announced the ejections. Missouri defensive lineman Tre Williams, Florida defensive end Zach Carter and Florida linebacker Antwuan Powell were tossed. Florida plays Georgia in the Worldโs Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, which will be limited to about 18,000 fans.
The Latest: Positive test halts Cal basketball workouts
The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___Californiaโs menโs basketball team is pausing workouts after an unidentified player tested positive for COVID-19. ___The NFL and its players' union say eight players and 11 other personnel tested positive in the latest round of screening for COVID-19. Coach Dan Mullen, at least two assistants and more than two dozen players tested positive following a road trip to Texas A&M earlier this month. FIU has seen more than 30 players miss time this season because of positive coronavirus tests or a need to quarantine after potential exposure. Last Sundayโs game between Lens and Nantes was postponed after 11 Lens players and two staff members tested positive for COVID-19.
No. 10 Florida, Mullen plan to resume practice next week
Florida head coach Dan Mullen reacts during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Mississippi in Oxford, Miss., Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020. Mullen was given several more chances Monday, Oct. 12, 2020, to walk back bizarre comments about wanting to pack 90,000 screaming fans inside Florida Field during the coronavirus pandemic. 10 Florida is planning to start returning to its football facility Monday, nearly two weeks after the program shut down because of a COVID-19 outbreak. Coach Dan Mullen, one of more than two dozen Gators who tested positive for the coronavirus last week, sounded congested as he said the team had a new positive Wednesday. 'โMullen suggested Florida would look at potentially changing its road routine, especially in regards to the size of visiting locker rooms around the league.
Kansas coach cleared of virus but skips West Virginia game
LAWRENCE, Kan. โ Kansas coach Les Miles has been cleared to return to the Jayhawks after his positive test for COVID-19, but out of caution is skipping the teamโs trip to West Virginia for Saturdayโs game. Also on Friday, Southern Mississippi at UTEP became the sixth game scheduled for Saturday to be postponed this week. The Gators had at least 21 players and coaches test positive for the coronavirus and dozens more quarantined because of contract tracing. โCoach Miles is doing well and has been cleared to leave isolation," Kansas team physician Dr. Larry Magee said in a statement. Miles isn't the only head coach to test positive for the virus.
Virus wreaking havoc on SEC with Saban now testing positive
10 Florida's game against defending national champion LSU was postponed Wednesday to tentatively Dec. 12 after the SEC postponed Missouri-Vanderbilt on Monday. Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason is going through a similar situation. To play, the SEC requires at least 53 on game days. Timing is critical depending on the day of the week a positive test or tracing result returns. โEvery time youโre taking a test," Mason said, โyou're crossing your fingers ... you don't have anybody in harm's way."
Spiller helps No. 21 A&M top No. 4 Florida 41-38
โNow I want to see what do you follow up with?โIsaiah Spiller rushed for 174 yards and two touchdowns, and No. 21 Texas A&M beat fourth-ranked Florida 41-38 on Seth Smallโs 26-yard field goal as time expired Saturday. Spiller helped get the Aggies get into position for Smallโs decisive kick, sending A&M to its first win over a top-five team since a 41-38 victory over No. Florida led 28-24 early in the fourth when Spiller struck again, running 19 yards for a touchdown on a fourth-and-2 play. Spiller bounced off several defenders before waltzing into the end zone and then hitting the Florida fan section with a Gator chomp.
Trask, Pitts help No. 3 Florida top South Carolina 38-24
Kyle Trask and Kyle Pitts hooked up for two more touchdowns, continuing their hot start and leading Florida to a 38-24 victory over South Carolina on Saturday. But the Gators had their way with South Carolina for three quarters in front of 15,120 socially distant fans in the Swamp. BRIGHT SPOTHarris was one of the few bright spots for South Carolina. "I just did what I had to do.โDROPPED PASSESA big reason South Carolina couldnโt keep up was dropped passes. Florida takes its โKyle to Kyle Showโ to Kyle Field to play Texas A&M next Saturday.
No. 5 Florida beats Ole Miss 51-35 in Kiffin's debut
The star tight end caught four of Kyle Traskโs six touchdown passes and No. 5 Florida spoiled the head coaching debut of Mississippiโs Lane Kiffin with a 51-35 victory Saturday. Trask completed 30 of 42 passes for 416 yards including touchdown passes of 1, 16, 71 and 17 yards to Pitts. Trask modestly chose to deflect the attention to 6-foot-6, 240-pound Pitts, who consistently found seams in the Ole Miss secondary. Ole Miss (0-1) tied it at 14 midway through the second quarter before yielding to the Trask-led Florida outburst.
Alligator was pulled from a pond behind Michigan junior high school
CNNTEMPERANCE, Michigan (CNN) - The teams at Bedford Junior High School in Temperance, Michigan, call themselves the Broncos. They may need to change their name to the Gators after one was found living in a pond behind the school. The school had posted multiple notices urging students and staffers to steer clear of the pond until the alligator was safely removed. The body of water is called the Biology Pond and is used by both junior and senior high school classes for academic study, the school said. "It got loose or somebody let it loose -- one or the other," Indian Park Zoo owner Joe Garverick told WTVG.