GAINESVILLE Florida and Florida State will square off during a meeting of two in-state rivals that increasingly lacks the national relevance and appeal of the past. The Gators (3-8) are riding a four-game losing streak under interim coach Billy Gonzales and in the thick of a search to replace Billy Napier. Meanwhile, the Seminoles (5-6) are pushing to qualify for a bowl game after the school decided to keep coach Mike Norvell in 2026 despite facing the possibility of consecutive losing seasons. Both schools are coming off ugly losses, a 31-11 no-show by the Gators at home against Tennessee and a late-game collapse by FSU during a 24-11 loss at N. C. State. With little on the line beyond bragging rights and a lower-tier bowl bid in FSU’s case, the Gators and Seminoles still generate storylines. Does Lane Kiffin’s decision matter more than the game? The Ole Miss coach’s announcement on his future will consume three fan bases and send shockwaves through college football. It remains unclear how, when and where Kiffin will reveal whether he’ll coach Florida, LSU or remain at Ole Miss in 2026. If the 50-year-old’s plans have not be announced or reported by Saturday’s 4: 30 p. m. kickoff, fans in the Swamp will be glued to their phones more than the field. Senior Day and a heated rivalry game will be an afterthought to the Kiffin Sweepstakes. If forced to choose, Florida fans would easily rather win Kiffin’s services than beat FSU. If the Lane Train is bound for somewhere other than Gainesville, the Gators could lose twice in one day to put a bow on a brutal season. Is this DJ Lagway’s last game at the Swamp? Florida’s sophomore quarterback has been the face of Florida’s disappointing season. Expected to be a rising star and potential Heisman contender for a trending program, Lagway has failed to meet expectations; he enters Saturday with 13 touchdowns, an SEC-leading 13 interceptions and a passer rating (124. 9) better than only one SEC quarterback. In the process, Lagway has raised questions about his fundamentals, decision-making and durability, along with his future at UF. The next coach could decide to go in another direction at quarterback. Lagway, a native of Willis, Texas, north of Houston, could want a fresh start at another school. Wherever he ends up, Lagway will have to earn a starting job and presumably take a cut in NIL earnings. Lagway wore a gray Gators beanie and discussed his team’s latest loss last Saturday at the Swamp, where fans once chanted his name but now routinely boo him and the SEC’s lowest-scoring offense. The 20-year-old had little to say about an uncertain future. “I’m focused on right now one game at a time,” he said. “I’m blessed and fortunate to be a Florida Gator. I’m happy, this is my home, and I just want to continue to get better.” Will Jadan Baugh’s season be overshadowed? The sophomore tailback nears a 1, 000-yard season amid a coaching change and losing streaks of three and now four games. Baugh is 96 yards shy of becoming the first UF tailback to reach the plateau during the regular season since Mike Gillislee accomplished the feat in 2012 for an 11-win team that played in the Sugar Bowl. Baugh, on the other hand, has been a bright spot during a dismal season featuring just three wins, while playing for a punchless offense riddled with injuries at skill positions. Baugh has evolved into a receiving threat, with 33 catches for 210 yards, on a team with increasingly fewer pass-catching options. His 33-yard scoring catch against Tennessee was UF’s only touchdown. A penalty on the Gators’ opening series wiped out a 42-yard reception, just as another penalty negated an 87-yard touchdown grab at LSU with Florida trailing 3-0 during an eventual 20-10 loss. If Baugh reaches 1, 000 rushing yards, he’d be only the fifth Florida tailback to do so since Fred Taylor in 1997, joining Gillislee, Kelvin Taylor (2015), Ciatrick Fason (2004) and Earnest Graham (2002). “I’m not too much worried about it,” Baugh said. “I’m worried about finishing the mission, finishing with my teammates and sending the seniors out the right way.” Baugh’s push toward the milestone has not been a solitary pursuit. While individual exploits are a small consolation, a 1, 000-yard back would have a nice ring to it, said center Jake Slaughter. “He works his tail off. He runs hard. He’s a guy’s guy, we love to block for him,” Slaughter said. “So we’re gonna do what we can to get him there. I’m excited for him.” Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel. com Up next . FSU (5-6) at UF (3-8) When: 4: 30 p. m., Saturday Where: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville TV: ESPN2.
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