‘Canes streaking; ‘mocktail party’ takes center stage; UCF, USF, FSU seek wins

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Quarterback DJ Lagway is the most important Gators player to coach Billy Napier’s future at Florida.

The fabulous freshman will get a chance to save Napier’s job in November while facing four ranked teams, beginning Saturday against No. 2 Georgia in nearby Jacksonville. If Lagway plays like he did in his two previous starts, the game previously billed as the “World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party” could turn into a welcome back celebration for Napier.

Lagway and the Gators (4-3, 2-2 Southeastern Conference) are trying to end a three-game skid in the series and give Napier a much-needed victory against a ranked team and a rival. Napier is 2-12 against ranked opponents in three seasons and 1-9 against rivals Georgia, Florida State, LSU, Miami and Tennessee.

Napier’s tenure in Gainesville felt over after lopsided losses to Miami and Texas A&M in the first month of the season. But three wins in his past four games and signs of progress on both sides of the ball have given Napier a chance to alter his fate.

In other contests this weekend, a favored USF (3-4) will try to get back to .500 on Friday night when it visits new American Athletic Conference opponent Florida Atlantic.

Florida State and UCF will both try to bounce back after losses to ranked teams.

The Seminoles’ slide toward the bottom of the Atlantic Coast Conference continued after last week’s 36-14 loss at No. 5 Miami. FSU (1-7 overall and 1-6 in ACC play) still has to tangle with ranked Notre Dame and Florida after this week’s matchup with North Carolina. FSU also has a November meeting with Charleston Southern.  

UCF had few answers for No. 11 BYU’s offense, giving up 480 yards to the Cougars in a 37-24 loss. As a result, coach Gus Malzahn fired defensive coordinator Ted Roof, restored last year’s defensive coordinator Addison Williams to the role and handed over offensive play-calling responsibilities to first-year offensive coordinator Tim Harris Jr. That leaves in question what the Knights (3-5 overall, 1-4 in the Big 12) will look like as they take on Arizona (also 3-5, 1-4) on Saturday afternoon. UCF’s undefeated record in Space Games is on the line.

State leader Miami, meanwhile, looks to continue its path toward a high ranking and a playoff bid. The fifth-ranked Hurricanes will host a scrappy Duke bunch ahead of next week’s initial College Football Playoff rankings, which will give a first look at who is in the 12-team playoff. At this point, all the rest of the state’s teams cling to hopes they can win enough contests as the season wraps up to go to a bowl game.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

A closer look at Week 10’s games

Friday, Nov. 1

USF (3-4, 1-2 in American Athletic Conference) at Florida Atlantic University (2-5, 0-3), 7:30 p.m., ESPN2

The Bulls, who lead the all-time series 3-2 in this budding rivalry, should be motivated, not only after last week’s 10-point victory against UAB but especially after the Owls spanked USF 56-14 in Tampa last season. USF coach Alex Golesh has not said whether Bryce Archie will start at quarterback or if Byrum Brown will return from injury. Brown has been out since a leg injury sidelined him Sept.28 at Tulane.  

Saturday, Nov. 2  

Duke (6-2, 2-2 in ACC) at No. 5 Miami (8-0, 4-0), noon, ABC and ESPN+

As the college football season heads into its final full month, the ACC race is coming down to four schools — all without a league loss: No. 20 SMU, No. 18 Pitt, No. 11 Clemson and No. 5 Miami. Miami and Pitt are unbeaten. An unbeaten ACC champion is all-but certain to reach the 12-team College Football Playoff.

These are all things the Hurricanes will have on their minds down the stretch, starting Saturday against the Blue Devils.

North Carolina (4-4, 1-3 in ACC) at Florida State (1-7, 1-6), 3:30 p.m., ACC Network

The Seminoles are coming off a 36-14 loss to the rival Hurricanes, went winless in October, have not scored more than 16 points since its opener against Georgia Tech and lost a commitment from a four-star wide receiver last week. One win will not right this massively wrong season, but the Seminoles desperately seek something, anything, to go their way as the schedule moves into November.

Florida (4-3, 2-2 in SEC) vs. Georgia (6-1, 4-1 in SEC), in Jacksonville, 3:30 p.m. ABC

The past three meetings between the teams have essentially been over by halftime, 24-0 in 2021, 28-3 in 2022 and 26-7 last year. A couple key Bulldogs, safety Dan Jackson and defensive back Joenel Aguero are suspended for the first half after ejections for targeting against Texas. Jackson is the team’s second-leading tackler with 37, and Aguero ranks eighth with 19. Florida will be without receiver Eugene Wilson III because of what the team was saying is a lingering hip injury and its top cornerback, Jason Marshall Jr., who will miss the rest of the season with a shoulder injury. Receiver Tre Wilson will not play either. Georgia running back Trevor Etienne will face his former teammates for the first time. Etienne left Florida after last season and landed with the Bulldogs, where he saw an opportunity to become a starter. He spent two years in Gainesville playing behind Montrell Johnson. Etienne leads the Bulldogds with 422 yards rushing and seven touchdowns. “I’ve got nothing but love for those guys,” Etienne said.

Arizona (3-5, 1-4 in Big 12) at UCF (3-5, 1-4), 3:30 p.m., FS1

The Knights could have their fourth starting quarterback since the beginning of the season after redshirt sophomore Dylan Rizk took over for a struggling Jacurri Brown last Saturday and moved the ball well. So far this season, running back RJ Harvey out of Edgewater has literally carried their offense, rushing for 1,017 yards and 13 touchdowns. Its offense ranks 11th among 16 teams in the Big 12, and its defense is 13th. Both have dropped since the start of the season. Arizona’s offense ranks 14th, but its defense is 11th. No launches are planned from the Space Coast during this week’s game, but a flyover is scheduled before the game. The Wildcats average 260.3 passing yards per game. UCF’s top receiver, Kobe Hudson, left last Saturday’s game after injuring his leg on UCF’s first offensive play last Saturday. The team had not revealed any other details about the injury by early Thursday afternoon.