OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Alex Condon scored 24 points and No. 12 Florida tightened its grip atop the Southeastern Conference standings with a 94-75 win over Mississippi on Saturday.
Florida (21-6, 12-2 SEC) entered as the conference leader with a two-game cushion in the loss column over Alabama, Arkansas and Tennessee with four games remaining.
The win was the seventh consecutive for the Gators and extended its SEC road game winning streak to six. Florida improved to 16-2 since mid-December and remained unbeaten in February.
Thomas Haugh added 20 points and nine rebounds as Florida had five players in double figures. Reserves Urban Klavzar scored 15 points while Xaivian Lee and Boogie Fland had 11 points apiece.
The Gators trailed in the opening five minutes before building a first half leads of 14 points on two occasions and led by as many as 22 points on Hough’s dunk with 3:14 remaining.
Malik Dia scored 24 points for Ole Miss (11-16, 3-11), the ninth consecutive loss for the Rebels. Ilias Kamardine had 14 points and Patton Pinkins added 10, but Ole Miss never got within single digits in the final 18 minutes.
Florida led 43-32 at halftime on the strength of a 14-2 run midway through the first half. Condon and Hough combined for 10 points in the surge that built what proved to be an insurmountable 24-14 lead with 9:15 left in the first half.
The Gators dominated the rebound battle with a 39-24 edge and finished 11 of 22 from three-point range. Ole Miss forced 19 turnovers, but shot only 25 of 61, 41 percent, including 2 of 16 from the 3-point line.
Up next
Florida: The Gators complete a two-game road trip to Texas on Wednesday.
Ole Miss: The Rebels complete a two-game home stand by hosting LSU on Wednesday.
ATHENS. Ga. (AP) — Xaivian Lee scored 18 points and No. 14 Florida finally found its touch from 3-point range, leading from the opening tip for an 86-66 victory over Georgia on Wednesday night.
The Gators (18-6, 9-2 Southeastern Conference) are hitting their stride with March just a few weeks away. The reigning national champions have won nine of 10 games — all but one of those victories by double-digit margins — and are all alone atop the league standings.
Georgia (17-7, 5-6) clearly missed top scorer Jeremiah Wilkinson, who sat out because of a shoulder injury. The Bulldogs simply didn’t have enough firepower without their sophomore guard, who is averaging 17.1 points.
Blue Cain led Georgia with 17 points.
The Gators dominated from the opening tip. Florida scored the first 10 points, while Georgia missed its first eight shots. Alex Condon set the tone at the defensive end, blocking what looking to be a sure dunk by Cain flying in off the wing.
The Gators led by as many as 20 in the opening period while knocking down six of their first 12 attempts beyond the 3-point stripe. They finished 10 of 26 from long range — not dazzling, but certainly an improvement on their last-in-the-SEC 28.8% coming into the game.
Florida was up 43-27 at halftime and went on to complete a season sweep, having knocked off the Bulldogs 92-77 in Gainesville on Jan. 6.
When Boogie Fland swished a desperation 3 as the shot clock was expiring, pushing Florida to its biggest lead at 60-38 with just under 12 minutes remaining, many red-clad fans at Stegeman Coliseum headed for the exits.
Fland had 15 points and three other Gators were in double figures. Rueben Chinyelu was a beast on the boards with 20 rebounds. Florida even got a chance to send on 7-foot-9 Olivier Rioux in the final minute.
Georgia did show some fight, slicing the margin to 10, but Lee made a 3 that finished off any thoughts of an improbable comeback. The Bulldogs came in averaging an SEC-leading 91.9 points, but were held to a season low.
Up next
Florida: Returns home Saturday for the first of two game against No. 25 Kentucky.
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Fernando Mendoza bulldozed his way into the end zone and Indiana bullied its way into the history books Monday night, toppling Miami 27-21 to put the finishing touch on a rags-to-riches story, an undefeated season and the national title.
The Heisman Trophy winner finished with 186 yards passing, but it was his tackle-breaking, sprawled-out 12-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-4 with 9:18 left that defined this game — and the Hoosiers’ season.
Indiana would not be denied.
“I had to go airborne,” said Mendoza, who had his lip split and his arm bloodied by a ferocious Miami defense that sacked him three times and hit him many more. “I would die for my team.”
Mendoza’s TD gave turnaround artist Curt Cignetti’s team a 24-14 lead — barely enough breathing room to hold off a frenzied charge by the hard-hitting Hurricanes, who came to life in the second half behind 112 yards and two scores from Mark Fletcher but never took the lead.
The College Football Playoff trophy now heads to the most unlikely of places: Bloomington, Indiana — a campus that endured a nation-leading 713 losses over 130-plus years of football before Cignetti arrived two years ago to embark on a revival for the ages.
“Took some chances, found a way. Let me tell you: We won the national championship at Indiana University. It can be done,” Cignetti said.
Indiana finished 16-0 — using the extra games afforded by the expanded 12-team playoff to match a perfect-season win total last compiled by Yale in 1894.
In a fitting bit of symmetry, this undefeated title comes 50 years after Bob Knight’s basketball team went 32-0 to win it all in that state’s favorite sport.
That hasn’t happened since, and there’s already some thought that college football — in its evolving, money-soaked era — might not see a team like this again, either.
“Congratulations to Indiana,” said President Donald Trump, who was in attendance. “Turned out to be a great game. Two great teams, wonderful teams with a lot of talent.”
Players like Mendoza — a transfer from Cal who grew up just a few miles away from Miami’s campus, “The U” — certainly don’t come around often.
Two fourth-down gambles by Cignetti in the fourth quarter, after Fletcher’s second touchdown carved the Hurricanes’ deficit to three, put Mendoza in position to shine.
The first was a 19-yard-completion to Charlie Becker on a back-shoulder fade those guys have been perfecting all season. Four plays later came a decision and play that wins championships.
Cignetti sent his kicker out on fourth-and-4 from the 12, but quickly called his second timeout. The team huddled on the field and the coach drew up a quarterback draw, hoping the Hurricanes would be in a defense they had shown before.
“We rolled the dice and said, ‘They’re going to be in it again and they were,’” Cignetti said. “We blocked it well, he broke a tackle or two and got in the end zone.”
Not known as a run-first guy, Mendoza slipped one tackle, then took a hit and spun around. He kept his feet, then left them, going horizontal and stretching the ball out — a ready-made poster pic for a title run straight from the movies.
Maybe they’ll call it “Hoosiers.” This was a program so bad that a coach once stopped the game early to take a picture of the scoreboard when it read “Indiana 7, Ohio State 6.” The Hoosiers lost 47-7.
This year, though, they beat Ohio State in the Big Ten title game on their way to the top seed in the playoff.
They won their first two games by a combined score of 94-25 and Mendoza threw more touchdown passes (eight) than incompletions (five).
This one was nowhere near as easy.
Fletcher was a one-man force, hitting triple digits for the third time in four playoff games and turning a moribund offense into something much more.
His first touchdown run was a 57-yard burst through the right side that pulled Miami within 10-7 early in the third quarter.
But after forcing an Indiana punt deep into Miami territory, Hoosiers lineman Mikail Kamara slid past the ’Canes’ protectors and blocked the kick. Isaiah Jones recovered to make it 17-7 and Miami was in comeback mode the rest of the way.
It ended as a one-score game, and the ’Canes — the visiting team playing on their home field — moved into Indiana territory before Carson Beck’s heave got picked off by Jamari Sharpe, a Miami native who made sure the only miracle in this season would be Indiana’s.
“Did I think something like this was possible? Probably not,” Cignetti said. “But if you keep your nose down and keep working, anything is possible.”
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Mark Gronowski threw two touchdowns and rushed for another to lead Iowa to a 34-27 win over No. 13 Vanderbilt in the ReliaQuest Bowl on Wednesday.
Gronowski was 16 of 22 passing for 212 yards, throwing touchdowns passes of 10 and 21 yards to Reece Vander Zee and DJ Vonnahme, respectively, as Iowa got out to a 21-3 lead early in the third quarter.
Vanderbilt (10-3) rallied behind Diego Pavia. The Heisman Trophy runner-up threw a 75-yard touchdown pass to Tre Richardson and a 16-yarder to Joseph McVay to pull the Commodores within 24-17.
The teams traded scores early in the fourth quarter, with Gronowski making it 31-17 with a 1-yard keeper and Pavia answering with an 11-yard TD run.
Iowa (9-4) pushed the lead back to double digits with a 44-yard field goal from Drew Stevens to cap off a 13-play, 49-yard drive that took more than seven minutes. Vanderbilt answered with a 37-yard field goal from Brock Taylor to make it 34-27, but Iowa was able to close out the game with Xavier Williams running for 11 yards on a third-and-1 with 1:55 remaining and the Commodores out of timeouts.
Pavia finished with 347 passing yards. Richardson caught six passes for 127 yards and Junior Sherrill had eight catches for 123 yards for Vanderbilt.
Vonnahme led the Hawkeyes with seven catches for 146 yards and Kamari Moulton rushed for 95 yards and a touchdown. Gronowski had 54 rushing yards.
The takeaway
Iowa: The Hawkeyes are 4-3 in the ReliaQuest Bowl (formerly known as the Outback Bowl) in seven trips under coach Kirk Ferentz. It’s the 11th time Iowa has won nine or more games in a season under Ferentz.
Vanderbilt: Despite the loss, the Commodores set a school record with 10 wins and signed coach Clark Lea to a six-year contract extension in November.
DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — Javon Bennett scored 25 points, and De’Shayne Montgomery added 20 in Dayton’s 97-69 win over Florida State on Tuesday night.
Bennett shot 5 of 14 from the field and a perfect 12 for 12 from the free-throw line. Jordan Derkack added 13 points, Keonte Jones added 11 and Amaël L’Etang and Malcolm Thomas both scored 10. Dayton (9-3) has now won 33 straight home games against non-conference opponents.
Florida State (5-6) found heavy foul trouble in the second half, with five players fouling out. The Flyers shot 40 of 47 (85%) from the free-throw line.
Dayton headed into the locker room up 42-31 and continued strong into the second half with an 11-3 run. The Flyers scored 24 points in the second half on free throws alone.
Kobe McGee scored 15 points for the Seminoles. Lajae Jones added 14, and Martin Somerville scored 11. All three players fouled out. Florida State’s losing streak now extends to five straight games.
Up next
The Flyers will host Liberty on Saturday, Dec. 20.
Florida State will host Mississippi Valley State on Friday, Dec. 19.
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Isaiah Evans hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 19.7 seconds left, and No. 4 Duke held on to beat No. 15 Florida 67-66 on Tuesday night in the ACC/SEC Challenge.
The slim sophomore was sitting at 0 for 7 from behind the arc when Florida’s Boogie Fland hit a 3 with 34.6 seconds left for a 66-64 lead, coming on a night the reigning national champions had trailed by 15. But Evans calmly sunk the shot that helped Duke (9-0) stay unbeaten in a thrilling finish.
Florida (5-3) had a final desperation possession down one with 1.4 seconds left, but Maliq Brown tipped Thomas Haugh’s heave at the inbounds point to run the final time off and send Cameron Indoor Stadium into an ear-ringing frenzy.
Star freshman Cameron Boozer scored 29 points for the Blue Devils. Evans had 13 points and a career-high five of Duke’s 11 blocks.
Haugh scored 24 points for the Gators, who trailed 36-24 at the break but absolutely worked Duke on the glass in the second half to climb back in it. Florida finished with a 44-33 rebounding advantage, including 20-11 on the offensive glass for the game while finishing with 13 second-chance points after halftime.
This marked the first time the Blue Devils had hosted a reigning national champion in nonconference play at Cameron Indoor Stadium since beating UCLA in February 1996, and this one came with the unusual sight of Duke wearing black uniforms at home tied to a fan blackout.
Up next
Florida: The Gators face No. 5 UConn next Tuesday in New York’s Madison Square Garden, a matchup of teams that have won the past three NCAA titles.
Duke: The Blue Devils visit No. 7 Michigan State on Saturday.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Not playing football may have been tougher mentally on Bucky Irving than dealing with his physical injuries.
The dynamic running back is nearing a return to Tampa Bay’s lineup this week and spoke about his struggles for the first time on Wednesday. He was a full participant in practice after missing seven games with foot and shoulder injuries.
“It’s tough, man, (especially) your first time being hurt,” Irving said. “When I step out onto that field — like I always say — I don’t take this game for granted. I love what I do every day. I love my teammates. When I go out there, I show them that each and every time I get the ball, I’m trying to make plays and make things happen for this organization and this team to help them in any type of fashion to win football games. When God takes something away from you, He’s telling you to get closer to Him and lean on Him.”
Irving, a fourth-round pick last year, ran for 1,122 yards and scored eight touchdowns as a rookie while averaging 5.4 yards per carry. He had 237 yards rushing and 19 catches for 193 yards and two scores in the first four games this season before going down.
While Rachaad White and Sean Tucker filled in nicely during Irving’s absence, the Bucs missed his playmaking abilities. He missed being out there on the field even more.
“It’s always tough not being able to be out there and go to war with your guys, but being able to go through that, learn from that and being able to move on, I’m happy to be back with my guys,” Irving said.
Irving has overcome more adversity than most. He lost his dad when he was 2, his grandmother when he was in high school and a half brother when he was a freshman in college. Both his father and half brother were victims of gun violence.
The 23-year-old leaned on his faith and team resources to help him deal with the emotional strain of being on the sideline.
“This whole organization. I can’t name everybody from this person to this person, but the people who were with me every step of the way know who they are,” Irving said. “I want to give big praise and a shout out to them for helping me throughout this process. They’ve been around and they’ve seen it before, so just being able to trust them, trust their plan and help me get back and be around my teammates. I love being around my teammates.”
Irving should provide a spark to the offense when the Buccaneers (6-5) host the Arizona Cardinals (3-8) on Sunday. Baker Mayfield is dealing with a shoulder injury and star wide receiver Mike Evans is out.
“Anytime you can get a starter back, especially a player of Bucky’s caliber and the way he prepares and the way he loves the game and how he is around his teammates, that should always elevate you,” offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard said.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 32 shots, Brandon Hagel and Nikita Kucherov each had a goal and assist and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Calgary Flames 5-1 on Wednesday night for their fifth straight victory.
Zemgus Girgensons, Charle-Edouard D’Astous and Declan Carlile also scored and Jake Guentzel had two assists to help the Lightning match their longest streak of the season. They have won 13 of the past 16 games.
Vasilevskiy made 18 saves in the third period. He won his fifth consecutive start, allowing one-or-fewer goals in each of those starts.
Joel Farabee scored for Calgary. Devin Cooley stopped 17 shots in relief of Dustin Wolf, who was pulled at the 5:52 mark of the first period after allowing three goals on four shots. The Flames had won three in a row.
Tampa Bay scored twice in the first 1:26 and four times in the first 10:01, the third-fastest four goals to start a game in franchise history.
Hagel started things off 39 seconds in off the rush, beating Wolf with a wrist shot from the left circle. D’Astous fired a slap shot from the center point at 1:26.
Girgensons made it 3-0 at 5:52 when his attempted pass to the net deflected off the stick of Calgary’s Kevin Bahl and chased Wolf. It was the 200th NHL point for Girgensons. He’s the third player from Latvia to reach the mark, joining Sandis Ozolish and Sergei Zholtok.
Carlile completed the first-period scoring for Tampa Bay with a quick shot from the left circle that beat Cooley at 10:01.
Farabee scored short-handed for Calgary 1:04 into the third.
ORLANDO, Fla. – The U.S. Department of Justice announced Tuesday that it is opening an investigation to figure out whether SeaWorld Orlando’s recent policy change to ban rollator walkers with seats violated the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The DOJ and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida said in a letter to the CEO of United Parks & Resorts Inc., which oversees SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica, Discovery Cove, and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, that it received several complaints from the public about the change at 3 of its Florida theme parks – leading to the investigation. You can read the letter below.
U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe said in the letter that his agency has not reached any conclusions about the policy change or whether there is indeed an ADA violation. He said the agency would like to “urgently” meet with representatives about the recent policy change.
“Complaints filed with the Department allege that UPR has prohibited a certain type of manually-powered mobility aid-rollator walkers with seats-in some of its parks, including SeaWorld Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, and Aquatica Orlando. Further, complaints allege that UPR parks offer guests with disabilities who use rollator walkers for mobility the option to rent alternative mobility aids for a surcharge, in potential violation of 28 C.F.R. § 36.301 (c).”
“Accordingly, the Department has authorized an investigation to determine whether UPR is engaged in discrimination as set forth above. We have not reached any conclusions about UPR’s compliance with the ADA and the subject matter of this investigation. We will consider all relevant information, and we welcome your assistance in sharing and identifying relevant information.”
FOX 35 has reached out to United Parks & Resorts, SeaWorld Orlando, and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay for comment on the investigation. We did not immediately hear back.
What they’re saying:
“The ADA protects every American from disability-based discrimination in places of public accommodation, including theme parks,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division in a statement. “We are committed to upholding our federal civil rights laws so that no guest is denied access or charged more because of a disability.”
“Every year, millions of people from around the world travel to Florida to visit our theme parks,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida in a statement. “No one should ever be denied equal access to public accommodations based on disability. Our office remains steadfast in our commitment to ensuring that all individuals with disabilities are guaranteed their rights under the ADA.”
The backstory:
In early November, SeaWorld Orlando quietly made a change to the type of walkers allowed inside its theme park. The change was noted on its website.
Both rollator and/or wheeled walkers with seats are no longer allowed inside SeaWorld Orlando. Walkers without seats are still allowed inside the theme park.
A spokesperson for SeaWorld Orlando confirmed to FOX 35 at the time that the safety measure was recently updated and added to its web page. However, it’s not known how proactively the measure was distributed nor when it was implemented.
“We are committed to providing a safe, accessible, and inclusive experience for our guests and Ambassadors. To support this, we have recently updated our guidance regarding rollator and wheeled walkers with seats. These devices can pose a safety concern if not used in accordance with manufacturer requirements, which strictly prohibit using them as a wheelchair,” SeaWorld Orlando said in a statement.
What does the new policy say?
“For the safety of our guests and employees, rollator walkers with seats on them are not permitted at SeaWorld Orlando. Alternative personal transportation options, including standard wheelchairs and Electric Convenience Vehicles (ECVs), are available. Walkers without a seat are permitted,” reads the policy on SeaWorld’s website.
FOX 35 did a brief review of the owners manuals for some popular rollator products. The manual does state that rollator are intended to be used as a mobility aid, but are not intended to be used to push people around.
“Do not have anyone push you while you are seated on the Rollator. This is a walking aid only and is not to be used as a transportation device,” read one owner’s manual posted online.
Nancy Schwartz said SeaWorld Orlando is her “favorite place at Christmas” and that she visits the theme park three days a week with her husband. They live in Kissimmee.
She said last Friday night she was allowed in with her rollator wheelchair. However, on Saturday, security stopped her and refused to let her in, citing the new policy – a change that to her was an abrupt surprise.
“It’s very disappointing. I’m very disappointed in SeaWorld,” she told FOX 35’s Hannah McKenzie.
She said she’s been at SeaWorld with her seated walker dozens of times.
What do guests need to know?
Guests can bring their own wheelchairs and electric convenience vehicles, or they can rent one from SeaWorld. Walkers without seats are still allowed inside.
How much do rentals cost?
Rentals can be made online in advance or near Guest Services inside the theme park. Click here for details.
Wheelchair rentals start at $40
Strollers start at $40
Four-wheel electric scooters start at $110.
Prices vary by day, demand, and availability.
What you can do:
The DOJ said anyone impacted by the recent change at SeaWorld Orlando or United Parks & Resorts Inc.’s other parks can file a complaint online with the Civil Rights Division, here. Or, people can call 1-800-514-0301 or 1-833-610-1264 (TTY).
The Source: The DOJ announced the investigation in a news release on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025.
STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Vyctorius Miller scored 24 points to lead Oklahoma State to a 103-95 win over USF on Wednesday night.
Miller was 7-of-11 shooting and made all four of his 3-point attempts. It’s the fifth consecutive game with 13 or more points to start this season for the sophomore transfer from LSU.
Kanye Clary scored in double figures for the first time this season, tallying 12 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds for Oklahoma State. Anthony Roy and Christian Coleman each had 15 points off the bench. Isaiah Coleman had four steals.
The Bulls (3-2) led 44-31 with 4:12 left in the first half, following an 11-0 run. The Cowboys (5-0) countered with a 10-0 run to trail a 45-44 at halftime.
CJ Brown led the Bulls with 24 points on 9-of-11 shooting to go with 10 assists. Joseph Pinion had 20 points, shooting 6 of 11, all from 3-point territory. Wes Enis had 20 on 7-of-19 shooting off the bench.
Josh Omojafo, who entered the game averaging 19.8 points per game on 60.5% shooting, was held to nine points, going 1-of-7 shooting. His lone field goal came with three seconds remaining.
It’s the Cowboys’ first time hitting 100 points this season, and it came against the No. 7 scoring offense in the country (101.3 points per game). The Bulls have scored at least 95 points in each of their five games.
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OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Kewan Lacy rushed for 224 yards and three touchdowns, including the go-ahead score on the first play of the fourth quarter, and No. 6 Mississippi rallied past Florida 34-24 on Saturday night.
The Rebels (10-1, 6-1 Southeastern Conference, No. 7 CFP) finally put the Gators away with 1:43 left on Lacy’s 31st and final carry, a 4-yard touchdown. Ole Miss took over on downs after Florida went for it on fourth-and-9 at its own 4, and Sage Ryan broke up D.J. Lagway’s desperation heave at midfield.
As coach Lane Kiffin’s squad took a knee in the final minute, Ole Miss fans chanted “We want Lane!” in a bid to persuade their sought-after coach not to bolt for another school — possibly Florida. And Lacy celebrated with a postgame slam dunk on a portable basketball goal at midfield.
The Rebels have won at least 10 games in four of the past five seasons, including three straight, and this victory solidified their chances to make the College Football Playoff.
Florida (3-7, 2-5) has lost 20 consecutive games away from Gainesville against ranked opponents since beating Georgia in 2020 in Jacksonville, Florida. That streak will extend to 2026 since the Gators’ final two games are at home.
The Gators certainly had their chances. They led 24-20 at halftime, and Ole Miss came up empty twice at the goal line in the second half, with Trinidad Chambliss throwing incomplete on fourth-and-goal from the 1 in the third quarter and on fourth-and-goal at the 3 in the fourth.
Chambliss still had a productive night, going 26 of 35 for 301 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He was sacked five times, including twice by Jaden Robinson.
Ole Miss finished with 538 yards of total offense, while the Rebels’ defense held the Gators scoreless with only 103 offensive yards in the second half.
In the first half, Lagway ran for a 5-yard touchdown, Jadan Baugh scored on a 2-yard run following Jayden Woods’ interception, and Lagway connected with J. Michael Sturdivant for a 57-yard TD pass.
Chambliss threw a 43-yard touchdown pass to De’Zhaun Stribing and Lacy ran for a 3-yard score, but Ole Miss failed to score touchdowns on two red-zone drives, with Lucas Carniero converting on field goals of 27 and 23 yards.
Lagway was 16 of 31 for 218 yards but threw a fourth-quarter interception on a tipped ball to Wydett Willliams on Florida’s only series in Ole Miss territory.
The takeaway
Florida: The Gators’ tailspin continued as they were eliminated from contention for a bowl appearance. Florida was more engaged than during last week’s collapse at Kentucky, but interim coach Billy Gonzales’ squad couldn’t pull off the upset. The Gators’ pursuit of Kiffin gets more interesting each week.
Ole Miss: The Rebels finished 8-0 at home and enhanced their hopes of hosting an opening-round game in the CFP. Kiffin will remain a high-profile candidate for vacancies in the Power Four and even in the NFL.
Poll implications
Avoiding an upset keeps Ole Miss in an elite group of five teams in the top 10 with one loss or fewer. The Rebels could move into the top five after No. 4 Alabama’s loss to Oklahoma.
Up next
Florida: Hosts No. 21 Tennessee on Saturday.
Ole Miss: After an open date, visit Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl on Nov. 28.
The first Disney-related character you see upon boarding the Disney Destiny and entering the grand hall is T’Challa, the Black Panther. Black, strong, magnificent in stature, and representative of the hopes and dreams of Black comic book and Marvel fans the world over. the statue speaks to the power of representation. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
PORT EVERGLADES, FL – The first Disney-related character you see upon boarding the Disney Destiny and entering the grand hall of the latest addition to the global entertainment company’s fleet of cruise ships, is Black, strong, magnificent in stature, and representative of the hopes and dreams of Black comic book and Marvel fans the world over.
T’Challa, the Black Panther, King of Wakanda. The statue looms large over any other character depictions on the ship. He is standing with his shoulders back, his fist balled up, ready for battle if necessary. At his feet is a panther in mid-stride, equally ready to pounce if that’s what the situation calls for. The statue is beautiful. It is also overwhelmingly brilliant.
The physical image of the Black Panther as the premier representative on a ship which features heroes and villains says so much more than any words can best describe. Representation matters, and for the children of all races and adults who board the Disney Destiny going forward, the Black Panther will be the representation that they see.
Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
There are other Disney heroes and villains represented on Destiny as well. Portraits of the Guardians of the Galaxy, Mulan, Hercules, Woody and Buzz Lightyear, Frozone, can be found through the ship’s many hallways and stairways. All kinds of representations of heroes live on this ship.
On Deck 3, however, there is a set of small paintings that further set the tone of representation. There are six in total, and though colorful, their blackness shines through the brightest of all. The paintings are of African warrior tribes. Some of the warriors carry spears and wear masks. Others have people carrying small children in their arms. All are families bonding generations to one another.
Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Near the concierge desk is another depiction of the Black Panther. He can be seen several times on the ship, including on the way to the restaurant, World of Marvel. In this landscape painting, the Black Panther stands atop a boulder; to his left and right are the Dora Milaje, the all-female royal corps of warriors. This portrait can be taken directly from the screens of the Black Panther films and pages of the modern comic books. It’s beautiful.
The Disney Destiny will provide guests with a top-notch cruise experience, and the quality service that Disney provides at its parks, hotel properties, and on cruise ships.
That said, destiny can also be described as destiny fulfilled. The level of representation on this ship speaks louder than any other I have witnessed in five years of covering the brand. It’s loud, proud, and at least in this instance, very Black and beautiful.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky took advantage of four Florida turnovers and Cutter Boley threw for 168 yards and two touchdowns as the Wildcats handled the Gators 38-7.
Seth McGowan ran for two touchdowns, and Dante Dowdell scored on a 65-yard run in the first home SEC win for Kentucky (4-5, 2-5) since a 33-14 win over Florida on Sept. 30, 2023.
Gator quarterback DJ Lagway was picked off three times in the first half before being replaced by freshman Tramell Jones Jr. after halftime. Kentucky scored 10 points off the Florida (3-6, 2-4) miscues.
Boley completed passes to 10 different receivers, including scoring passes of 29 yards to J.J. Hester and 15 yards to Jason Patterson.
“This whole week, we came with juice, and everybody was excited, and everybody was ready to play,” Boley said. “We had a heartbeat tonight, and it was just really good to see these guys play hard.
Kentucky led 24-7 at the half and put the game away to start the third quarter with a 13-play drive that took 7:26 off the clock. McGowan ended the drive with his second score of the night, a 5-yard run.
“That was an enormous drive to start the second half. We mixed it up and had balance,” Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said. “Having a long drive and getting seven points out of it is pretty important.”
The Takeaway
Florida: The Gator defense came into the game 32nd in the nation in points allowed per game at 20.5. But the turnovers put them in a tough position, and they gave up 401 total yards. It was Florida’s second straight loss after Coach Billy Napier was fired on Oct. 19.
Kentucky: After consecutive wins, there is a path, albeit a tough one, to the postseason. Kentucky hosts Tennessee Tech, No. 5 in the FCS coaches poll, next Saturday. With a win next week, a victory on the road over No. 15 Vanderbilt or No. 14 Louisville would make the Wildcats bowl eligible.
Calzada makes wrong headlines
Former Kentucky starting quarterback Zach Calzada has apologized for a social media video he posted showing him flashing $100 dollar bills in response to being criticized. The transfer quarterback hurt his shoulder and then lost his starting job to Boley after two games. After the video went viral Thursday and made national headlines, Calzada posted an apology. The Kentucky athletic department stated, “Zach has taken responsibility for his actions. He has done the right thing and apologized. Now, it’s time to move forward.”
Comedy of errors
The two teams combined for four turnovers in the final 35 seconds of the first half.
The antics started when Wildcat Quay’sheed Scott picked off a Lagway pass at the Kentucky 26 and returned it 55 yards. Boley then fumbled and Aaron Chiles recovered at the Florida 22. Three plays later, Daveren Rayner picked off another Lagway pass. On Kentucky’s first play, Bryce Thornton intercepted a Boley pass.
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Dabo Swinney loved seeing the Clemson Tigers he’d gotten used so.
‘“I loved their effort, I loved their toughness, I loved their stick-to-it-ness,” coach Swinney said after his team’s first home victory in two months with a 24-10 victory Florida State on Saturday night.
“It don’t get old to beat the ‘Noles,” Swinney said.
Cade Klubnik threw for a touchdown and ran for a second to lead the Tigers (4-5, 3-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) to a win in Death Valley for the first time since defeating Troy on Sept. 6.
The Tigers and Seminoles (4-5, 1-5) looked like they would have big implications on the ACC race. But both contenders were out of the picture early and left scrambling to salvage lost seasons.
Clemson was 1-4 at home this season and had lost its past six games against Power 4 programs on its field.
This time, though, the Tigers took an 18-0 lead and took advantage of nearly all of Florida State’s miscues. They held the league’s top offense to its lowest totals with 360 yards, 110 yards rushing and 10 points.
“Our record isn’t what we want to be,” Swinney said. “But when you see the resilience, you know what these guys have under the hood.”
Klubnik had a 3-yard TD run to finish the 75-yard opening scoring drive and holder Clay Swinney — the youngest son of coach Swinney — bolted for a two-point conversion.
The Tigers cashed in on a fourth-down stop in the second quarter inside Florida State territory with a 34-yard flea flicker scoring pass from Klubnik to Antonio Williams.
Down 24-7 in the fourth quarter, the Seminoles were called for offensive pass interference and unnecessary roughness to push them back.
The Tiger defense struggled the past two games, allowing 81 points combined in losses to SMU and Duke. Maybe it was a visit by former national championship defensive coordinator Brent Venables or a renewed dedication to finishing strong, but Clemson held strong when it mattered most.
The Tigers had a fourth-down stop and forced a fumble with Florida State on Clemson’s 8 to end two promising first-half drives by Florida State.
Florida State finally broke through right before the half on Castellanos’ 7-yard touchdown pass to Lawayne McCoy.
The Seminoles’ last chance to make things tight ended when Castellanos was chased by cornerback Avieon Terrell and slipped to the ground on fourth down with 2:51 to play.
Klubnik completed 19 of 26 passes for 221 yards. Castellanos was 20-of-38 passing for 203 yards and an interception to go along with his fumble.
Clemson circle
After the Tigers entered the stadium, they came on the field and surrounded the Tiger Paw logo, locked arms and gave thanks for another opportunity to play instead of dwelling on three straight home losses. Offensive lineman Blake Miller said the moment calmed the players down and gave them focus to face the Seminoles. “It was a special moment for us,” said Miller, who started the past 50 games.
Missed chances
Florida State coach Mike Norvell said the Seminoles missed too many opportunities, particularly early, to take care of Clemson. The difference, Norvell said, was that the Tigers made the plays that Florida State missed out. “It’s those missed chances that cost us,” he said.
The takeaway
Florida State: The Seminoles, ACC champions two seasons ago, need to defeat Virginia Tech, North Carolina State or Florida to qualify for the postseason after missing out last year.
Clemson: The Tigers were ACC favorites and expected to compete for a national title. Instead, they are also looking to reach a bowl game after a struggling start to the season.
Up next
Florida State returns home to face Virginia Tech on Saturday night.
Clemson has a short week and will play No. 14 Louisville on Friday night.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Freshman Koa Peat scored 30 points to lead No. 13 Arizona to a 93-87 win over third-ranked and defending national champion Florida in the Hall of Fame Series on Monday night.
Peat was impressive in his college debut, shooting 11 of 18 from the floor and adding seven rebounds and five assists. He was fouled making a defensive rebound with 14.2 seconds left and hit his two ensuing free throws to seal the victory in both teams’ season opener.
But, it was consecutive dunks by Peat late in the second half that sent the crowd at T-Mobile Arena into a frenzy and punctuated his first college game.
Jaden Bradley was also impressive, scoring 27 points, including 11 of Arizona’s final 18 points, to help seal the win.
Ivan Kharchenkov shook off an injury late in the first half that sent him to the locker room and finished with 12 points for the Wildcats.
Thomas Haugh led Florida with 27 points, Xaivian Lee scored 14 and Alex Condon and Micah Handlogten each had 11.
The Wildcats shot 49.2% (30 of 61) from the field, while Florida’s poor second-half shooting (14 of 38, 36.8%) sealed its fate.
The Gators opened the game strong, pushing their lead to 12 points after hitting 11 of their first 16 shots.
The Wildcats clamped down on defense and held Florida to 5-for-16 shooting the rest of the half while going on a 32-16 run by hitting 11 of 18 shots down the stretch.
Arizona, which shot 50% from the floor in the first half, led 50-46 at halftime.
Up next
Arizona: Hosts Utah Tech on Friday.
Florida: Hosts North Florida on Thursday.
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TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Jake Guentzel and Anthony Cirelli each scored twice and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Anaheim Ducks 4-3 on Saturday to snap a four-game skid.
Nikita Kucherov had an assist for his 1,000th career point as Tampa Bay got its first home win of the season. Victor Hedman registered his 800th career point and Brandon Hagel picked up career point No. 300.
Jonas Johansson finished with 37 saves for Tampa Bay, which ended an 0-2-2 stretch with just its second win of the season (2-4-2)
Troy Terry, Jacob Trouba and Ryan Poehling scored for Anaheim, which lost in regulation for the first time in four games. Lukas Dostal finished with 29 saves.
Cirelli scored the tiebreaking goal on the power play with his second of the night with 3:15 left in the third period with a quick shot from the low slot.
Guentzel and Cirelli scored 2:01 apart in the second period to take a 3-1 lead. Guentzel directed Brayden Point’s pass in off his skate with 7:41 left on a play Kucherov got his 1,000th point.
Cirelli made it a two-goal lead as he pounced on rebound with 5:40 remaining. Hedman and Hagel each hit their milestones on the goal.
Poehling and Terry scored 59 seconds apart to tie it 3-3 at 8:10 of the third.
Guentzel opened the scoring for the Lightning 9:10 into the first period as a rebound found his stick in the low slot.
Anaheim tied it at 4:42 of the second after an offensive zone faceoff win landed on the stick of Trouba for a slap shot off the inside of the near post and in.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Quarterback Brendon Lewis connected with Cortez Braham Jr. for a 10-yard touchdown with 1:07 remaining to give Memphis a come-from-behind 34-31 victory over No. 18 USF on Saturday.
South Florida kicker Nico Gramatica missed a 52-yard field goal as time expired to preserve Memphis’ victory.
“I just wanted to make sure the fans stayed for all four quarters,” Memphis coach Ryan Silverfield said with a laugh.
Memphis trailed 31-17 entering the fourth quarter, but a 13-yard run by Greg Desrosiers Jr. early in the period and a 28-yard field goal from Gianni Spetic pulled Memphis (7-1, 3-1 American Athletic Conference) within 31-26. That set the stage for the winning drive by Memphis, including the 2-point conversion.
Lewis, who finished with 307 yards passing, threw a fade route to Braham on the right side of the end zone for the winning score.
“I’d seen that it was one-on-one with me and the (defensive back), and I had a feel B. Lewis was going to come to me,” Braham said. “It was just winning my one-on-one and doing what I needed to do.”
Lewis added: “The defense, I don’t know what they were thinking. They left (the defensive back) one-on-one on an island, and Tez did what he does.”
But Memphis still had to endure a final minute of the Bulls driving down the field and getting in range for Gramatica, whose kick sailed wide left.
“I’m disappointed we didn’t score,” South Florida coach Alex Golesh said. “But the only thing going through my mind is where we are going to go in overtime with our first play.
“There ain’t a kicker in the country I’d rather have than (Gramatica) in our locker room.”
South Florida quarterback Byrum Brown accounted for three touchdowns and 390 yards of total offense.
Brown rushed for 121 yards and a pair of touchdowns and threw for 269 yards, including a scoring pass of 5 yards to Jeremiah Koger as the Bulls (6-2, 3-1), had their four-game winning streak snapped. Sam Franklin added a 73-yard touchdown run in the second half.
Brown used his versatility to lead the Bulls offense. His lone mistake of the first half was an interception by Memphis’ Everett Roussaw Jr. that set up a 19-yard scoring run by Frank Pleasant. That was the only offensive success generated by Memphis until the closing minute of the half when Lewis connected with Braham for a 5-yard touchdown.
For the Bulls, it was their first conference loss of the season, but Golesh said they are in the process of building a culture. While he didn’t want to lose, he said the game and the season thus far is part of USF’s growth.
“We’ve never looked ahead. We’ve never talked about a conference championship,” Golesh said. “It’s never been about anything past who we are playing. It’s never been about anything other than trying to be the very best version of ourselves.”
By now, we’re all aware of Florida Man and the reputation that comes with that title. I thought it was high time we took a gander at the news to see what’s been going on down in the swampland.
I’ve compiled another gallery of batshit crazy Florida Man headlines. Don’t forget these are completely real. I honestly don’t think I could make these stories up if I tried.
From meth to machetes, bison to bathrooms. All I can say is never change, Florida. Never change.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Byrum Brown threw three touchdown passes and rushed for a score as No. 19 USF racked up 522 yards in a 48-13 victory over Florida Atlantic on Saturday night.
USF (6-1, 3-0 AAC) got touchdown receptions from Jeremiah Koger, Jonathan Echols and Wyatt Sullivan. The Bulls scored the final 27 points to turn a 21-13 lead into a blowout victory.
Brown was 14 of 24 for 256 yards and ran for 111 yards and a touchdown. Nykahi Davenport rushed for 71 yards and a touchdown. Koger had four catches for 90 yards.
Florida Atlantic’s Caden Vetkamp was 35 of 50 for 244 yards with a touchdown pass and an interception. Assad Wassem had eight catches for 56 yards.
The takeaway
Florida Atlantic (3-4, 2-2) had its two-game win streak snapped and fell a game below .500.
USF joins Tulane and Navy as the only teams with an undefeated ACC record. The Bulls will travel to No. 22 Memphis next weekend after the Tigers were upset by UAB.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Marcel Reed threw for 234 yards and a touchdown and ran for another score as No. 5 Texas A&M continued its perfect start with a 34-17 victory over Florida on Saturday night.
It’s the first 6-0 start for the Aggies since 2016 and they improved to 3-0 in Southeastern Conference play.
“This doesn’t mean anything if we don’t finish,” coach Mike Elko said. “It’s been the word since the offseason. It’s the only thing that we’ve talked about. We’re really excited with where we are, but we’re nowhere yet … we’re focused one week at a time, one game at a time, we’re focused on finishing every opportunity that we have.”
Florida (2-4, 1-2) was unable to build off last week’s 29-21 upset over then-No. 9 Texas that snapped a three-game skid as coach Billy Napier fell to 0-14 on the road against ranked opponents.
Texas A&M scored touchdowns on its first three possessions but managed only a field goal after that until Rueben Owens scored on a 2-yard run that made it 31-17 with about 4 1/2 minutes to go.
“As the quarterback, I have to stay calm and keep everybody else calm,” he said. “It’s not always going to be sunshine and rainbows. You want to score on every possession, but it doesn’t work like that all the time.”
That score came after Florida couldn’t take advantage of a turnover and Texas A&M took more than eight minutes off the clock on the drive. The Aggies led by 7 when Jordan Castell intercepted Reed in the end zone on the first play of the fourth quarter. DJ Lagway’s pass was deflected and fell incomplete on fourth-and-6 near midfield to give Texas A&M the ball back to start the drive that ended in the score by Owens.
Napier was asked about the decision not to punt on fourth down.
“I think that the analytics would say at that point you go for it,” he said. “But in general, yes that’s one you think about.”
Dayon Hayes sacked Lagway and forced a fumble that the Aggies recovered on the first play of Florida’s next drive and they tacked on a field goal to seal the victory.
“I don’t rock with the losing. I don’t like that,” Lagway said. “We can’t get comfortable with this. It’s not acceptable. And I feel like there’s a lot of guys responding to that, and it’s not acceptable, and I’m tired of it, and I can’t go on like this. We got to fix it.”
The Gators looked good early and it was tied at 14 at the end of the first quarter before Texas A&M outscored them 20-3 the rest of the way.
Lagway threw for 245 yards with two touchdowns and Vernell Brown III had six receptions for 77 yards as the Gators faced their fourth straight opponent ranked in the top 10 of the AP poll.
The Aggies had 183 yards rushing a week after running for a season-high 303 yards despite starter Le’Veon Moss leaving before halftime with an apparent injury. Owens ran for 51 yards and Moss had five carries for 46 yards and a touchdown before limping off the field in the second quarter.
Brown fumbled early in the third quarter and it was recovered by Taurean York on the Florida 29. Texas A&M couldn’t move the ball and settled for a 26-yard field goal that made it 24-14.
Florida cut the lead to 24-17 on a 45-yard field goal with about seven minutes left in the third quarter.
Lagway put the Gators up early with his 1-yard TD pass to Amir Jackson on their first drive.
The Aggies evened it up when Reed scrambled eight yards for a score on the second play and their first possession. A 67-yard grab by Mario Craver set up that score.
Texas A&M took a 14-7 lead on Reed’s 22-yard pass to Jamarion Morrow later in the first quarter.
It was tied again after Lagway found Dallas Wilson for a 6-yard touchdown on the next drive. That touchdown came two plays after Lagway connected with Brown for a 31-yard gain.
Moss ran through a defender and dashed 22 yards for a score that gave A&M a 21-14 lead early in the second quarter.
The takeaway
The Aggies should move up at least one spot after No. 3 Oregon lost at home to Indiana Saturday. The loss drops Napier to 21-23 in four seasons in Gainesville with a tough upcoming schedule which includes games against No. 10 Georgia and fourth-ranked Ole Miss.
Third-down shutdown
Texas A&M’s defense has dominated on third down since the start of SEC play, allowing opponents to convert just 2 of 33 opportunities. The Aggies limited Florida to 1 of 10 on third down conversions Saturday after Mississippi State converted just 1 of 10 opportunities last week. Those performances came after they kept Auburn from converting any of its 13 chances in the conference opener.
Big crowds
The Aggies had a crowd of 105,086 Saturday night for their 10th straight game with at least 100,000 fans.
