Category: College Sports

GAINESVILLE — Florida Gators football coach Billy Napier and his brethren have been bracing for a roster reckoning spurred by the House v. NCAA antitrust settlement. The landmark legislation went into effect Tuesday, but sweeping changes remained on the horizon, not yet at the doorstep. With fall camp scheduled to start at month’s end, Napier’s roster stands at 117 players — a dozen above the proposed future limit of 105. “When we got the job, there were certain parameters around how you build your roster. We proceeded that way,” Napier said at the SEC Spring Meetings on May 28 in Destin....

GAINESVILLE — The ninth in a position-by-position preview of the UF football team leading up to the opening of fall camp. TODAY: CORNERBACK What to expect The Gators’ longstanding claim to DBU, the fictional Defensive Backs University, has become empty words. A program that churned out three NFL first-rounders at cornerback and four second-rounders from 2016-22 has sent one to the NFL in three years — fifth-rounder Jason Marshall Jr. in 2025. UF corners did make some statistical strides in 2024, finishing with 4 interceptions after managing just one in ’23 and cutting the average yards per...

GAINESVILLE — Florida guard Alijah Martin was positioned for a good night when the NBA invited him to the green room for the second round of the draft. The odds backcourt mate Will Richard would hear his name called were not nearly as favorable. By night’s end, the Gators’ national championship backcourt completed the trifecta. Martin didn’t have to wait too long Thursday night at the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, landing with the Toronto Raptors just nine picks into the second round in the No. 39 spot. With four picks to go in two-round, 60-player event, Richard landed with the Golden...

GAINESVILLE — UF All-American guard Walter Clayton Jr. was cool-headed and in control on his way to a national championship, but the 22-year-old let the tears flow Wednesday night as his NBA dream became reality. In a head-spinning turn of events for one of the draft’s fastest-rising players, Clayton was selected with the No. 18 pick by the Washington Wizards, who promptly traded Clayton to the Utah Jazz. Clayton rose into first-round consideration after a spectacular, national championship senior season with the Gators. As the draft neared, his stock continued to climb. Clayton attended...

GAINESVILLE — Former Florida guard Denzel Aberdeen will return to his ol’ stomping grounds with a new team when SEC rival Kentucky visits the O’Connell Center next season. The Gators and the Wildcats will face each other home and away in 2025-26, highlighting the conference schedule released Wednesday. Besides Kentucky, UF will host Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Georgia, LSU, Mississippi State, South Carolina and Tennessee. The Gators will visit Georgia, Ole Miss, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt. Dates, times and television assignments are yet to be...

GAINESVILLE — Florida has picked up three commitments, including 4-star receiver Marquez Daniel, to rise into the top 30 of the recruiting rankings. Daniel, 6-foot-6 edge defender JaReylan McCoy and running back Carsyn Baker committed to the Gators this weekend following visits to Gainesville. The additions continued the recent ascent of coach Billy Napier’s program to the No. 29 spot in 247Sports composite rankings. The commits came a week after pledges from Gainesville Buchholz standout Justin Williams and massive offensive tackle Chancellor Campbell (6-8, 295) of St. Petersburg...

GAINESVILLE — Defending national champion Florida will visit powerhouse Duke next December during the annual ACC/SEC Challenge. The Orlando Sentinel confirmed the Gators and Blue Devils will square off either Dec. 2 or 3. Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports first reported the matchup of the two 2025 Final Four participants and winners of a combined eight national titles, including three for UF — the latest a 65-63 come-from-behind win against Houston April 7 in San Antonio. The game is the latest high-profile matchup on Florida’s 2025-26 schedule. The Gators will kick off their national title...