Nick Saban sternly explained that Alabama “cheated” by developing its players.
Thanks to the advent of name, image, and likeness, college athletes are now permitted to make money under NCAA rules. But even when that wasn’t the case, players getting paid was a fact of life.
While quite a few programs were caught doing exactly that, many more did so discreetly based on extensive reporting into the “bagman” phenomenon. But none of that was happening at Alabama. At least, not according to coach Nick Saban.
During College GameDay ahead of the first-round College Football Playoff matchup between Indiana and Notre Dame in South Bend, Saban did not seem to appreciate comedian and guest picker Shane Gillis jokingly accusing him of “cheating.”
"You called him a cheater earlier." – Pat McAfee
"I was just joking around… Is this not a fun show? Is this a serious show? Alabama Jones is very serious." – Shane Gillis
“I’m joking,” Gillis said when Pat McAfee referenced his cheating comments. “Is this not a fun show? Is this a serious show? Alabama Jones is very serious. Get the whip, Indy.”
Saban clarified that he believes in integrity and that Alabama cheated by developing players.
“I do believe in integrity,” Saban said. “I always tried to run the program that way, so players had a better chance to be successful in life. We made more money in the NFL than any other school, 61 players in the league. That was how we cheated, we developed players.”
Gillis responded with a laughing apology, but the seven-time national champion may not be the comedian’s biggest fan right now.
Looking at the good, bad and ugly aspects of Florida’s Gasparilla Bowl victory over Tulane to finish the season with eight wins.
Florida football won its first postseason game since 2019 and the first of the [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] era on Friday against the Tulane Green Wave in the Gasparilla Bowl. The Gators nearly pitched a shutout in this one, grinding their way to a 33-8 victory inside Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.
It was not the most exciting matchup, but the win gave the Orange and Blue an 8-5 final tally for the 2024 campaign after surviving a schedule that was among the toughest in the sport this fall. Florida kept Tulane scoreless until a touchdown with just 0:29 remaining spoiled the first shutout since 2021 in an overwhelming display of defensive domination.
It was a satisfying conclusion to an unexpectedly exciting college football campaign for Napier and Co. The Gators Wire crew provided their takeaways in a good, bad and ugly format following the game now that the final horn has sounded on the season.
Florida’s defense was outstanding today
Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun
GOOD: Florida’s defense was absolutely outstanding today, almost shutting out their opponent to give the Gators their 12-straight win over the Green Wave. The corps may have only had one sack, but it also grabbed a trio of interceptions while holding Tulane to 194 total yards (just 62 yards in the first half).
The one touchdown and two-point conversion came against bench players, for what it is worth.
Also give a gold star to Trey Smack, whose four field goals (in four attempts) set a new Gasparilla Bowl record. Of course, earning the win is in itself worthy of the “good” category as well.
BAD: Florida’s red zone offense was weak, being forced to take the field goal instead of pushing across the goal line in three of five the first five visits inside the 20-yard line while getting a TD once. At least points were put on the board, but it felt like a lot more were left off.
Also, Lagway did not necessarily have a terrible game — his numbers were perfectly solid — but he certainly seemed off at times, and both of his interceptions were very ill-advised. Additionally, it looked like he simply stopped planting his feet when he threw, which led to a few errant throws and those picks.
Sure, Tulane put some pressure on him, but his first half was a bit puzzling. He did manage to earn the MVP award thanks to a much stronger second half.
UGLY: Man alive, this game was a pure snoozefest — the first half was downright painful. Members of the media who ranked this game near the bottom of the bowl game roster made the right call. The overall officiating also left a lot to be desired, but hey, a win is a win. — Adam Dubbin
Another incredible display of defense
Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun
GOOD: Another incredible display of defense. I might sound like a broken record here, but this Florida defense looks like a completely different unit out there compared to the first few games of the season.
The Gators’ defense held Tulane to just eight points and 194 total yards, including only 23 in the second quarter. Florida also did a good job of generating multiple turnovers. The Green Wave gave up three interceptions, one to defensive back Trikweze Bridges, defensive back Alfonzo Allen Jr. and inside linebacker Myles Graham.
If this defense can continue this play heading into next season, the Gators have a chance to become a serious threat in the SEC.
BAD: DJ Lagway’s rusty first half. Lagway did not look like himself at all today, especially in the first half. He just didn’t look comfortable out there and he missed on some of his throws including the deep balls, which is one of the strongest aspects of his game.
The freshman threw two interceptions in the first half, one of them coming in the end zone that took away a Gators touchdown opportunity. At least in the second half, he looked more comfortable. I don’t think nerves played a factor in this game but rust might’ve had something to do with his poor play in the first half.
Nonetheless, Lagway threw for over 300 yards, set a single-game Gasparilla Bowl record, and did enough for the Gators to win.
UGLY: Red zone offense. The Gators just couldn’t find a way to get the ball in the end zone when they got in the red zone. They had six red zone opportunities and had two touchdowns.
When they called run plays, the running backs struggled to get yardage and when they called passes, Lagway struggled to hit an open receiver. Luckily, kicker Trey Smack was able to knock down all of his field goals to help the Gators point points on the board but it was a bit shaky for the Florida offense today. — Aidan Gallardo
Walk-on touchdowns are a beautiful thing
Julio Aguilar/Getty Images
GOOD: Florida has played inspired football since the first month of the season, and it’s a big positive to see this team close out the year on a four-game win streak against mostly winning teams (sorry, not sorry, FSU).
While this might not have been DJ Lagway’s best game, he still put up decent numbers and led the team to several scoring drives in the second half. I’m not worried about the two picks at all.
Of course, the defense deserves its typical weekly praise, even if the walk-ons couldn’t hold the shutout intact. Keeping a conference championship-caliber club under 200 yards of total offense is the ideal way to build confidence going into the offseason.
BAD: I’m not of the mind that scoring points on 5-of-6 red zone drives is a bad thing, even though touchdowns are more desirable than field goals. Instead, I’ll point to Florida’s nine penalties. Okay, let’s call it eight because the team absolutely deserved to mob the end zone and celebrate with Rubio. Walk-on touchdowns are a beautiful thing. A reserve defensive back committing a late pass interference call is forgivable, too.
But the false start, two holding calls, personal foul, offsides and roughing the passer were all avoidable. Billy Napier has preached discipline for the entirety of his tenure as head coach at Florida, and this was not a disciplined performance. Something to work on for next year.
UGLY: Tulane looked lost on offense for most of the night, so the ugly goes to the Green Wave’s quarterback Ty Thompson. I know this is a guy who’s spent the year as a third-string option, but maybe he’ll reconsider his transfer portal decision after this performance.
He certainly didn’t help himself out with three interceptions, but maybe Tulane doesn’t want him back after this either…. You lie in the bed you make, I guess? — David Rosenberg
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Taking a look at the factors that helped the Gators secure a near-shutout victory against Tulane in the Gasparilla Bowl.
Florida football finished their 2024 season on a high note, as they defeated the Tulane Green Wave, 33-8, in the Gasparilla Bowl.
Although the Gators won, it looked as if they were leaning more on the side of trying not to lose. It was sloppy, ugly and unlike the well-executed Florida team that was displayed in the final stretch of the regular season.
It wasn’t necessarily pretty for head coach Billy Napier and his Florida football squad, but they found a way to get the job done. DJ Lagway did not look like himself in the first half, but the defense and special teams delivered when the Gators needed them.
The Gators head into the new year with their heads held high and a ton of momentum on their side.
Here are five key factors that contributed to Florida football’s win over Tulane.
Defense wins championships?
The Gators’ defense held Tulane to 194 total yards including just 23 in the second quarter. When compared to the first few games to now, this defense looks like a completely different unit.
Not only did Florida limit Tulane to minimal yardage, but they were able to come up with multiple interceptions.
On Tulane’s first play, Florida defensive back Trikweze Bridges came up with his second interception of the season. On Tulane’s second offensive drive in the third quarter, Green Wave quarterback Ty Thompson’s pass was tipped up in the air and intercepted by defensive back Alfonzo Allen Jr.
In the fourth quarter, the Gators were able to come up with another interception. Inside linebacker Myles Graham came up with Florida’s third interception of the game.
Despite the Florida offense not playing their greatest today, their defense came through and allowed just eight points.
Shaky first half doesn’t affect DJ Lagway
Even though it wasn’t Lagway’s best performance this year, he did enough to secure the win for Florida.
Lagway did not look like himself in the first half, missing on throws and struggling to connect with his receivers on the deep balls. That’s something that is typically the strong part of his game.
Lagway threw two interceptions in the first half, one of them coming in the end zone that took away a Gators touchdown opportunity. But in the second half, he played much better and did a good job in limiting the turnovers.
The freshman finished the game throwing for 305 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. His 305 passing yards set a new Gasparilla Bowl single-game record.
Nonetheless, Lagway was able to do enough for the Gators to come out with the win. He was also named the Gasparilla Bowl MVP.
Trey Smack kept smacking the field goals
Florida kicker Trey Smack was automatic today, going 4-for-4 on field goals including a long of 44 yards.
With his four field goals, the junior set a single-game Gasparilla Bowl record.
Smack has continued to be “Mr. Reliable” for Florida this year, drilling 18 out of his 21 (85.7%) field goal attempts. Smack’s longest field goal of the year came against the LSU Tigers when he nailed a 55-yarder.
Dominating time of possession
The Gators had possession for 38:57 of the game compared to Tulane’s possession of 21:03. Part of that was due to the Florida defense forcing quick offensive possessions for Tulane. Another part was due to the Gators taking their time on offense and running as much clock as they can.
Because Florida dominated the time of possession, they were able to maintain control of the game and keep everything steady. Also, it allowed the defense to stay rested and come out physically and energetic every time they stepped out onto the field.
Gator Nation showed out
Florida was able to ride the wave with Gator Nation on their back throughout this game. Florida fans swarmed Raymond James Stadium and it felt like a game in the Swamp.
Tulane did have a good number of fans but they were clearly outnumbered by those of Florida.
Whether it was making noise when the Gators were on defense or cheering on the Orange and Blue when they scored a touchdown, Florida fans played a contributing role in the Gators’ victory against Tulane.
There’s a reason Florida has one of the best fan bases in the country and they put it on full display in this Gators “home” game.
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Florida rolled to a 33-8 victory over Tulane in the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl on Friday afternoon, finishing 8-5 while holding a struggling Green Wave offense — missing quarterback Darian Mensah — to 194 yards.
Despite the defensive dominance, the Gators struggled to find the end zone for most of the game and led just 6-0 at the half. But in the fourth quarter, coach Billy Napier’s team scored a touchdown in unlikely fashion after a fourth-and-one fumble turned into six points.
Napier called a quarterback sneak with big true freshman DJ Lagway, but Lagway fumbled the snap, seemingly dooming the team to a turnover on downs.
However, a heads-up play from running back KD Daniels saved the drive as Daniels quickly recovered the fumble and, in the confusion, ran past the entire Tulane defense for a 27-yard touchdown.
While there is some merit to the criticism that bowl season has become largely meaningless between opt-outs and the expanded College Football Playoff, there is one thing these de facto exhibition games are still good for: complete, off-the-wall chaos.
Florida capped off the 2024 season with its first bowl win since 2019, and a four-game streak to close out the year has fans looking forward to 2025.
Despite some early struggles, Florida won the Gasparilla Bowl game, 33-8, against Tulane Friday night.
The win is significant for many reasons. It’s the first bowl win for the Gators under Billy Napier and also the culmination of one of the most up-and-down seasons in Florida football history.
Most fans and pundits wouldn’t believe that Florida could nearly shut out a 9-4 team that made it to a conference championship if asked a month into the season, but Napier managed to turn the program around following the first bye week of the year and it’s been nothing but improvements — save for the Texas game — ever since.
[autotag]DJ Lagway[/autotag], who set a Gasparilla Bowl record with 305 passing yards, has Florida on the rise, but the defense has improved the most over the past three months. Finishing things off with a goose egg is a poetic way to end the year.
Defense puts on a clinic
Even though Florida played without a good chunk of its starting lineup — due to both transfers and injuries — the defense played with a first-string effort. They limited Tulane to 194 total yards and forced three interceptions in perhaps the most dominant performance of the season.
From big Desmond Watson picking up the Green Wave’s running back for a stop to reserve Alonzo Allen Jr. securing a pick, Ron Roberts proved that he’s the miracle worker on the defensive side of the ball. Florida will be just fine without Austin Armstrong next year.
Tulane averaged 2.6 yards per carry and had under 100 yards passing until a garbage time touchdown drive in the game’s waning minutes; against Florida’s walk-on/reserve unit at that.
A little rust from DJ in the first quarter, but vintage Lagway the rest of the way
Lagway didn’t have his best stuff at the beginning of this one. He threw a pair of first-half interceptions but still managed 190 yards on 14-of-22 passing. The second half was far more fruitful from a scoring standpoint, with Florida going field goal, touchdown, field goal on its first three drives. The Gators punted just once, ending the game with a pair of touchdown drives — the second of which was scored by walk-on running back Anthony Rubio.
Chimere Dike went out with a bang, catching six passes for 96 yards, and several young players performed well behind him. Tight end Tony Livingston hauled in four for 58 yards and a touchdown, and redshirt freshman Aidan Mizell also caught four passes for 50 yards. Both figure to be crucial pieces of Florida’s offense next season.
The future is bright in Gainesville under center, and there are plenty of elite receivers coming in to replenish the losses of Elijhah Badger and Dike.
It’s finally great to be a Florida Gator again
It’s been a long time since Florida Gators fans could proudly boast that the team is back, but a four-game win streak has everyone in college football excited about the program heading into 2025. Billy Napier managed to reel in a top-10 recruiting class, and the coaching staff has proven that it’s capable of getting results without starters.
The Gators haven’t had a winning season since 2020, but that’s all in the past now. For those who hung in there “through all kinds of weather,” this has to feel good.
That’s a wrap for the 2024 Florida football season. Until next year, Gators fans!
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The 2024 Gasparilla Bowl will pit Florida against Tulane.
The Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl will kick off on Friday in Tampa, pitting Florida and Tulane against each other for a trophy treasure trove of pirate booty.
The 7-5 Gators will try to close the season, a highly uneven one for coach Billy Napier, on a high note.
Napier did enough to stick around in Gainesville for another year, but a bowl game win against Tulane would give his athletic department just a bit more confidence that he’s the guy to return Florida to national prominence.
While all teams are playing for pride in these bowl games, at least Florida has the chance to do so in front of a friendly Tampa crowd.
As for 9-4 Tulane, coach Jon Sumrall recently earned a major contract extension with the Green Wave after a season where his school was ranked for multiple weeks. Winning the bowl game is a cherry on top for Sumrall.
Tulane being able to close the 2024 season by sticking it to an SEC team in its home state would have to feel great for Sumrall’s group going into 2025. Even if it loses, this team has a lot to be proud of for how the season went.
Here’s how Clemson and Texas share a unique connection ahead of the CFP first round.
Clemson and Texas won’t be so friendly with each other when the two teams face off in the first round of the 2024 College Football Playoff on Saturday.
However, one Tiger and one Longhorn have lots of history together, even going all the way back to elementary school.
These two childhood friends will now vie with each other for a chance to contend for a national championship, even if they’re just meeting in the first round of a grander tournament.
“I’ve been playing with him since I was third or fourth grade,” Klubnik told the Austin American-Statesman. “Maybe he was on the first football team I was ever on, so (it’s) definitely exciting. I texted him last weekend, ‘This is going to be cool.'”
However, with Klubnik a quarterback and Taaffe a safety, they’ll quite literally be on the opposite side of the field come game day. Their shared experiences will become competitive advantages for each other.
“I know the tendencies that he has,” Taaffe told the Austin American-Statesman. “You know I’ll take those to my advantage, but vice-versa, he knows what type of player I am. He knows I like to take calculated risks. He knows that I’m a student of the game. He’s going to probably show me one thing that they’ve done on film 100 times, and it’s going to be the opposite. I know that, but he probably knows the same thing.”
College football fans finally got their decades-long wish fulfilled this season as FBS playoff games are headed to campus for the first round.
Notre Dame, Texas, Penn State and Ohio State will each host a playoff game this weekend, but those watching at home — and especially those in the stadium — may notice a slightly different vibe to these games. That’s not just because the stakes are raised, it’s because of the overall game presentation.
As Front Office Sports points out, the home teams are not the ones organizing and producing the games. That would be the College Football Playoff governing body. So expect to see a few changes to the gameday atmosphere.
Opposing schools are allotted 3,500 tickets (including seats for band members), far fewer than the typical 50-50 split during conference championship and bowl games.
Away teams have the option for a hype video during introductions.
Home team staff will operate the P.A. system and music, but there are no sponsored elements, per CFP rules.
You might start to see some home fans get restless if the jumbotron starts playing hype videos for the visiting team, but the host school doesn’t have any say here.
It’s not the end of the world, either. The home fans are still going to have their gameday traditions like normal and the advantage of playing on campus is still massive. There’s nothing wrong with showing a little bit of love to a visiting team that accomplished what only 12 out of 134 FBS programs could not by reaching the playoff.
