The ESPN College Gameday and SEC Nation crews praised Billy Napier and the Florida Gators for improving but unanimously picked Ole Miss to win on Saturday.
The ESPN College Gameday and SEC Nation crews unanimously picked Ole Miss to defeat Florida on Saturday.
“I love the job [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] has done at Florida. I think he’s done a great job of keeping this team focused through some really difficult circumstances, I just think Ole Miss has got too much firepower for them,” Nick Saban said. “But I think it’s going to be a close game.”
Napier joined the Gameday crew in the 9 o’clock block. He talked [autotag]DJ Lagway[/autotag]’s positive impact on the younger players and their mentality. Napier also addressed what he believes to be the biggest key to the game.
“You’ve got to survive the script,” Napier said. “It’s important that you’re ready to start fast. You’ve got to get the call in, get our cleats in the ground. We’ve got to get communicated, aligned, play with the right leverage, have good eye discipline. If you can get through the script and settle in, adjust to the tempo, I think it’s important.”
Pat McAfee challenged Billy Napier to a 35-yard throw, where he would donate $1 million to hurricane relief if Napier hit the crossbar. Coach Napier put a good spiral on it but just missed the crossbar. Kirk Herbstreit tried to get a second attempt, but McAfee quickly waved it off after seeing how close Napier was.
Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin later texted Herbstreit, poking fun at Napier and saying he would have hit the crossbar.
SEC Nation picks Florida-Ole Miss
All four pickers on SEC Nation — former Alabama safety Roman Harper, former Vanderbilt quarterback Jordan Rodgers, Florida legend Tim Tebow and SEC insider Paul Finebaum — picked Ole Miss but agreed that Florida is playing its best football of the season and could keep it close.
“I think Florida is improving,” Tebow said. “I think playing at home is so helpful. I think DJ is on the verge of being a star. I just think this is the right time for Ole Miss. I think they’re peaking. I think they have their best player back (Tre Harris), their front four has been dominating the last few weeks, there healthy. I think it will be close but the Rebels will be good enough.”
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