Tag: Gasparilla Bowl

Florida receiver Justin Shorter’s family updates his status

Shorter was released from the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery after taking a hit to the head in Thursday’s Gasparilla Bowl loss.

A scary moment came in the final minutes of Florida’s Gasparilla Bowl loss to the UCF Knights on Thursday night as starting receiver Justin Shorter took a hit to the head and stayed on the ground while not appearing to be moving. It was an emotional scene as UF’s players huddled around him, and he was carted off the field and taken to a local hospital.

Fortunately, we got some good news on Friday morning as Shorter’s family announced that he had been cleared to leave the hospital in a statement posted by the Gators football Twitter account.

“We are happy to share that Justin is doing well, is cleared to head home today and is on his way to a full recovery,” the statement said. “We would like to thank everyone for the outpouring of prayers, love and endless support — he is going to be fine.”

That is certainly encouraging, as head/neck injuries are never anything to play around with. It sounds like Shorter will be alright in the long term, though.

The redshirt junior receiver is a former five-star recruit who transferred to Florida last year from Penn State. In two seasons with the Gators, he has 66 catches for 818 yards and six touchdowns.

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Sunday Brunch: How the Knights trampled the Gators in the Gasparilla Bowl

Pat Dooley serves up his Sunday brunch with a side of sadness.

These are a few of my least favorite things about this football team.

When the flags fly.

When the pass is dropped.

When Emory Jones is bad.

I think of a few of my least favorite things and everything seems … so … sad.

A deep dive into another terrible loss for the Gators with a special Friday Brunch:

5 takeaways as Florida ends season with Gasparilla Bowl loss to UCF

The Gators capped off a disappointing season with one final loss in the Gasparilla Bowl against the UCF Knights.

Florida’s 2021 season mercifully came to an end on Thursday night, but not before one last disappointing performance to cap things off. The 6-6 Gators drew the 8-4 UCF Knights in the Gasparilla Bowl, and UCF looked like the more motivated team at Raymond James Stadium. UF led 10-9 at the half, but UCF had a much better second half and eventually took the lead, pulling away for a 29-17 win that sealed the Knights as the top team in the state of Florida this season.

It was a chippy contest, and the ending was a bit overshadowed by an emotional and scary moment when Gators receiver Justin Shorter went down after a hit to the head and had to be carted off the field. The game was all but over at that point, but it certainly took away whatever wind remained in Florida’s sails. UCF became the first in-state team other than Florida State or Miami to beat the Gators since Stetson in 1938.

With the season officially in the books, it’s now new coach Billy Napier‘s team entirely, and Thursday night’s game made it clear that he has a lot of work to do. Here are five takeaways from the bowl loss.

Report: Florida’s top receiver to play in Gasparilla Bowl despite transfer portal

Florida should have its top receiver against UCF despite him being in the transfer portal.

Florida’s leading receiver Jacob Copeland entered the transfer portal earlier in the month, but he’s warming up on the field ahead of the Gasparilla Bowl, according to On3’s Nick de la Torre.

Copeland entered the portal on December 9 and already has a crystal ball projection to Maryland under his name, but he’ll have one more chance to impress any potential suitors. Copeland led the Gators this season with 39 receptions, 607 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns. He said that his “last game as a Gator” was coming soon in his social media announcement, but it looked like the team would be without him against UCF.

Emory Jones will be playing his last game as a Gator before entering the transfer portal as well, so the two could pair up and leave on a high note. It’s unlikely either will end up staying with the program, but it’s still a possibility.

Copeland’s best game this year came at Raymond James Stadium against USF in Week 2. He brought in five passes for 175 yards and two touchdowns. A repeat performance against UCF would be a dream scenario.

In bowl games, Copeland has just two career receptions for 23 yards. He didn’t play against Oklahoma last season in the Cotton Bowl due to multiple positive COVID tests. He was limited to just two catches for six yards against Alabama in the SEC Championship, though.

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Gasparilla Bowl: UCF vs. Florida live stream, TV channel, time, how to watch bowl games

The UCF Knights will face the Florida Gators in the Gasparilla Bowl on Thursday night from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL.

The UCF Knights will face the Florida Gators in the Gasparilla Bowl on Thursday night from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL.

UCF finished the year with an 8-4 record which was surprising due to how many injuries they had to deal with throughout the year. As for Florida, they finished 6-6 and almost didn’t qualify for a bowl game, they will look to finish the year on a winning note in the Gasparilla Bowl.

Tune in to the Gasparilla Bowl tonight, here is everything you need to know to watch and stream the action.

UCF vs. Florida

  • When: Thursday, December 23
  • Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
  • TV Channel: ESPN
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (watch for free)

How to watch College Football Bowl Season

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NCAA Football Odds and Betting Lines

NCAA odds courtesy of Tipico Sportsbook. Odds last updated Thursday at 12:00 p.m. ET.

UCF vs. Florida (-6.5)

O/U: 55.5

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Complete coverage of the Gasparilla Bowl between Florida and UCF

Here’s absolutely everything you could possibly need to know about tonight’s game.

Game day has arrived for the Florida Gators and Central Florida Knights, who get set to face each other for just the third time ever in the 2021 Gasparilla Bowl held in Tampa, Florida. Raymond James Stadium is sure to be covered in a blend of both orange and blue as well as black and gold on Thursday night as the two schools fight for in-state bragging rights.

Neither team had aspired to play in the lower-tier bowl game at the beginning of the season, but disappointing campaigns — especially Florida, which ended up firing its head coach and two assistants before the end of the regular season — resulted in a preview of upcoming two-and-one series that begins in 2024.

A great deal has been researched and written on the topic, and we have it all right here for you below — from scouting reports to betting lines to media takes, you can find it simply all by scrolling down. Enjoy the game, football fans!

Game day betting odds for Florida football vs UCF in Gasparilla Bowl

Check out the odds for today’s Florida vs. UCF in the Gasparilla Bowl.

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Here we go, folks! The final game of Florida football’s 2021 campaign has finally arrived as the Orange and Blue gets set to take on the Central Florida Knights in the Gasparilla Bowl on Thursday night.

By now, everyone should be familiar with the narratives: disappointing seasons; de facto state title; playing for mere pride. A win for the Gators prevents the first losing season in Gainesville since 2017 while a Knights victory gives them bragging rights until the two schools meet again in 2024.

Ahead of the game, according to the Tipico Sportsbook, the Gators’ edge dropped a point back to 6.5 over the Knights with the over-under falling back to 55.5 points. Florida’s money rose to minus-240 while Central Florida’s fell to plus-190 as of 9 a.m. EST on Thursday.

How to watch Florida football vs UCF Knights in Gasparilla Bowl

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. EST on Thursday, December 23, inside Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The game will be broadcast on ESPN, livestreamed on the ESPN app and can be heard on the Gators Radio Network.

All Betting Lines are Courtesy of Tipico Sportsbook

Visit our free to play game lobby at Daily Ticket, Powered by Tipico Sportsbook

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Wednesday betting odds for Florida football vs UCF in Gasparilla Bowl

Here is an early look at the odds for Florida vs. UCF in the Gasparilla Bowl for Wednesday.

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Game day is quickly drawing near as the Florida Gators prepare to take on the Central Florida Knights in the 2021 Gasparilla Bowl on Thursday. The two schools will vie for the de facto in-state championship, facing each other for just the third time ever on the gridiron.

UF seems to have the upper hand talent-wise over UCF, but the way things have unfurled on the field this season often suggests otherwise. There are many who think that the Knights have more to play for, and thus, are more likely to come out on top. Even the Gators Wire staff was split on who would take home the state title, with our roundtable drawing almost exactly even on its composite score prediction.

According to the Tipico Sportsbook, the Gators are now favored by 7.5 — up a point — over the Knights with the over-under rising to 56.5 points. Florida’s money fell again to minus-280 while Central Florida’s also raised again to plus-220 as of 10 a.m. EST on Wednesday.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. EST on Thursday, December 23, inside Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The game will be broadcast on ESPN, livestreamed on the ESPN app and can be heard on the Gators Radio Network.

All Betting Lines are Courtesy of Tipico Sportsbook

Visit our free to play game lobby at Daily Ticket, Powered by Tipico Sportsbook

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Scouting the UCF Knights ahead of the Gasparilla Bowl

Here’s everything you need to know about the Knights heading into the Gasparilla Bowl.

Florida may have missed a New Year’s Six Bowl for the first time since 2017 this year, but unlike that season, this team will at least be playing during bowl season. After reaching bowl eligibility with a win over Florida State, the 6-6 Gators were placed in the Gasparilla Bowl at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, where they will take on the UCF Knights on Thursday night.

This game carries some intrigue, as some controversy arose between the two schools a couple years ago while attempting to schedule future non-conference matchups. The Knights wanted a home-and-home, while UF wanted a two-for-one. The schools eventually agreed on the latter and will play in Gainesville in 2024 and 2033 and Orlando in 2030.

However, we’ll see an early preview of that series on Thursday night, though neither program is at its best. UCF went 8-4 this season in Gus Malzahn’s first year at the helm, losing four games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2014-15.

Here’s what you need to know about this Central Florida team.

Sports Illustrated’s Gasparilla Bowl pick between UF and UCF might surprise you

Forde likes the Knights to win in a close game in his Gasparilla Bowl preview.

Florida will conclude what has been a frustrating season on Thursday night. The team went 6-6 and fired coach Dan Mullen after a 2-6 finish in SEC play, the worst in program history for the Gators. They reached bowl eligibility thanks to a win over Florida State under interim coach Greg Knox, and now Knox and Mullen’s remaining staffers will coach one final game in the Gasparilla Bowl against the UCF Knights.

Despite the way it finished the season, UF is about a touchdown favorite against the 8-4 Knights, depending on where you look. However, Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde doesn’t have a lot of confidence in this team, and in his predictions for each bowl game, he picked a Central Florida upset.

UCF season in a sentence: Gus Malzahn arrived, Dillon Gabriel got hurt and hit the transfer portal, and the glory days of 2017–18 receded a little further in the rearview mirror.

Florida season in a sentence: Tire fire.

Better or worse than the 1973 Liberty Bowl: Worse, even with the in-state (non)rivalry stakes.

Line: Florida by 6.5.

Dash pick: UCF 21, Florida 19. There are two competing schools of thought here. On the one hand, the Knights’ in-state players who were not recruited by the Gators should bring superior motivation against a team that has performed listlessly for months. On the other hand, Malzahn is 2–5 against the spread in bowl games since nearly winning the 2013 national championship as a 10-point underdog.

There’s no doubt that UCF will be the more motivated team in this one. The Knights certainly have a bone to pick with the flagship university, and even in a down year for the Gators, a win against them would mean a lot for the Central Florida program.

UF, meanwhile, knows the program is about to undergo wholesale changes under new coach Billy Napier, and it’s unclear how motivated the players that haven’t opted out or transferred will be in the last game with a lame-duck coaching staff.

The Gators will look to earn a win and avoid their third sub-.500 finish since 2013.

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