Latest Florida Gators News

Latest Florida Gators News

More Florida Gators News

Cormani McClain’s Mother Speaks Up for Her Son After Billy Napier Assigns Gators’ Loss Blame

Cormani McClain's mom is standing up for him after Florida's tough loss to LSU, while Billy Napier cleared the air about the bad performance.
NCAA, College League, USA Football: Kentucky at Florida Oct 19, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators defensiv

Billy Napier Makes DJ Lagway Stance Clear as 102K Fans Watch Frustrations Mount

Florida HC Billy Napier shows faith in QB DJ Lagway, but his Week 3 performance has caused some fans to start doubting his abilities.
NCAA Football: Florida Spring Game

Punishment Announced for All Florida & LSU Athletes for Pregame Scuffle

Refs hit Florida State and LSU with team penalties after that pregame scuffle—one more slip, ejections loom.
NCAA, College League, USA Football: Vanderbilt at Louisiana State Nov 23, 2024; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers

ESPN Insider Has Strong Words for NCAA Officials as LSU Pay a Heavy Price

ESPN Insider criticizes NCAA officials, highlighting LSU suffering major consequences from controversial calls in recent high-stakes games.
college football ball

Tough Blow for Billy Napier as 5-Star Flip Target Makes Sad College Football Announcement

Billy Napier's Florida are facing a pretty hard time with a 5-star DL who already cleared his stance on rival SEC school being final home.
NCAA Football: Florida at Florida State

Who Are the Announcers for Florida vs LSU Week 3 Football Game?

Here's a look at the announcers who will be relaying all the action live from the intense clash between Florida and LSU.
NCAA Football: Texas Bowl-Baylor at Louisiana State

Nick Saban Confirms Past Disappointment Is Driving Alex Golesh & USF’s Rare Advantage

Nick Saban confirms a dreaded chapter from Alex Golesh's past that is fuelling his redemption arc in the 2025 season.
NCAA Football: Orange Bowl-Notre Dame at Penn State

5-Star QB Linked to Billy Napier & Florida Turns Heads with Latest Move

Florida Gator's Class of 2027 quarterback commit is turning heads as Billy Napier and fandom left in shock.
NCAA Football: Florida at Florida State

DJ Lagway Faces Serious Questions From SEC Legend as Florida Framework to Fire Billy Napier Emerges

As Florida head coach Billy Napier’s hot seat debate extends, this SEC legend turns his focus on DJ Lagway’s persistent problems 
NCAA, College League, USA Football: Kentucky at Florida Oct 19, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators head coa

Brian Kelly Shuts Down Billy Napier Hot Seat Debate With Yet Another Bold Take

The SEC clash between the Gators and LSU is looking to be a one sided beatdown. But Brian Kelly is quick to defend Billy Napier.
Brian Kelly, Billy Napier

Why did Florida Cancel Future Series With ASU? 

The Florida Gators aim to improve in 2025, but it’s their forward-thinking moves that have people talking.
Florida Gators

USF HC Alex Golesh Shares Emotional Tale of Fleeing War-Torn Russia Before College Football Heroics

USF bulls head coach Alex Golesh becomes emotional on his his story of escaping war-torn Soviet Union and parents' hardships
Credits: Alex Golesh Twitter

Paul Finebaum Justifies ‘Dead Man Walking’ Label for SEC HC With $20M Buyout After Major Blunder

As water flows above the SEC head coach’s head, Paul Finebaum stirred more fear, doubling down on a reporter’s blunt take for the mentor
Paul Finebaum – Tennessee

Jon Gruden’s Return to Coaching: Top 3 Landing Spots in SEC

Jon Gruden’s name is swirling in SEC chatter, with three possible destinations that could shake up college football’s balance.
Jon Gruden

Billy Napier Makes Desperate Bid to Save His Florida Seat After HC Given Stern One Month Ultimatum

Billy Napier’s seat burns in Gainesville as he makes a last push to steady Florida’s season with a brutal stretch ahead.
NCAA, College League, USA Football: Florida at Mississippi State Sep 21, 2024; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Florida Gat

Garrett Nussmeier Shows True Colors to Billy Napier & Florida With a Public Call Out: “Not a Fan”

Napier has to win this one. Add in Garrett Nussmeier’s pointed jab, and you’ve got all the ingredients for one of the SEC’s loudest clashes.
NCAA Football: Texas Bowl-Baylor at Louisiana State

Conflict Between Florida Gators Athletes & Fans After Spitgate Perpetrator Issues Apology

Florida Gators' fans are still discussing the spitting controversy of the USF game. An apology from the athlete himself has divided opinions.
NCAA Football: Florida at Florida State

Florida Broadcaster Names $30M Ex-NFL Coach as Billy Napier Replacement

College football analyst whips some fresh fear for Billy Napier with the mention of an ex-NFL coach having an eye on his head coaching seat.
NCAA, College League, USA Football: Florida at Mississippi State Sep 21, 2024; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Florida Gat

“I Died Twice”: Warren Sapp’s Girlfriend Has a Tough Time After New Decision

Warren Sapp’s girlfriend makes headlines with a bold new decision, blending adventure, style, and a touch of unpredictability to her story.
NCAA, College League, USA Football: North Dakota State at Colorado Aug 29, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffal

ESPN’s Rece Davis Sends Urgent Message to Florida AD That Could Alter $19.38M Billy Napier Decision

Florida faces a pivotal crossroads as voices Rece Davis weigh in on Billy Napier and DJ Lagway's future amid program priorities.
NCAA Football: Rose Bowl-Ohio State at Oregon

Brian Kelly Brings Up Ed Orgeron to Defend Billy Napier Amid Growing Criticism

Brian Kelly invoked former LSU coach Ed Orgeron’s struggles to defend Billy Napier as criticism mounts over Florida’s week 2 upset loss to USF
NCAA, College League, USA Football 2024: Vanderbilt vs LSU NOV 23 November 23, 2024: LSU Head Coach Brian Kelly walks of

Billy Napier Confirms Punishment for ‘Remorseful’ Brendan Bett After Spitting Incident

Billy Napier is in a tough spot. He needs to get control of his players. But the punishments should not come at the cost of wins.
NCAA, College League, USA Football: Florida at Mississippi State Sep 21, 2024; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Florida Gat

Billy Napier on Thin Ice as Major Intel Puts His Job on Jeopardy Amid Big Play-Calling Decision

Florida’s upset loss to USF drops Billy Napier to a 20-20 record, raising major doubts about his job security and play-calling decisions.
NCAA, College League, USA Football: Louisiana State at Florida Nov 16, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators h

Calls Mount Against Billy Napier After Under Fire HC Announces Refusal To Give Up on Florida Duties

Billy Napier's stubbornness with his OC seat, even after an embarrassing defeat to USF, has fans in an uproar.
Billy Napier

Billy Napier Faces Mounting Pressure as Florida Upset Sparks Gators Commit Flip

Billy Napier and Florida Gators pushed to the edge as they now face poaching threats with their recruits after the upset loss against USF

Warren Sapp’s Daughter Throws Shade at Billy Napier After Florida HC Breaks Silence on Shaky Future

Warren Sapp's daughter rubbed some salt in Billy Napier's wounds after USF upset Florida, while the HC addressed talks about his job.
NCAA, College League, USA Football: Florida at Tennessee Oct 12, 2024; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Florida Gators head co

About Florida Gators

Florida Gators 2021: News, Schedule, Roster, Scores, Injury Report

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The Florida Gators compete in NCAA Men's Basketball as a part of the Southeastern Conference. Some notable opponent teams from the conference are Kentucky, Auburn, and LSU. They were founded in 1915.

They were named the Alligators by Austin Miller, a lawyer, back in the 1900s. He and his father were ordering pennants and banners for the University of Florida, but realized they had no emblem. So he suggested alligators, since they are native to Florida and no other college had the same name. Since then, alligators, later shortened to Gators, has carried on as the name.

The first logo of the Florida Gators was launched back in 1966, and it was just a simple letter F.  The current logo is a fierce-looking alligator, which was introduced in 2013.

History

Founded1915
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
Athletic DirectorScott Stricklin
Head CoachMike White
Arena

Stephen C. O'Connell Center

Championships (2)2006, 2007
Conference Tournament Titles (4)2005, 2006, 2007, 2014
Conference Regular Season Titles (7)1989, 2000, 2001, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2014
Websitehttps://floridagators.com/sports/mens-basketball

Who is the Coach of the Gators?

The current coach of the Florida Gators is Mike White. The 43-year-old was appointed in 2015 after a successful tenure at Louisiana Tech.

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When White arrived, he had to fill the huge void left by former coach Billy Donovan. In just his second season, he guided the team to an impressive 27-win season, including a 2nd seed in the NCAA tournament. He was named as the SEC Coach of the Year in 2017 for that accomplishment.

Who is the Athletic Director of the Gators?

The current athletic director of the Gators is Scott Stricklin. He joined in 2016, after spending six years as the AD at Mississippi State.

In just a short span, he has already been a huge influence. In September, the Sports Business Journal named Stricklin, the 2020 Athletic Director of the Year. He had received a similar honor back in 2016 for his work with Mississippi State.

Achievements and Championships

Despite being founded in 1915, the time the Gators tasted a title victory was when they won the SEC Regular Season Conference in 1989 under Norm Sloan.

They became a consistent performer after Billy Donovan was appointed as the head coach in 1996. He is the most successful coach in Gators history and has also led them to back-to-back titles.

Under Donovan, they qualified for the NCAA tournament 14 out of 19 times and made the Final Four four times.

They have won two NCAA Division 1 titles so far, with victories coming in 2006 and 2007.

Greatest NBA Players

The Gators have produced many quality players who have been a force in the NBA. The best NBA player to have featured for the Gators is Joakim Noah. During his three years at Florida, he led them to two titles and was named as the Most Outstanding Player following their 2006 victory.

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Multiple NBA champions like David Lee, Mike Miller, and Vernon Maxwell have come through the Gators. Bradley Beal, Al Horford, and Udonis Haslem are some former Gators who are currently playing in the league.

Mascot and Uniform

The mascot of the Florida Gators is Albert the Alligator. The first-ever mascot was a live alligator who was then replaced by a costumed mascot in 1970. He dons an orange t-shirt with the classic UF logo and also dons a UF cap. He draws his inspiration from Godzilla, that gator from Mega Python vs. Gatoroid, and WWE wrestler Titus O'Neil.

Albert got a sidekick in 1986 called Alberta, who accompanies him to all home games for the Gators. Alberta is inspired by Beyonce and dreams to perform beside her.

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The team colors for the Florida Gators are blue and orange.

Current Roster

The Gators roster for the 2020-21 season has 14 players.

PositionJerseyNumberNameHeightWeight
G0Ques Glover5-11182
G1Tre Mann6-5190
F2Samson Ruzhentsev6-7192
G3Alex Klatsky6-4185
F4Anthony Duruji6-7220
F5Omar Payne6-10230
G10Noah Locke6-3203
F11Keyontae Johnson6-5229
F12Colin Castleton6-11231
F15Osayi Osifo6-7225
G20Jack May6-4175
G22Tyree Appleby6-1170
G23Scottie Lewis6-5189
C33Jason Jitoboh6-11285
G44Niels Lane6-5206

Schedule

The Gators begin their 2020-21 season campaign with a game against UMass Lowell on November 25. They have 27 games in their season, and they end their regular season with a home game against Missouri, on March 3, 2021.

The full schedule is available on the college website.