This Saturday, Kyle Field will host an SEC showdown. Texas A&M faces off against Florida. The Gators are fired up after ending their 3-game losing streak. Meanwhile, the Aggies want to preserve their undefeated status. Historically, A&M has the edge, holding a 4-3 all-time record over Florida. Even last season, A&M dominated Florida 33-20. But the key question is whether either squad will be at full strength. The SEC injury report now adds more intrigue to the game.

Friday’s update from Texas A&M insider Travis L. Brown painted a clear picture. The scale tips heavily against Florida. The Gators are missing 10 players, while the Aggies sit light with just one, TE Kiotti Armstrong. Florida’s entourage of absentees will include RB Treyaun Webb, EDGE LJ McCray, TE Tony Livingston, DL Caleb Banks, DBs Aaron Gates and Dijon Johnson. Even the depth chart players haven’t been spared, with key players like WR Muizz Tounkara, RB Duke Clark, and OLs Devon Manuel and Roderick Kearney sidelined. But if that wasn’t enough, RB Ja’Kobi Jackson’s status remains questionable. As the Gators dig deep to stay competitive against the Aggies, Mike Elko’s squad has some good news.

According to the latest SEC availability report, safety Jarred Kerr and LB Scooby Williams are listed as probable. But here’s an interesting fact. Williams is actually a former Gator. If healthy, he will return to face his old team, a city where he had spent 3 seasons. He missed the last 2 games due to an ankle injury sustained during A&M’s victory over Notre Dame. But now, Williams’ comeback could give the Aggies’ backfield even more of a boost. And the scoreboard backs up that claim.

Last season marked Williams’ debut in College Station, but he didn’t waste time in making an immediate impact. He finished fourth on the team in tackles with 43. He also got an interception. And this year, he’s already racked up 12 tackles in just 3 games. His return adds a dynamic playmaker to the Aggies’ defense. But while Elko’s squad is ready to take on the Gators, the Florida HC isn’t lacking in confidence either.

Billy Napier’s pregame mindset

Fresh off a thrilling upset over the Longhorns, Billy Napier is gearing up for another tough road test. He knows the Aggies are a better team than the Longhorns. That’s why the Gators HC said, “Good football team, coach Elko is a heck of a coach and he’s got explosive players in all three parts of the team.” There is also the atmosphere. The energy at College Station has been off the charts this season. Kyle Field has set a school record for the largest attendance through the first four home games, with 424,568 members filling the stands. So, facing the Aggies will be tough, but Florida is ready to take on the challenge.

Florida’s defense has allowed 295.6 total YPG. This stands for 24th in FBS. Not at the top, but nothing to scoff at either. The offense also showed sparks against Texas, highlighted by freshman WR Dallas Wilson. While setting the tone for the week, Napier emphasized preparation. “So, it’s going to be critical that we continue to prepare the right way. So far so good, our guys are locked in and getting a little bit better. We gotta continue on the detail, the quality of the execution will be really important here,” he said.

Although Napier knows his team has momentum from beating Texas. But he isn’t underestimating his opponent, saying, “A ton of respect for our players in terms of continuing to fight, continuing to battle, and then we’ll see if we can handle a little bit of success here by how we play this weekend.” Now while confidence is high, the real test will be on the gridiron.