It’s gameday in Gainesville. Florida is recognizing 18 seniors in the Swamp on Saturday afternoon before their week 11 clash with the South Carolina Gamecocks. The Gators are seeking their sixth win and bowl eligibility in this SEC East matchup.
Gator Country gives you ten players to look out for on Saturday.
VENTRELL MILLER LB #51
Not only is Miller a senior and playing in his last game inside the Swamp, but he’s the Gators best player on defense. The sixth year linebacker is the leader in the locker room, making players around him better when he’s on the field. Miller will be tasked with stopping South Carolina’s rushing attack in week 11.
MARSHAWN LLOYD RB #1
Th3 Gamecocks rushing attack is led by sophomore running back MarShawn Llyod. Lloyd’s totaled 556 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground through nine games. You can’t count Lloyd out from impacting the game through the air as he’s gathered 173 receiving yards and two touchdowns this season. Lloyd’s 5-9, 212-pound frame is tough to bring down as he’s 2nd in the SEC in yards after contact. I expect South Carolina to go to Llyod early and often, especially in the red zone.
CHRISTIAN BEAL-SMITH RB #8
With Marshawn Llyod ruled out for today’s game, expect Christan Beal-Smith to contribute heavily to the rushing attack today. He’s found the endzone five times in a reserve role this season.
CALEB DOUGLAS WR #12
With potentially two receivers out for Florida, someone is going to need to step up; I’m picking Caleb Douglas to play that role. He’s excelled in minimal playing time this season, catching four passes for 87 yards and two touchdowns. Douglas is an exciting young player that brings a lot to the table. It’s going to be fun watching him play a significant number of snaps in week 11.
SPENCER RATTLER QB #7
Rattler hasn’t been much of a threat throwing or running the ball this season, but he’s got history with the Gators. He’s thrown for 1,837 yards, eight touchdowns, and nine interceptions this season, completing 64.5% of his passes. The Gators should look to attack South Carolina’s offensive line, making Rattler uncomfortable in the pocket.
ANTHONY RICHARDSON QB #15
With the NFL draft looming, this may or may not be Richardson’s last game inside the Swamp. Either way, Richardson has a chance to put together another impressive performance in the 2022 season. South Carolina’s pass defense ranks 6th in the SEC entering week 11. Richardson needs to find a rhythm in the passing game and build off his accurate performance against the Aggies.
JAHEIM BELL TE/FB #0
Florida has struggled to cover the tight end position through nine games this season. Bell isn’t your typical tight end as South Carolina will run him more than throw to him. Bell has 35 rushes for 120 yards and two touchdowns while catching just 16 passes for 184 yards this season. Bell was a more traditional tight end last season, catching 30 passes for 497 yards and five touchdowns. Bell caught a touchdown pass against the Gators in 2021. His unique frame and athletic ability could create a mismatch for the Gators.
PRINCELY UMANMIELEN DE #33
Umanmielen is coming off his best performance of the 2022 season against the Aggies. Umanmielen needs to prove he can be a consistent force on the defensive line in the remaining three games.
JORDAN BURCH #5 OLB
The junior linebacker offers a lot from a physical standpoint as he stands at 6-6 275 pounds. He leads the Gamecocks in sacks with 3.5 on the season. He’s third on the team in tackles with 40 and has added two pass deflections to the stat sheet.
RICKY PEARSALL WR #1
We saw Billy Napier get creative with Ricky Pearsall last week, giving him three carries against the Aggies. Pearsall was productive in this area, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they go back to him on the ground in some capacity. Pearsall has proven to be one of the best and most reliable weapons on this Gators offense. He could be in for a monster game in week 11.
ANTWANE WELLS JR WR #3
Wells is far and away the most productive South Carolina receiver through nine games. He’s caught 41 passes for 574 yards and four touchdowns. Wells has caught exactly half of Rattler’s touchdown passes this season.
The Florida Gators take on the South Carolina Gamecocks at 4p.m on SECN.