GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) -Looking to bounce back from a road loss to then-No. 5 Texas A&M last week, the Florida Gators (2-4, 1-2 SEC) host Mississippi State (4-2, 0-2 SEC) Saturday at the Swamp for its annual homecoming game.
Series History
UF leads 35-19-2 all-time.
UF is 19-8-1 at home and has won the last two matchups.
UF is 6-4 in the last 10 matchups.
First matchup: 13-13 tie in 1929 at a neutral site (Jacksonville).
Last matchup: 45-28 UF win in 2024 at MSU.
The largest margin of victory was a 52-0 UF home win in 2001, and the smallest was a 14-13 UF home win in 1959.
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Homecoming History
UF is 73-26-2 in its homecoming games all-time.
UF has won six homecoming games in a row.
First homecoming game: 16-0 loss to Alabama at a neutral site (Jacksonville) in 1916.
Last homecoming game: 48-20 win vs. Kentucky in 2024.
Since 1989, UF is 31-5 in its homecoming games.
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Game Preview
Coming fresh off a bye week, Mississippi State has dropped two straight games to begin SEC play. It was a 41-34 loss to then-No. 15 Tennessee and a 31-9 loss to then-No. 6 Texas A&M.
The Bulldogs’ statement win early in 2025 came in week two against then-No. 12 Arizona State, 24-20, who made the College Football Playoff in 2024.
The Bulldogs rank No. 8 in the SEC in points scored per game, averaging 33.67. They rank No. 11 in points per game allowed, with 19.83, tied with the Gators. Florida is tied for last in the conference with South Carolina, with 22.33 points per game.
Mississippi State has the No. 4 pass defense in the SEC, allowing just under 172 passing yards per game, but has the second-worst rushing defense, allowing 162.67 rushing yards per game.
Florida ranks in the bottom five for both passing and rushing offense and top 10 for both passing and rushing defense.
Gators running back Jadan Baugh ranks No. 8 in the conference, with 555 all-purpose yards. Baugh also ranks No. 8 in rushing yards with 461, just behind Bulldogs running back Fluff Bothwell, who has 465 rushing yards.
Mississippi State safety is No. 9 in the conference with 40 total tackles (nine solo).
Florida defensive back Jordan Castell is tied for second in the SEC with two interceptions, and defensive back Bryce Thornton is tied for first with two fumble recoveries.
Since throwing five interceptions at then-No. 3 LSU, Florida quarterback has thrown four touchdowns and one interception in three games since, completing 61.7% of his passes in that span.
In the season, he has thrown for 1,233 yards, nine touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
Mississippi State’s Blake Shapen has thrown for 1,201 yards, nine touchdowns, and four interceptions in 2025.
Against a common opponent, Texas A&M, Florida had 100 more yards of offense while allowing 62 fewer yards. Both teams struggled on third down against the Aggies and lost the turnover battle 2-1.
The Gators are 9.5-point favorites against the Bulldogs, -360 money line, and an over/under set at 50.5.
The game kicks off at 4:15 p.m. ET at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. It will be televised on the SEC Network.
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