The Gators will face a familiar quarterback on Saturday when Mississippi State visits The Swamp for homecoming.<\/p>\n
Sixth-year senior Blake Shapen, listed at 6-foot-3, 210-pounds, leads the Bulldogs\u2019 offense after missing most of last season with a shoulder injury suffered against Florida in Starkville.<\/p>\n
Shapen, a 24-year-old from Shreveport, Louisiana, took a long path to reach this stage. At Evangel Christian Academy, he threw for more than 2,000 yards and 24 touchdowns as a senior and excelled at a second sport as one of Louisiana\u2019s top baseball prospects. He first committed to Arizona State as a dual-sport athlete before flipping to Baylor, where he began making his name on the football field.<\/p>\n
After redshirting in 2020, Shapen broke through the following year. In the 2021 Big 12 Championship Game, he completed 23 of 28 passes for 180 yards and three touchdowns. Shapen brought Baylor to a win over Oklahoma State and earned MVP honors as the youngest quarterback in program history to win a conference title.<\/p>\n
Shapen started 23 games at Baylor, throwing for more than 5,500 yards and 36 touchdowns over three seasons. He transferred to Mississippi State ahead of 2024 to play for new head coach Jeff Lebby, whose fast-paced offense fit Shapen\u2019s style and quick decision-making.<\/p>\n
The move paid off right away. Shapen threw for 974 yards and eight touchdowns in the first four games, including a career-best 319 passing yards against Toledo. But in Week 4 against Florida, he broke his right shoulder blade late in the game, ending his season.<\/p>\n
Mississippi State finished 2\u201310 in 2024, a season largely derailed after Shapen\u2019s injury.<\/p>\n
The setback earned him a medical redshirt and one more year of eligibility. Now healthy, he has thrown for 1,201 yards with nine touchdowns and four interceptions this fall while leading the Bulldogs to a 4\u20132 start. Mississippi State enters Saturday coming off a bye week, giving Shapen and the offense extra time to prepare for the trip to Gainesville.<\/p>\n
Florida head coach Billy Napier described Shapen as a \u201cscrappy player\u201d and a \u201cveteran quarterback\u201d with the ability to extend plays. Napier added that his experience makes him dangerous when things break down.<\/p>\n
In last year\u2019s game, Shapen was giving Florida trouble before his injury, having completed 13 of 21 passes for 140 yards and a touchdown while rushing for another touchdown. Saturday is Shapen\u2019s first time facing Florida since suffering that injury last fall.<\/p>\n
Lebby said this week that Shapen\u2019s leadership has stabilized the offense and credited his toughness for setting the tone in the locker room.<\/p>\n
Shapen predicted that Florida\u2019s defense will present a tough test.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThey got a good defense. They are very streaky. It\u2019s nothing that we haven\u2019t seen before. They have talented players,\u201d Shapen said.<\/p>\n
For Florida, the focus will be on containing Shapen and disrupting Mississippi State\u2019s rhythm. His ability to extend plays and push the ball downfield fits well in Jeff Lebby\u2019s fast-paced system, which thrives on tempo and mismatches. The Gators struggled at times last season against mobile quarterbacks, and Napier said the defense needs to stay disciplined to keep Shapen in check.<\/p>\n
Saturday will be Shapen\u2019s first trip to Gainesville and another chance to prove himself on a big stage. For Florida, it\u2019s another test against a veteran quarterback with championship experience and plenty to prove.<\/p>\n
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