The Gators trailed by only three points heading into the second quarter against the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs.
It would take a near-perfect performance for Florida to pull off the upset against its cross-state rivals, but UF put itself in an ideal position to contend.
However, a second quarter that featured a blown-up trick play, a fumble and a safety quickly revealed the talent gap that still exists between these two programs.
The Florida Gators (5-3, 3-2 SEC) fell to the Bulldogs (8-0, 5-0 SEC) 43-20 Saturday afternoon in EverBank Field in Jacksonville.
Although Florida lost by more than 20 points to the Bulldogs for the third season in a row, UF head coach Billy Napier is working to close the gap where it matters the most — recruiting.
The Gators’ 2024 recruiting class ranks No. 3 in the country, according to 247Sports. Even with the top three ranking, UF still ranks behind the Bulldogs, who boast the No. 1 class in the country.
The last time Florida was this close to Georgia in recruiting rankings was 2014 when the Gators had the No. 9 class in the nation while UGA sat one spot ahead at No. 8.
To find the last time the Gators bested the Bulldogs on the recruiting trail, you have to look back an entire decade to 2013. UF’s class ranked No. 3 compared to Georgia who sat at No. 12.
Over the past decade, Florida has not only fallen behind its cross-state rivals on the field, the Gators also failed to stay consistent on the trail. From 2013 to 2022, UF signed a top-five class just once. The Gators also failed to land a five-star commit in five of those 10 years.
In the same time period, Georgia landed a top-five class six times and only missed out on a five-star recruit once in 2013. Florida has had the disadvantage of three coaching changes which often have led to decommitments and low-ranking transition classes.
When Jim McElwain took over in 2015, UF’s class ranked No. 21, according to 247Sports. Florida’s recruiting class ranked No. 14 when Dan Mullen took the reins in 2018. Napier’s transition class in 2022 ranked the highest of the trio at No. 13.
Meanwhile, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart has built stability through his recruiting and coaching ability. Since he took over his recruiting classes have ranked in the top ten in every season.
He’s landed four No. 1 classes and even in a “down year” in recruiting the team ranked No. 4.
Georgia has also outpaced Florida in landing five-star recruits. From 2013 to 2023, the Bulldogs have had 41 five-star recruits while the Gators have landed just seven.
While five-star recruits make up only a small percentage of a team’s roster, it’s apparent there is a gap in landing top name talent.
Smart’s consistency built a juggernaut. Despite Mullen’s, McElwain’s and Napier’s best efforts in X’s and O’s, the Gators are just 2-6 combined against Smart’s Bulldogs.
Trying to be an adept talent evaluator or capitalize on Transfer Portal players are still factors in building a winning team, but Smart has made it more apparent than ever — the Gators have to start landing more blue-chip recruits at the high school level.
Napier acknowledged how important it is to be good at recruiting and keeping them for multiple years to develop them into players who can make a difference.
“The evaluation of players matters,” said Napier after the Georgia game Saturday. “The recruitment of players matter. Ultimately, you need continuity in system.”
Napier’s landed two five-stars so far, according to the 247Sports composite and three in the 247 rankings.
Florida recently landed defensive lineman LJ McCray, who is a five-star defensive lineman per 247Sports. Xavier Filsaime is a 247Sports composite five star and the No. 2 safety in the nation.
DJ Lagway, Florida’s quarterback of the future, is a top 20 player in the country and is making highlight-worthy plays every week.
Napier’s side may have lost by multiple scores Saturday, but his current freshmen like safety Jordan Castell, edge rusher TJ Searcy and wide receiver Eugene Wilson III are already making impacts on the field.
With the recruits Florida’s head coach has compiled for 2024, he’s laying the foundation to compete with not just UF’s rivals up north but with a loaded Southeastern Conference that’s adding Texas and Oklahoma next season.
The Gators' progress on the trail has improved greatly, but they still have to keep the pressure. Smart has perfected the art of recruiting, and he doesn’t appear to be letting up anytime soon.
The Bulldogs’ 2024 recruiting class ranks top in the nation with four five-star commits. Smart’s not giving an inch either in 2025, as early returns show an early No. 1 ranking with three five-star commits.
Napier knows UF cannot get complacent on the trail despite already landing some of the top players in the country.
“I think this is the eighth year for Kirby,” Napier said Saturday. “Look, we've got work to do to chase them down. There's no denying that. And we're in the middle of that process, in the middle of that journey.”
If the Gators can hold onto their top commits and add players like five-star offensive lineman Jordan Seaton and top 100 players like cornerback Zavier Mincey and Jamari Howard then UF can close the gap.
It will still take good development and coaching on the field to compete with the Bulldogs again. But before UF can worry about any of that the Gators need to make sure they match Georgia’s talent on the trail.
Contact Jackson Reyes at jacksonreyes@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @JacksnReyes.
Jackson Reyes is a UF journalism senior and The Alligator's Fall 2023 Sports Editor. He previously served as Digital Managing Editor and was a reporter and assistant editor on the sports desk. In his free time, he enjoys collecting records, long walks on the beach and watching Bo Nix.
