The Florida Gators can almost taste the bowl invite. Yet, with twelve quarters of football remaining in the season, the team needs to rapidly improve their pass rush. While detractors look up the fact that their 20 sacks sit in a three-way tie at 11th in the SEC, the problem goes deeper than that. 

Florida tends to send the house at times, employing defensive backs into the fray, just to generate even a scintilla of pressure. Teams know what’s coming and show absolutely-zero fear. The lack of quality pass rushing up front continues to hound the Gators. With a bowl berth on the line, they need to change what doesn’t seem to work.

Shuffle The Lineup

By now, everyone knows and understands what Tyreak Sapp brings to the table, but what about the players behind him? With far fewer snaps, LJ McCray flashed upside. Why not deploy him into a defense that plays a team that does not have too much film, since he does not see the field often? 

At 6 foot 6 inches and 265 pounds, McCray possesses the arm length and strength to win on the outside, keeping clean and collapsing one side of the line. With so many athletes in the front seven, not using all of them, especially the youngest ones, does not help. Florida needs to wins now and a passive approach to pass rushing isn’t working. 

Versatility and Aggression

Using an even front as a base does not hurt anyone. In fact, you can game the line of scrimmage. By using stunts and loops, offenses will struggle to quickly adjust, not knowing where the pressure begins. Zone blitzes, overloading a side, delayed blitzes all could bring a positive end result. 

Basically, Florida cannot operate with the thought that if the rush doesn’t get home, the secondary gets toasted. In actuality, the secondary, to this point, performed well against the majority of their opponents. Can’t count Texas as the Longhorns slice defenses with relative ease. Florida needs to let the athletes on the team play athletically. Turn them loose upfield and see what they generate.

Overview

The University of Florida navigated a brutal schedule with heart and a belief. Now, the pass rush needs to join the party. The Gators need to win two of their final three games. That includes a win versus either LSU or Ole Miss.

As only a 3.5-pount underdog to LSU, that doesn’t look like an impossible task. The Tigers and Rebels both love to throw the ball. As a result, a competent and consistent pass rush could shift the narrative.

SUNRISE, Fla. — The Panthers were hoping to take back a win against the Devils after that 4-1 lose earlier this week.

But that was not the case — as New Jersey heads out of South Florida with back to back wins with a 6-2 victory.

Although it wasn’t the result they were looking for, the Panthers luckily have a long season ahead of them.

“Obviously we have not been happy about our last two games, especially tonight’s game. So obviously move on, learn from it and move on,” said Aleksander Barkov.

“Like we worked for those and they got it so obviously it sucks for us but they needed it so, forget and move on I guess,” said Jesper Boqvist.

It’ll be a tough schedule ahead — as the Panthers will have back to back games against Winnipeg — and the Devils and Florida will have one more game in the regular season, but not till Jan. 14.

So hopefully then the Panthers will get that much needed payback.

FEMA’s disaster of its own making keeps getting worse.

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody is suing current and former Federal Emergency Management Agency officials, claiming they “conspired to interfere with the civil rights of Trump voters” in the state by withholding aid in the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

The bombshell lawsuit follows alarming revelations its workers were given orders to avoid dozens of homes of Trump supporters in Lake Placid in a shocking display of political favoritism.

The scandal came to light after FEMA fired agency supervisor Marn’i Washington, who later claimed that systemic discrimination at the disaster relief agency was “colossal” both in Florida and beyond and alleged she’s been made a “scapegoat” by the agency.

“Hurricane season is not over, and the federal agency in charge of emergency response is embroiled in scandal – caught withholding aid from storm victims in Florida who support President Trump,” Moody said in a press release announcing the suits.

“I am taking swift legal action to find out how far this political discrimination reaches and to make sure all Americans who fall victim to devastating storms are served, regardless of their political affiliation.”

Highlands County, where Lake Placid is located, went 70% for President-elect Trump in the election.

A FEMA official backed up Washington’s claims, telling The Post the agency’s practice of skipping Trump-supporting houses — or avoiding “white or conservative-dominated” disaster zones altogether — is an open secret at the agency that has been going on for years.

In her announcement of Washington’s termination, FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell, who is named as a litigant in the legal action, called the directive to skip homes based on political affiliation violated the agency’s “core values and principles,” and vowed to do everything she could to ensure it never happens again.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, incensed by FEMA playing politics with disaster victims in the state, also blasted the federal agency in announcing his support for the legal action.

“It’s unacceptable for the federal government to discriminate against Floridians who voted for Trump, and especially egregious in the aftermath of a hurricane,” the governor said in a press release.

“I’m supportive of this legal action by the Attorney General’s Office, and I have instructed state agencies to likewise take any action necessary to investigate and ensure those who engaged in this behavior are held accountable.”

Congressional Republicans said they plan to launch multiple investigations into whether FEMA abdicated its duty to the American people.

“This will be investigated,” promised North Carolina GOP Sen. Ted Budd on Tuesday in an X post.

“Anyone who abuses the power of the federal government to hurt North Carolinians in need will be held accountable,” Budd added. “I will personally see to it.”

AG Moody’s complaint outlines what the office calls “the terrible facts of the civil rights violations” in the aftermath of the devastation wrought by Hurricanes Helene and Milton in September and October.

The legal document names both Washington and Criswell, and is seeking both nominal and punitive damages on behalf of affected Florida homeowners, includin legal fees.

A FEMA spokesperson told the Post Thursday that the agency “does not comment on pending litigation” and included a link to the agency’s website on employee conduct.