STARKVILLE, Miss.– If there’s any chance for the Florida Gators to turn around what’s been a struggling 2024 campaign, it starts on Saturday on the road against Mississippi State.

The Bulldogs, coming off a 41-17 home loss to Toledo, present the Gators’ best opportunity for a win for the rest of the season considering in the eight games after Saturday, Florida plays five ranked opponents.

“I talked with the players a little bit today about how you’re always searching for the the right combination of humility and enthusiasm and when you’re experiencing success, you need some humility,” said UF head coach Billy Napier on Wednesday. “I think when you’ve experienced a setback and maybe some failure, maybe things aren’t going the way you want them to go, there’s adversity. Do you have the ability to bring the same enthusiasm towards the work and maintain that same attitude, that positive energy. I think that’s the challenge.”

As opportune as this week is, Florida has struggled mightily away from the Swamp with a 2-9 road record under Napier. Their last road win, which was also their last win over an FBS opponent, came against South Carolina last season.

“I mean, thinking back to last year at South Carolina, that was a big road game win for us. A big turn of events,” said edge rusher Justus Boone. “It wasn’t necessarily going in our favor and we pulled it out. So, I definitely feel that road games, especially being in somebody else’s territory, getting a win and making a statement in their territory, there’s nothing better.”

Offensively, head coach Billy Napier reiterated his plans to play both Mertz and Lagway after rotating both quarterbacks on every possession last week. Napier explained the rotation would be open-ended dependent on how Lagway plays early.

“I think that some of it is open-ended. They know that,” Napier said. “Ultimately my expectation is they both prepare well, they both practice well, and they both play lights out when given a chance, right? So I think we know when it’s — sometimes on offense, you know, we got a crowd in there watching the game. They don’t know what sometimes is — hey, it’s not the quarterback’s fault or it is the quarterback’s fault, right? So we know, and I’m able to make decisions based off that.”

However, both will be without star receiver Eugene Wilson III, who’s set to miss his second-straight game after undergoing surgery on his knee.

“He got hurt during the (Samford) game,” Napier said. “So, yeah, when that happened I think he woke up the next day, and I think we’ve gotten to the bottom of what it is and all that. So, all good.”

In his place, the Gators will continue to rely on veteran transfers Elijhah Badger and Chimere Dike, who both scored touchdowns last week. Napier said the third spot, however, remains up for grabs, especially with expected contributor Kahleil Jackson out for the season and veteran Ja’Quavion Fraziars out for the fourth-straight game.

“We’re definitely a better team with Tre Wilson for sure,” Napier said. “But I do think Dike and Badger, in particular, stepped up in a major way. We have the ability to in formation plays to get the primary guys in position, much like we’ve done the past. We’ll take what we have each week and we’ll formation it and try to make those guys a primary and secondary.

“But I think last week, it’s a heck of a week for Dike and Badger. I thought they did a good job. Who’s the third? I think that’s the question mark. I think those guys will have a little opportunity this week.”

Defensively, the Gators took a hit on the interior defensive line depth with Joey Slackman and Michai Boireau both out. Slackman also recently had surgery on his knee, and his timeline for a return is unknown.

This comes on the heels of inconsistent play from the entire defense, which has led Napier and his staff to reevaluate the team’s practice setting.

“I would tell you a lot of our conversations this week with players have been about the practice environment relative to habit-building, the intentionality, the focus, in particular, the scout periods,” Napier said. “I think that’s an area where we can improve, the quality of those reps from start to finish and all parts working together to get that. So that’s scout offense and then the between-play process for the defense, I think that’s been the point of emphasis.”

The Gators will have to stop a fast-paced Mississippi State offense led by dual-threat quarterback Blake Shapen. Against fellow dual-threat quarterbacks in Miami’s Cam Ward and Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed, Florida has struggled to contain on the front end while also keeping strong coverage on the backend.

This week’s opportunity presents a chance for improvement against a Bulldog offense that ranks 82nd nationally in total offense.

“Definitely the mindset of my position group and my defense, we are definitely frustrated, because I mean we every day we go out there and we are planning to disrupt the quarterback, get to the quarterback,” Boone said. “Definitely not the success that we want but only another opportunity today to get better at it.”

Here’s everything you need to know for the Gators’ matchup against the Bulldogs, including broadcast information and betting odds as well as other gameday information.

Florida Gators (1-2) @ Mississippi State (1-2): What You Need to Know

Where: Davis Wade Stadium, Starkville, Miss.

When: Saturday, Sept. 20, noon EST.

Watch: ESPN

Weather: 89 degrees Fahrenheit, sunny with a zero percent chance of precipitation, according to Weather.com.

Radio: Gator Sports Network from LEARFIELD

Odds: Florida is considered a 6.5-point favorite over Mississippi State in Week Four, according to FanDuel. The over/under is set at 58.5 points.

Series History: Florida leads the all-time series 34-19-2. The Gators defeated the Bulldogs, 13-6, in the series’ last matchup on Sept. 29, 2018 in Starkville, Miss.

What’s At Stake: Florida has lost its last seven matchups against FBS opponents with its last win coming on the road against South Carolina on Oct. 14, 2023, which is also the last time the Gators have won a road game. With Napier on the hot seat, one more loss, especially in a winnable game, may be the icing on the cake in his tenure.

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