Florida turns to Jones for Oklahoma matchup
The No. 24 Gators can reach bowl eligibility while facing a Sooners offense adjusting to a coordinator change.
| Kickoff | 7:45 PM ET |
|---|---|
| Venue | Ben Hill Griffin Stadium |
| Spread | Florida -4 |
| Total | 46.5 |
| TV | SEC Network |
|---|---|
| Streaming | the ESPN app |
Oklahoma at Florida airs on SEC Network. Each school's radio network carries the game, and the live score and every scoring play post here as it happens.
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Follow the full play-by-play and box score →No. 24 Florida will start Tramell Jones Jr. against Oklahoma on Saturday night at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, where the Gators can secure bowl eligibility with a victory. The SEC Network broadcast begins at 7:45 p.m.
Jones, who led Florida past Texas after Aaron Philo missed that game with a shoulder injury, replaced a struggling Philo during the second quarter of last week's 27-8 loss to Georgia. This will be Jones' second career start and his first at The Swamp.
Florida's offense needs more from a running game that produced 48 yards against Georgia. Sophomore receiver Vernell Brown III also is set to miss his fifth consecutive game because of a knee injury, another limitation for a unit working around personnel issues.
The Gators' defense has delivered better results over the past two games, holding Texas to 278 yards and Georgia to 318. That group now faces an Oklahoma offense ranked next-to-last in the SEC in total offense at 336.9 yards per game and scoring at 22.0 points per game. The Sooners are 14th in the conference in rushing offense at 106.8 yards per game.
Oklahoma enters after a home loss to South Carolina and a major staff change. Coach Brent Venables fired offensive coordinator Brent Arbuckle on Monday and promoted tight ends coach Jason Witten. Florida must prepare for an offense whose approach could change.
The Sooners' defense has helped them alternate wins and losses through eight games. Oklahoma ranks 21st among FBS teams in total defense at 304.6 yards per game and 16th against the pass at 175.4. Linebacker Owen Heinecke has 64 tackles, while edge rusher Adepoju Adebawore leads the team with four sacks.
Florida is a 6.5-point favorite. The matchup is the programs' first regular-season meeting on a campus, and former Florida coach Urban Meyer will be inducted into the Gators' Ring of Honor during the night.
Why it matters
Florida enters at 5-3 overall and 3-3 in the SEC, with a sixth victory securing bowl eligibility. Oklahoma is 4-4 and 2-3 in conference play after losing at home to South Carolina.
What to watch next
Jones makes his first start at The Swamp against Oklahoma on Saturday, with SEC Network broadcast coverage beginning at 7:45 p.m.
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