Jay Bilas Names SEC Powerhouse a National Title Contender
ESPN’s “College GameDay” crew visited Gainesville on Saturday morning, marking its first appearance since 2017 and electrifying Gator Nation ahead of a marquee basketball showdown between the Florida Gators and Texas A&M Aggies
Analysts Rece Davis, Jay Bilas, and Seth Greenberg wasted no time diving into the matchup, unanimously picking the Gators to defeat the Aggies.
The panel’s boldest take came next, sending the crowd into a frenzy. “Florida should be in the conversation with Duke and Auburn for a national title,” Bilas declared, pointing to the Gators’ recent string of dominant wins. Bilas jokingly remarked that he was displeased with being on the same page as Seth, saying “I agree with Seth… That leaves a bad taste in my mouth.”
Bilas placed an emphasis on how Florida’s defense has been exceptional this year, ranking number seven in the country in defensive efficiency and holding opponents to just 29% from three and 45% from the field.
Todd Golden discussed what makes him feel his team is equipped for a championship run this year. His response was, “[Last year], we didn’t guard well enough to advance in the NCAA tournament. We got that right this year.” Clearly defense has been a major focal point for Golden and his team, who will need to rely on that strength to prevail in the tournament.
Bilas continued to praise the Gators, stating “They’ve got a quarter of guards that I think are equal to any quartet of guards in the country.” That is significantly high praise from one of the brightest minds in all of college basketball.
For Gator fans, GameDay’s return was a reminder of their team’s resurgence. The analysts’ supreme confidence in the Gators have fueled legit hopes of a deep March run.
