Florida football RB Jadan Baugh vying to eclipse 1,000-yard mark vs FSU

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As Florida football winds down a disappointing season on Nov. 29 against rival Florida State at The Swamp (4:30 p.m., ESPN2), one player is in position to achieve a significant milestone.

Florida Gators sophomore running back Jadan Baugh (182 carries, 904 yards, 6 TDs) is 96 yards shy of becoming UF's first 1,000-yard rusher since Kelvin Taylor in 2015.

"It’s a testament to how we can run the ball, and how he can run the ball," Florida left tackle Austin Barber said.

The 6-foot-1, 231-pound Baugh will have a shot against an FSU run defense that ranks 10th in the ACC, giving up 125.9 yards per game. Baugh scored UF's lone touchdown in its 31-11 loss on Nov. 22 against Tennessee, springing free open for a 33-yard TD catch on a wheel route for his second receiving TD of the season. He finished the game against the Vols with 131 yards of offense (96 yards rushing, 35 yards receiving).

Baugh's performance against the Vols drew attention from Atlanta Braves Hall of Famer and DeLand native Chipper Jones, a die-hard Gators fan.

Baugh has taken on more of a workload since running back Ja'Kobi Jackson went down with an injury in late September. He's emerged as UF's best offensive player with 904 rushing yards, 210 receiving yards and 8 TDs (6 rushing, 2 receiving).

"Jadan’s a workhorse," Florida interim coach Billy Gonzales said. "He's an extremely gifted young man, which speaks to his size, his strength, his athleticism, his speed. He's got great feet. I think we've seen him put his foot in the ground and be able to utilize a great tight spin move for extra yards, and then, again, he's not just a strong power running back. He's nimble,"

Kevin Brockway is The Gainesville Sun’s Florida beat writer. Contact him at kbrockway@gannett.com. Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1. Read his coverage of the Gators’ national championship basketball season in “CHOMP-IONS!” — a hardcover coffee-table collector’s book from The Sun. Details at Florida.ChampsBook.com

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Florida football RB can achieve milestone with big game against FSU

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