Gators DL Suspended for Oklahoma Matchup

The Florida Gators will be down a key member of its defensive front against Oklahoma.

The Florida Gators will be down a key member of its defensive front against Oklahoma. | Kyle Lander / Florida Gators on SI

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — When the 24th-ranked Florida Gators host Oklahoma on Saturday, they will be without a major contributing defensive lineman due to suspension. 

247 Sports’ Graham Hall, citing a team spokesperson, reported on Wednesday that sophomore Jeramiah McCloud has been suspended for this week’s contest. 

"Jeramiah McCloud has been suspended for this week's game against Oklahoma for conduct detrimental to the team. His status with the program will be re-evaluated after this week's contest," the statement read. 

Florida Gators defensive lineman Jeramiah McCloud gestures after a stop against Campbell. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

McCloud has started in five of Florida’s eight games this season, recording 22 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, six quarterback hits and three pass breakups. A former four-star recruit, McCloud has played a bigger role this season on defense after recording 13 tackles as a rotational true freshman in 2025.

Defensive coordinator Brad White praised McCloud in September for his energy and intensity. 

“You feel 91,” White said. “You feel his competitive energy on game day. I don't even have to look, and you can like feel him walking behind you. You can hear him. He loves football. He loves being around football. He’s a little bit of a junkyard dog in that regard.”

With McCloud set to miss Saturday’s game, Florida will likely rely on DK Kalu and Jamari Lyons at his tackle position alongside nose guard Brendan Bett. Bett could also slide over to that spot, with either Joseph Mbatchou or freshman Stive-Bentley Keumajou Yondui playing at nose. 

Keumajou Yondui, in particular, has garnered praise after elevating from the scout team to being in the rotation in the win over Texas and last week’s loss to Georgia. 

“He's been doing great,” Bett said this week. “You know, he was first on scout team and then he moved over. Just, you know, he's been trusting his process, working with Coach Chat [Gerald Chatman] extra, trying to get down his technique.”

Florida (5-3, 3-3 SEC) enters a crucial stretch as the season winds down with winnable games over unranked opponents in Oklahoma (Saturday), Vanderbilt (Nov. 21) and Florida State (Nov. 27) as well as a chance for a third top-10 win this season with a game at No. 6 Kentucky (Nov. 14). While on the deep outside looking in for the College Football Playoff, the Gators are still alive despite its three losses while also searching for its first nine-win season since 2019.

“It’s a huge difference going 5-7 versus 9-3,” Bett said “So, the goal is we have a lot more ball to finish out strong. You never know what college football brings you, especially this year. It's been people losing all over and you never know where we can end up as long as we keep our heads up and finish strong."

Kickoff on Saturday against the Sooners is at 7:45 p.m., with television coverage on SEC Network.

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