Billy Napier’s hot seat starting to burn as Florida football loses to Texas A&M

Gators lose big at home in the Swamp vs. Texas A&M, fall to 1-3 and 0-1 in SEC play.

Florida football (1-2) takes a brutal loss against the Texas A&M Aggies (2-1) as they lose, 33-20, in the Swamp. The hot seat is starting to sizzle for head coach Billy Napier just three games into the schedule.

The offense couldn’t find any rhythm while the defense was torched through the air and on the ground by the Aggies’ offense in the Gators’ SEC opener.

“Two out of three weeks here, we have not played good enough football in many parts of our team at all,” Napier said.

Backup quarterback Marcel Reed started for the Aggies after their starter, Conner Weigman, was sidelined due to an injury.

And you would not think Reed was a backup after the way he played in the game.

Reed finished the game throwing for 178 yards and two touchdowns; he also had 13 carries for 83 yards and a touchdown. Texas A&M running back Le’Veon Moss had 18 carries for 110 yards.

The Gators defense just couldn’t stop the run. A mix of missed tackles and poor angles resulted in the Aggies having 310 rushing yards.

Flipping it over to Florida’s offense, there wasn’t a whole lot going right with them as penalties and mishaps proved costly.

Florida quarterbacks Graham Mertz and DJ Lagway were taking turns alternating on each drive throughout the game and while teams have had success utilizing the dual quarterback approach in the past, it’s hard for the players to get in any sort of rhythm.

“We ultimately made a commitment to rotate the players,” Napier said. “A certain progression, a certain way regardless of the outcome. Basically, to keep those guys in a good frame of mind.”

Mertz threw for 195 yards and a touchdown while Lagway had 54 yards through the air and a touchdown pass as well.

But both quarterbacks threw interceptions. Mertz gave up a pick-six while Lagway threw two interceptions.

Mertz was able to throw a touchdown to Elijhah Badger on the first drive of the third quarter, extending the Gators’ scoring streak to 451 consecutive games.

Lagway had a touchdown throw to Chimere Dike late in the third quarter but at that point, the Texas A&M lead was too much to come back from.

Dike had a really nice game for the Gators. The senior transfer from Wisconsin had six catches for 91 yards and a touchdown.

The Gators start out conference play 0-1 and are just 1-2 in their first three games in the Swamp. Not an ideal way to start the season because this was supposed to be the more manageable part of the schedule before the gauntlet arrives mid-season.

But apparently, that gauntlet started in Week 1.

Up next for the Gators

Florida will play their first road game of the season as they travel up to Starkville to play against the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Saturday, Sept. 21. Kickoff is set for noon ET and will be broadcast on ESPN.

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