Florida football’s matchup with the Tulane Green Wave in the upcoming Gasparilla Bowl is the 17th-best bowl game of the season, according to Sports Illustrated.
The Gators are riding a wave of momentum into the bowl game, driven by freshman quarterback DJ Lagway. His leadership was pivotal in helping Florida string together three consecutive wins to finish out the regular season strong.
Lagway’s emergence as a dynamic playmaker has sparked new hope for Florida’s future, with head coach Billy Napier looking to keep the team’s momentum going into this bowl game and next season.
According to Sports Illustrated writer Zach Koons, the Gasparilla Bowl “already lost some of its luster with standout Tulane freshman quarterback Darian Mensah announcing his transfer to Duke.”
Despite the Green Wave’s starting quarterback not taking part in the matchup, this bowl matchup is still going to be a fun one to watch.
Here is everything Sports Illustrated said about the Gasparilla Bowl.
What SI said about the Gasparilla Bowl
“This game already lost some of its luster with standout Tulane freshman quarterback Darian Mensah announcing his transfer to Duke,” Koons wrote.
“Still, the Green Wave’s defense is still one of the best units in the country, running back Makhi Hughes ran for 1,372 yards this season (10th in FBS) and head coach Jon Sumrall spurned interest from major programs to stay in New Orleans, keeping the program as one of the premier teams in the AAC.”
Koon continued, “Florida still features rising star freshman quarterback DJ Lagway, who helmed wins over LSU, Ole Miss and Florida State to close out the year. If Billy Napier can build off of his team’s performance in the second half of this season, beginning with this bowl game, the Gators may be a team to consider more closely next year in the SEC.”
SI’s top 10 bowl games
This list does not include games from the College Football Playoff.
10. Kinder’s Texas Bowl (Baylor Bears vs. LSU Tigers)
9. SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl (Texas A&M Aggies vs. USC Trojans)
8. StaffDNA Cure Bowl (Ohio Bobcats vs. Jacksonville State Gamecocks)
7. Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl (Marshall Thundering Herd vs. Army Black Knights)
6. ReliaQuest Bowl (Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Michigan Wolverines)
5. Birmingham Bowl (Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs. Vanderbilt Commodores)
4. Cheez-It Citrus Bowl (South Carolina Gamecocks vs. Illinois Fighting Illini)
3. DirecTV Holiday Bowl (Syracuse Orange vs. Washington State Cougars)
2. Pop-Tarts Bowl (Iowa State Cyclones vs. Miami Hurricanes)
1. Valero Alamo Bowl (BYU Cougars vs. Colorado Buffaloes)
How to watch Gasparilla Bowl
The Florida-Tulane game starts at 3:30 p.m. ET on Friday, Dec. 20, and will be broadcast on ESPN2.
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