The Florida Gators needed a pick-me-up win after getting thumped by Texas a week ago, and true freshman [autotag]DJ Lagway[/autotag] answered the call by leading the Orange and Blue to a 27-16 victory over the No. 22 LSU Tigers Saturday afternoon.
The offense is far more dangerous with Lagway under center than Aidan Warner or Graham Mertz, and LSU’s defense couldn’t stop the Gators from scoring despite being on the field for just 18 minutes and change.
Florida scored five times — three touchdowns and two field goals — punting just four times and running out the clock at the end of each half. The Gators outplayed the Tigers while running half the amount of plays. If there were ever a win to back up Scott Stricklin’s vote of confidence in Billy Napier, this was it.
Florida still had bad moments throughout the afternoon. LSU converted on third and fourth down seemingly at will, but the Gators’ defense came up big over and over to keep the Tigers off the board. Seven sacks is the big stat of the day, but a depleted secondary also deserves some credit.
Anything is possible with Lagway
What a difference a week makes, huh?
Florida looked at its worst last week against Texas a week ago with third-stringer Aidan Warner leading the offense. The Longhorns took advantage of the quarterback’s lack of experience and shut down the Gators all afternoon.
But the minute DJ Lagway was cleared to play, the odds changed significantly in Florida’s favor. Lagway is explosive, both on the ground and in the air. Even with a bum leg, Lagway’s mobility in the pocket kept plays alive and forced the defense to respect the passing game all night.
He connected with Elijhah Badger six times on 10 targets for 131 yards and a touchdown, opening things up for the running backs late in the game. Florida only ran the ball 14 times, but a late 55-yard touchdown sealed the game. That doesn’t happen if the defense isn’t worried about Lagway launching a deep ball, and it came right after a 19-yard connection with tight end Hayden Hansen.
Napier might still need to hire an offensive coordinator this offseason, but he knows how to call the right plays for [autotag]DJ Lagway[/autotag].
The path to bowl eligibility seems clear now. All Florida has to do is beat Florida State in the season final two weeks from now. But could the Gators finish things on a winning streak by upsetting Ole Miss next week, too? Don’t say no with Lagway at the helm.
Sack attack
Coming into this matchup, many expected Garrett Nussmeier to carve up a depleted Florida secondary. Nussmeier found some success throughout the game, completing 27 of 47 passes for 260 yards and a touchdown, but Florida’s pass rush kept him scrambling.
The Gators ended the contest with seven sacks — two from Shemar James, and one from Caleb Banks, George Gumbs Jr., Kamran James, Tyreak Sapp and TJ Searcy. The two biggest came from James and Sapp on LSU’s final drive. James knocked Nussmeier out for a play, and Sapp forced the Tigers out of field goal position in a moment where a kick-and-recovery plan was still viable.
Napier hasn’t stopped talking about culture since he stepped on campus, and this kind of effort is why it’s so important. Plenty of teams would have given up after giving up nearly 50 and falling to a 4-5 record; not to mention the injury wave that has plagued Florida’s defense. But not this group. These guys play for Napier and the name across their chest.
The future is bright for Florida’s defense moving forward, regardless of what happens against Ole Miss next week.
Smack kept Florida in it
Florida trailed LSU for fewer than three minutes this week, and major kudos go to kicker Trey Smack for keeping the game within range with a 55-yarder in the third quarter to knot things back up at 13 points apiece. The defense followed up that kick with a turnover that led to a touchdown and then held LSU to a field goal on the next drive.
Earlier in the game, Smack drilled a 49-yarder, which won’t get the nod for being a 50-plus make but is basically the same as a 50-yard field goal. Special teams have been the one constant for Florida this year, and it’s important to acknowledge when they make a difference.
Everyone laughed when Billy Napier dubbed them the game-changers unit, but that’s exactly the role Smack and Co. played for Florida in this win. Give them their flowers.
Up next for the Gators
The Gators play their final home game of the season against the Ole Miss Rebels on Saturday, Nov. 23. Kickoff is set for noon ET and will be broadcast on ABC.
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