Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — It wasn't as dramatic as the last time the Gators beat LSU, but that was of little concern the moment the ball dropped to Florida Field with 47 seconds remaining on Saturday night.

As soon as Gators defensive back Trikweze Bridges knocked away LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier's fourth-and-12 pass to Mason Taylor and began to wave goodbye to the Tigers, Florida's 27-16 upset of No. 21-ranked LSU needed only a couple kneeldowns to be complete.

Fittingly, UF freshman quarterback DJ Lagway performed the honors.

After missing last week's loss at Texas and the majority of the Georgia game two weeks ago with a strained left hamstring, Lagway returned to lead the Gators (5-5, 3-4) to their biggest win of the season and help them remain in the hunt for a bowl berth.

"Look, he's only going to get better,'' Florida coach Billy Napier said. "I respect him as a competitor on game day, the way he handles himself between the lines. The guy's completely into it as a competitor, doing everything he can to win the game, and he did enough tonight."

Lagway completed 13 of 26 passes for 226 yards and a touchdown despite not being 100% and relegated to being a drop-back passer instead of the dual-threat danger that makes him one of the most talented first-year players in college football. Lagway's return provided a much-needed jolt for the Gators after their lackluster performance in a 49-17 loss at Texas.

A native of Willis, Texas, the hamstring injury forced Lagway to watch from the sideline as his teammates fell behind 42-0 less than three minutes into the second half. Napier called the performance "unacceptable" and addressed the effort at practice last week to avoid a repeat. The Gators played Saturday like they had undergone a personality transplant, sacking Nussmeier seven times and overcoming a penalty-plagued opening drive for their first victory over LSU (6-4, 3-3) since 2018. That was the day Gators defensive back Brad Stewart intercepted a Joe Burrow pass in the final two minutes and raced to the end zone to seal the win.

The sold-out Swamp roared similarly Saturday when freshman running back Jadan Baugh took a pitch from Lagway and raced 55 yards for a touchdown and an 11-point lead for the Gators with 3:48 remaining.

"It was a big win coming off that L we took in Texas,'' said junior linebacker Shemar James, who had a team-high 11 tackles and two sacks. "We kind of preached, 'wipe that out.' That's what we did."

Florida's rebounded from arguably its most deflating loss of the season to beat a ranked team for the third time under Napier. The Gators did it by putting constant pressure on Nussmeier, who was sacked by the Gators more times Saturday than opponents had sacked LSU quarterbacks all season (six), and keeping Lagway safe from LSU's defense.

"The guy wasn't 100 percent,'' Napier said. "Keeping him clean was a big mission. We kept him in the pocket for the most part, limited the read game and the run game, and overall, it ended up working out."

Lagway made his presence felt on the Gators' second drive of the game when he connected with Elijhah Badger, who also missed the Texas game due to injury, for a 23-yard touchdown pass. Lagway's back-shoulder throw to Badger was perfect and put Florida up, 7-0, with 7:12 left in the first quarter.

Badger finished with six catches for a game-high 131 yards, including a 36-yard catch early in the fourth quarter that moved the Gators to LSU's 1-yard line. Ja'Kobi Jackson's plunge on the next play put the Gators up 20-13. On the deep pass to Badger, Lagway avoided the rush and, for one of the few times in the game, stepped up in the pocket to deliver a strike.

"Somebody gotta make the play, and why not me,'' Lagway said. "That's my thought process. Always want to be a game-changer. When the big plays arrive, I've got to make the play. That's what Coach Napier recruited me for. Blessed to have the opportunity to make the play."



And the Gators are blessed to have the 19-year-old Lagway, who became the first true freshman quarterback in school history to lead UF to a home win over a ranked opponent. Donald Douglas (1989) and Chris Leak (2003) fell short against ranked Florida State teams.

Lagway informed Napier on Sunday that he was going to play against LSU. He improved each day at practice in controlled reps and then took the field Saturday, limited by the sore hamstring. Still, with the offensive line providing him time to throw, Lagway improved to 3-1 as the starter, with all three of his wins coming at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

What transpired against the Tigers seemed far-fetched 14 days ago at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville when Lagway was carted off the field in the second quarter.

"It was definitely a challenging week,'' he said. "But kudos to my coaches and medical team. They've helped me so much. They're the best in the country. I can say that because they helped me get back up to speed as fast as possible."

Lagway gets another shot to beat a ranked team next week when Ole Miss visits The Swamp. The Gators must win one of their final two regular-season games – they close at Florida State – to become bowl-eligible.

That seemed equally far-fetched a week ago as the Gators walked off the field in Texas. But Lagway's return and a rejuvenated defense has flipped the script.

"I think they took that personal,'' Napier said. "We're trying to create a culture here. I think the intangibles of the group are what we would want from our players. Obviously, the football needs to continue to improve. I do think it is improving.

"We're learning how to win, and ultimately, I think belief and hope are the most powerful things in the world. I think we've got that. Just proud of the players."