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Best Two Catches in College Football Both Come from the State of Florida

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Rodney Knuppel | Last updated Aug 31, 2025 9:45 PM ET

Florida Gators receiver Vernell Brown III looked like he had the best catch of Week 1 in college football locked up. His highlight grab in Florida’s 55-0 win over LUI went viral Saturday, quickly earning the No. 1 spot on ESPN’s “SportsCenter Top 10.”

Brown, a freshman, hauled in a 41-yard strike from quarterback DJ Lagway, showing both his speed and body control. It was the type of play that drew plenty of attention across the SEC, especially as Florida looks to break in young talent on offense.

But the very next night, another Florida product stole some of the spotlight. In Miami’s primetime battle with Notre Dame at Hard Rock Stadium, the Hurricanes' wide receiver CJ Daniels made a jaw-dropping one-handed touchdown catch from quarterback Carson Beck. The play gave Miami a 14-7 lead just before halftime and sparked debate about which catch was more impressive.

THIS WAS A TD pic.twitter.com/waajg9GzRo
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) September 1, 2025

Daniels joined Miami after transferring from LSU, where he posted 42 receptions for 480 yards in 2024 despite missing time with an injury. Before LSU, he had a productive four-year career at Liberty, highlighted by a second-team All-CUSA selection in 2023. His ability to produce at multiple stops shows why Miami trusted him to step into a major role.

The game itself also spotlighted quarterbacks. Notre Dame started redshirt freshman CJ Carr, the grandson of former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, while Miami leaned on Beck, the former Georgia quarterback who led the Bulldogs to the Playoff.

Both programs face key stretches ahead. Notre Dame takes its bye before hosting Texas A&M on Sept. 13, while Miami plays Bethune-Cookman on Sept. 6 before consecutive in-state tests against South Florida and Florida.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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