Gators Rise in AP Poll After Long Island Win

Despite their 55-0 win over Long Island on Saturday, nearly every other team in front of them in the poll won their games. For those that didn’t, they had narrow losses to teams inside the top 10, which didn’t warrant much movement in the rankings. 

Still, though, the Gators had a strong season-opening win that will give the fans a lot to look forward to this season. 

Defensively, it was a great team effort. Florida’s defense allowed only 86 total yards. Additionally, it surrendered just two first downs across all four quarters and recovered two fumbles. 

On offense, fans got to see starting quarterback DJ Lagway play in just the first half and knock off some of the rust from his chaotic offseason. He completed 15 of his 18 passes for 120 yards and three touchdowns. 

“I think obviously he can play better a little bit, forced a few things, but in general, what you would think,” Gators head coach Billy Napier said of Lagway’s performance. “He didn't participate in the scrimmages, been practicing for about two weeks, so, yeah, he'll get in his rhythm. He'll continue to get better.”

Furthermore, star running back Jadan Baugh logged nine carries and managed 104 yards and a touchdown. 

However, the much more important storyline from this contest was the debuts of two freshmen. Quarterback Tramell Jones Jr. and wide receiver Vernell Brown III both put on a show in the first collegiate game of their careers. 

Brown III provided the highlight of the night with his SportCenter Top 10 one-handed catch in the first half. While backpedaling down the sideline, the true freshman extended his arm to haul in a 41-yard pass from Lagway. 

In the end, he led the Gators in receiving in the opener with three catches for 79 yards. After the game, Napier commended his true freshman, stating that he looked comfortable in his first start. 

“He's obviously skilled, but I think more importantly, he's got a certain maturity level, and you could see tonight it's not too big for him,” said the Gators head coach. “He's comfortable in that setting, right? So he's a play-maker. He's been doing that, very consistent, very dependable, know what you're going to get and he's an even better person, teammate.”

For Jones Jr., he has cemented himself as the No. 2 on the depth chart moving forward after starting the second half in Lagway’s place and finishing 12-for-18 with 131 passing yards and two touchdowns. He also had 14 rushing yards on five carries. 

His work in the offseason pushed him past the more experienced options in Aidan Warner and Harrison Bailey. Moreover, Napier continued his praise for the young quarterback on Monday, saying he was impressed with what he saw. 

“I think it's been impressive to watch him,” Napier said. “I think he's intelligent. I think he's got some presence, some maturity. It's not too big for him. So extremely accurate, and the spin rate and velocity on the ball is elite. So I don't think he missed very much the other night. The ball went where it was supposed to go every time.”

Up next for the Gators is the USF Bulls, who find themselves top 25 on Tuesday despite a dominating win over then-ranked Boise State, 34-7. The contest between Florida and USF is scheduled for a 4:15 kickoff on Saturday, Sept. 6, and will be broadcast on the SEC Network.