Nov 23, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; A Florida Gators helmet sits on the field before a game against the Mississippi Rebels at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

5-star WR Dallas Wilson flips from Oregon to Florida

Wide receiver Dallas Wilson, a five-star Class of 2025 prospect, signed with Florida.

The move came just days after he asked Oregon to release him from his commitment. He signed with the Ducks on Dec. 4, the first day of the early signing period.

The 247Sports composite ranks Wilson, a Florida product from Tampa Bay Tech, as the No. 4 wide receiver and No. 20 overall player in the class.

Florida announced his signing with a video posted to social media Sunday night.

Wilson had been committed to the Ducks since Jan. 17, 2023, taking an official visit there in June 2024 and one to Florida on Nov. 22.

But The Athletic reported last week that Wilson’s agent, Vernell Brown of EL1TE Sports Management Group, said Wilson changed his mind to remain closer to an ill family member, adding NIL money was not a factor.

A 6-foot-3 speedster, Wilson also runs track and was part of his school’s 4×400 relay team that qualified for the state competition in his junior year.

–Field Level Media

Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) throws an interception during the first half at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL on Friday, December 20, 2024 in the 2024 Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]

DJ Lagway, Florida pull away from Tulane to win Gasparilla Bowl

DJ Lagway threw a touchdown pass, Trey Smack kicked four field goals and Florida’s defense dominated in a 33-8 victory over Tulane in the Gasparilla Bowl on Friday in Tampa, Fla.

Lagway completed 22 of 35 passes for 305 yards with two interceptions and improved to 6-1 as a starter as the Gators (8-5) won their fourth consecutive game.

The Gators allowed just 194 yards to the Green Wave (9-5), who lost their third consecutive game. Florida had three interceptions of Ty Thompson, who completed 11 of 29 for 125 yards in his first college start in place of regular-season starter Darian Mensah, who transferred to Duke.

It was 9-0 Florida on three field goals after Smack kicked a 24-yarder with 9:11 left in the third quarter.

On the fourth play of the ensuing possession, Thompson was intercepted by Alfonzo Allen Jr., giving Florida the ball at its 40. Six plays later the Gators finally reached the end zone when Lagway’s 7-yard pass to Tony Livingston produced a touchdown and a 16-0 lead at the end of the third.

Florida got the ball back at the Tulane 47 when Thompson was stopped for a 2-yard loss on fourth and 2. Early in the fourth quarter, Smack kicked a 30-yard field goal that increased the lead to 19-0.

The Green Wave turned the ball over on downs again at their 34, and four plays later KD Daniels picked up Lagway’s fumble and advanced it 27 yards for a 26-0 lead.

Anthony Rubio rushed 9 yards for the Gators’ final touchdown with 1:11 remaining, and Thompson threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Mario Williams and added a two-point pass with 29 seconds left.

On Tulane’s first offensive play, Thompson was intercepted by Trikweze Bridges, leading to Smack’s 34-yard field goal and a 3-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

On the second play of the second quarter, the Green Wave’s Patrick Durkin was wide right on a 35-yard field goal attempt and the Gators drove to Smack’s 44-yard field goal and a 6-0 halftime lead.

–Field Level Media

An decal in recognition of former Oregon defensive back Khyree Jackson and tight end Spencer Webb adorns helmets during the Ducks’ fall camp Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex in Eugene, Ore.

5-star signee Dallas Wilson asks Oregon for release

Florida could get another chance to sign in-state wide receiver Dallas Wilson, a five-star Class of 2025 prospect.

Wilson, from Tampa Bay Tech, signed with Oregon on Dec. 4, the first day of the early signing period. But 247Sports reported Thursday that Wilson has had second thoughts and is asking Oregon to release him from his commitment.

247Sports reported that, according to Wilson’s agency, the receiver will pick Florida if granted his release.

The 247Sports composite ranks him as the No. 4 wide receiver and No. 20 overall player in the class.

Several recruiting analysts had predicted Wilson would flip from Oregon to Florida earlier this month. He had been committed to the Ducks since Jan. 17, 2023, taking an official visit there in June 2024 and to Florida on Nov. 22.

The Ducks are on the clock. Wilson reportedly asked for his release Tuesday, and Oregon has 48 hours to respond.

A 6-foot-3 speedster, Wilson also runs track and was part of his school’s 4×400 relay team that qualified for the state competition in his junior year.

With Wilson on the commitment list, Oregon has the No. 2-ranked class in the nation, per 247Sports, narrowly ahead of Alabama.

–Field Level Media

Nov 28, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Tulane Green Wave quarterback Ty Thompson (7) throws before a game against the Memphis Tigers at Yulman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Backup QB guides Tulane into Gasparilla Bowl vs. Florida

Florida wasn’t always sure it was going to win enough games to become bowl-eligible.

Tulane flirted with the possibility of playing its way into the College Football Playoff.

Eventually a late-season surge by the Gators (7-5) and consecutive losses by the Green Wave (9-4) landed them both in the Gasparilla Bowl on Friday in Tampa.

Florida, which failed to make a bowl game at 5-7 last season, dropped two of its first three games this year, falling to then-No. 19 Miami and Texas A&M. The results led to early-season speculation that third-year coach Billy Napier might not make it to the end of the season, let alone coach a fourth season.

However, when the Gators reached 4-4 after being competitive in losses to then-No. 8 Tennessee and then-No. 2 Georgia, athletic director Scott Stricklin said Napier would continue as head coach.

After losing the next game to then-No. 5 Texas, the Gators improved over the final three games behind freshman quarterback DJ Lagway. Florida swept those three contests, defeating then-No. 21 LSU 27-16, then-No. 9 Ole Miss 24-17 and Florida State 31-11.

“We want to keep the momentum we have,” Napier said.

Lagway, who is 5-1 as a starter and has passed for 1,610 yards with 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions, is expected to start against Tulane. He has been hampered by a hamstring injury sustained against Georgia on Nov. 2, an injury that kept him out against the Longhorns.

Napier doesn’t expect a significant number of absences due to opt-outs.

“We talk a lot in terms of, it doesn’t matter who the opponent is, where we’re playing, what time we’re playing, who’s available,” Napier said. “It’s kind of become part of our DNA. When they put the ball down and kick the thing off, we’ll be ready to go.”

Tulane, which won eight consecutive games before losing 34-24 at home to Memphis on Nov. 28 and 35-14 at Army in the American Athletic Conference championship game on Dec. 6, hasn’t been as fortunate with its quarterback situation.

Redshirt freshman Darian Mensah, who unexpectedly won the starting position during preseason camp and helped lead the Green Wave to as high as the No. 17 spot in the CFP rankings, entered the transfer portal after the loss to Army and committed to Duke.

Kai Horton also departed through the portal, leaving former Oregon five-star signee Ty Thompson as the starter and only experienced quarterback for the bowl game. This will be his first college start, but he did play in 11 games this season as a wildcat change of pace to Mensah.

Thompson averaged 6.1 yards on 40 rushes, scoring six touchdowns, and completed 6 of 11 passes for 74 yards and two touchdowns without an interception.

“I’m really, really blessed for this opportunity,” Thompson said. “I’ve prayed for this since I was 17 and showed up in college.”

Thompson has indicated he might leave via the portal as well, but he is sticking around to face the Gators.

“His response (to not winning the starting job) says a lot about who he is,” Tulane coach Jon Sumrall said of Thompson. “He wanted to be the guy and wasn’t, so he could have either tanked it or pushed on to get better. He really handled it the right way.”

Thompson figures to have top receiver Mario Williams and top rusher Makhi Hughes available.

–Field Level Media

Florida Gators defensive back Trikweze Bridges (7), Florida Gators wide receiver Aidan Mizell (11), Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) and Florida Gators running back Jadan Baugh (13) celebrateat Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, November 23, 2024. The Gators defeated the Rebels 24-17 [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]

Revived Florida focuses on finish in trip to Florida State

Florida is coming off arguably its biggest win of the season, upsetting Ole Miss while rival Florida State needed any kind of win and secured that last week by beating Charleston Southern.

Ending the season on a high note by winning the annual rivalry on Saturday night in Tallahassee, Fla., is the goal for these programs, but Florida stands an opportunity to further improve its bowl standing as a parting gift.

Florida leads the all-time series 37-28-2, but the Seminoles have won the past two meetings by nine points or fewer.

But this season, although they have experienced their ups and downs, things have gone markedly better for the Gators (6-5) than the Seminoles (2-9).

Napier had been thought to be on the hot seat since the start of the season. Everything changed in November.

With the support of his administration, Napier revived the Gators. Consecutive victories over ranked SEC foes LSU and Ole Miss the past two weeks have Florida’s outlook on the sunny side.

The Gators beat ranked teams in consecutive weeks for the first time since 2008 led by DJ Lagway, who threw a pair of touchdown passes in the 24-17 victory.

A win over the rival Seminoles in a year they are favored to do so would be huge heading into a subsequent bowl game.

“It was complimentary ball,” Napier said. “We had a lot of comments about the game afterwards. So, you know, we have no time to play around here, because we’re turning the page.”

Florida State is fresh off its best offensive performance by far of this season, albeit against the lowly FCS-level Bucs, who finished their season 1-11.

The Seminoles scored a season-high 41 points, which was 20 more than their previous high, and snapped a six-game losing streak.

Quarterback Luke Kromenhoek completed 13 of 20 passes for 209 yards and threw three touchdown passes and no interceptions. The performance earned him the chance to start again in Saturday’s game per Florida State coach Mike Norvell.

“To be able to have three touchdown passes, he made a lot of good decisions,” Norvell said during his Monday press conference. “There’s some throws that he missed, some parts of different reads and progressions where I think he’s going to continue to even become that much more efficient around it.”

–Field Level Media

Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) rushes for yards against Georgia Bulldogs linebacker CJ Allen (3) during the second quarter of an NCAA college football matchup Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Georgia Bulldogs defeated the Florida Gators 34-20. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]

Florida QB DJ Lagway (hamstring) to return vs. No. 22 LSU

Florida quarterback DJ Lagway is expected to start against No. 22 LSU on Saturday, recovered from the hamstring injury he sustained two weeks ago.

Coach Billy Napier made the announcement Thursday on his radio show.

Lagway was injured in the second quarter of the Nov. 2 loss to then-No. 2 Georgia and carted off the field. Two days later, Napier said the injury was “less significant” than additionally feared.

Lagway missed the Gators’ 49-17 loss to another top team, Texas, last week and was replaced by Aidan Warner, who completed 12 of 25 passes for 132 yards.

Starter Graham Mertz suffered a season-ending injury in Florida’s Oct. 12 game against Tennessee, thrusting the freshman Lagway into the position.

On the season, Lagway has completed 56 of his 92 pass attempts (60.9 percent) for 1,071 yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions.

Florida enters the game at 4-5 (2-4 Southeastern Conference) in Gainesville, Fla., and needs two wins in its remaining three games to become eligible for a bowl game. The Gators also have No. 11 Ole Miss and Florida State remaining on their schedule.

–Field Level Media

Nov 11, 2023; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA;  LSU Tigers running back Josh Williams (27) rushes against Florida Gators linebacker Scooby Williams (17) during the second half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

No. 22 LSU, Florida fight to quiet critics as losses add up

Florida coach Billy Napier’s job is not in immediate jeopardy. Neither is LSU coach Brian Kelly’s.

But as No. 22 LSU prepares to face Florida in an SEC game Saturday in Gainesville, Fla., the disappointing performance of the teams under both third-year coaches is dominating storylines around the programs.

Speculation about Napier’s possible dismissal swirled after a 1-2 start that featured home losses by 24 points to Miami and by 13 points to Texas A&M. But amid the Gators showing modest midseason improvement, athletic director Scott Stricklin said last week that the coach will remain in his position going forward. The Gators (4-5, 2-4 SEC) then went out and watched Texas take a 42-0 lead on its way to a 49-17 victory.

Kelly has seven years remaining on his 10-year $100 million contract, so firing him doesn’t seem feasible anytime soon, but the Tigers (6-3, 3-2) have lost two in a row, including a 42-13 embarrassment at home against Alabama last week. The game before that, they led Texas A&M 17-7 at halftime on the road before getting outscored 31-6 in the second half.

The losing coach Saturday will likely endure intensifying criticism.

“I feel pretty confident we know what we are doing,” Kelly said. “Am I happy about what happened? No. Are our players? No. I am not in a position to worry about what people are saying about the overall health of the program.”

Each of Kelly’s first two teams finished with 10 victories after winning bowl games. This team will have to sweep its last three regular-season games and win a bowl to match those two.

“We have one of the top recruiting classes in the country,” Kelly said. “Those things are only going to continue to get better. A championship program is what we are going to have here. There are going to be some stumbles along the way, but we will get back up and we are going to keep building our program where it needs to be. And that’s a championship program.”

After the 1-2 start, Florida won three of its next four and the loss was a 23-17 overtime defeat at then-No. 8 Tennessee. But starting quarterback Graham Mertz suffered a season-ending torn ACL in that game and two games later, freshman DJ Lagway strained a hamstring in a loss to Georgia.

Third-string quarterback Aidan Warner struggled against Texas, completing 12 of 25 passes for 132 yards. The Gators are hopeful Lagway will be available Saturday.

Napier said the offense’s problems against the Longhorns weren’t all Warner’s fault.

“I think we can play better around him,” he said.

Florida hosts No. 11 Ole Miss and visits Florida State in its final two games, has to win two of its final three games to salvage bowl eligibility.

“We’ve been very inconsistent,” Napier said. “We’re getting closer. I see the light at the end of the tunnel. Obviously, I’m disappointed with Saturdays. I do think our group is trending in the right direction. We’re not there yet.”

–Field Level Media

Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier gives an injured Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) a hug after the game at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, FL on Saturday, November 2, 2024. The Bulldogs defeated the Gators 34-20. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]

Florida commits to Billy Napier for ’25; Gators prepare walk-on QB to start at Texas

Florida head coach Billy Napier was thrown a life raft by athletic director Scott Stricklin on Thursday when he ended speculation about a coaching change by publicly committing to Napier’s return next season.

“UF’s commitment to excellence and a championship-caliber program is unwavering,” Stricklin said in his statement. “In these times of change across college athletics, we are dedicated to a disciplined, stable approach that is focused on long-term sustained success for Gator athletes, recruits and fans.

“I am confident that Billy will meet the challenges and opportunities ahead. We will work alongside him to support any changes needed to elevate Gator football. As college athletics evolves, UF is committed to embracing innovation and strategy, ensuring the Gators thrive in today’s competitive landscape.”

Napier has the Gators at 4-4 entering this week but there’s tough sledding ahead in the SEC with games against No. 5 Texas, No. 14 LSU, No. 16 Ole Miss and the annual rivalry game with Florida State remaining. Napier is 15-18 as Florida head coach and was hired before the start of the 2022 season to replace Dan Mullen.

There are complications for Florida parting with Napier now because the university is operating without a president, and the head coach has a buyout of $20 million.

Florida faces the Longhorns in Austin on Saturday, and the Gators are getting walk-on Aidan Warner ready to make the start because of injuries to Graham Mertz and DJ Lagway.

Lagway left last week’s loss to Georgia and was replaced by Warner, a transfer from Yale. The freshman completed 7 of 22 passes with an interception and was sacked twice.

“I think he’s gotten a little better each day,” Napier said of Warner’s progress. “I think he’s gotten a little more comfortable. He’s obviously taking a few more reps than he normally does.”

The Gators are giving Lagway, who is returning to his home state of Texas, every opportunity to bounce back from a hamstring injury. After being carted off the field against Georgia, Lagway watched the second half from the sideline propped up by crutches.

Asked for an update Wednesday, Napier said Lagway’s situation is “obviously touch and go. Look, the guy’s giving it his best shot.”

But he practiced in what Napier classified as a “limited” capacity on Wednesday and Napier maintained his statement earlier in the week that the leg injury is “less significant” than the team feared.

Mertz is out for the season with a left knee injury. He shared the reps with Lagway before a ligament tear in a loss to Tennessee last month ended his college career.

Saturday would be the fourth college football appearance for Warner. He did not play as a freshman at Yale and is considered a redshirt freshman after compiling 24 career touchdowns at Winter Park (Fla.) high school.

A five-star recruit who starred at Willis, Texas, Lagway had 58 TD passes as a senior and left high school with 129 total touchdowns (100 TD passes). He was the 2023 National Gatorade Player of the Year, 2023 Bobby Dodd National Back (High School Heisman) of the Year, 2023 MaxPreps Player of the Year, 2023 Elite 11 National High School Quarterback of the Year, 2023 National Quarterback Club High School Quarterback of the Year.

Lagway completed 2 of 6 passes for 47 yards and a TD last week and four rushing attempts for 18 yards before he left the game. He is 56 of 92 for 1,071 yards passing with six touchdowns and five interceptions this season. Lagway rushed for 114 yards on 37 carries.

Sophomore wide receiver Eugene Wilson III is also out for the season, Napier said. Wilson, the son of former Illinois safety and 2023 Patriots second-round pick, had hip surgery on Tuesday and faces a four-month recovery. Wilson had 19 receptions for 266 yards and a touchdown this season.

–Field Level Media

Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) fends off Georgia Bulldogs defensive back KJ Bolden (4) during the second quarter of an NCAA college football matchup Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Georgia Bulldogs defeated the Florida Gators 34-20. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]

Injury to Florida QB DJ Lagway ‘less significant’

The injury sustained by Florida quarterback DJ Lagway is “less significant” than originally thought and the freshman has a chance to play this week, Gators head coach Billy Napier said Monday.

Lagway exited Saturday’s loss to Georgia with a hamstring injury and was carted off the field. Napier at the time called it a significant injury.

“The good news is we have positive information on that front,” Napier told reporters Monday. “We do think that the injury is less significant, we do think there’s a pathway for recovery and a return.”

The Gators (4-4, 2-3 SEC) play at No. 5 Texas (7-1, 3-1) on Saturday.

Lagway suffered the injury in the second quarter and remained on the turf while being attended to. He threw for 47 yards and a touchdown before exiting.

“He’s got a hamstring. Pretty significant one,” Napier said then.

He was replaced by Aidan Warner, who completed 7 of 22 passes for 66 yards and an interception. The Gators led Georgia 13-6 at halftime before the Bulldogs went on to win 34-20.

Lagway has thrown for 1,071 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions since taking over for season starter Graham Mertz, who tore his ACL on Oct. 12 against Tennessee.

–Field Level Media

Nov 2, 2024; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) is tackled against the Georgia Bulldogs during the first half at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images

No. 2 Georgia overcomes errors to down Florida

Carson Beck completed 25 of 40 passes for 309 yards for two touchdowns while also throwing three interceptions as No. 2 Georgia beat Florida 34-20 in Jacksonville, Fla., on Saturday.

Nate Frazier ran for a team-high 82 yards and a touchdown, while Dominic Lovett caught seven passes for 52 yards and a score, as the Bulldogs (7-1, 5-1 Southeastern Conference) won their fourth straight.

Florida (4-4, 2-3) dropped its second game in three tries, and lost quarterback DJ Lagway to a hamstring injury in the second quarter. Lagway completed 2 of 6 passes for 47 yards and a score before backup Aidan Warner came in, completing 7 of 22 passes for 66 yards and an interception. Ja’Kobi Jackson led the Gators with 12 carries for 74 yards and a score.

Trailing 13-6 at halftime, Beck was intercepted on Georgia’s opening drive of the second half by Jack Pyburn at the 50-yard line. After forcing a Florida punt, the Bulldogs scored their first touchdown of the game on Frazier’s game-tying two-yard score with 7:01 left in the third quarter.

Florida then lined up for Trey Smack’s go-ahead 50-yard field goal attempt, but a poor snap was recovered by Georgia’s Jalon Walker at the Florida 36-yard line. Following the turnover, it took Georgia just three plays to take the lead, as Beck found Cash Jones for a 22-yard score with 1:20 remaining in the third quarter.

After four straight punts, Florida tied the game on Jackson’s 15-yard touchdown run with 7:29 left in the fourth. Georgia then went up again, as Beck’s ten-yard touchdown pass to Lovett gave the Bulldogs a 27-20 lead at the 4:01 mark.

Warner then threw a costly interception on the ensuing play, as CJ Allen picked off the pass and returned it to the Florida 14-yard line. Two plays later, Dwight Phillips Jr. ran in a four-yard score with 3:03 left.

Georgia opened the scoring with Peyton Woodring’s 23-yard field goal at the 2:10 mark of the first quarter. Following a Florida punt, Beck threw his first interception with 14:02 left in the second quarter, as Devin Moore picked off the Bulldogs at Georgia’s 43-yard line.

Lagway wasted no time, finding Aidan Mizell on a 43-yard passing touchdown on the ensuing play. Beck was then intercepted again, this time by Aaron Gates, who returned the pick to the Gators’ 49-yard line.

Florida added a score on Smack’s 32-yard field goal, extending the Gators’ lead to 10-3 at the 7:22 mark of the second quarter. Each team’s final drive finished with field goals, as Woodring’s 53-yarder cut the deficit to 10-6 with 43 seconds left, before Smack’s 53-yarder gave Florida a 13-6 halftime lead.

–Field Level Media