TAMPA, Fla. – A bowl game seemed like a far-fetched possibility for much of Florida’s season.

The Gators had a pair of black eyes three games into the season after being thrashed at home by Miami and Texas A&M. And then they had their starting quarterback.

Florida evened things up with a road win at Mississippi State in Week 4, and the following bye week the Gators restarted during a series of physical and competitive drills. As a result, more young players began taking snaps on Saturdays and the defense showed resistance. Florida responded with a home win against UCF, but lost its quarterback Graham Mertz to a season-ending knee injury the following week at Tennessee. To make matters worse, the Gators lost in overtime to the Vols, a game they were able to avoid several times in regulation time.

As a true freshman quarterback, the season began to turn around DJ Lagway took over and led the Gators to a 48-20 home win over Kentucky. The win was followed by another bye week as the Gators prepared to face No. 2 Georgia in Jacksonville. Florida led the Bulldogs in the second quarter and was in control of the tempo when Lagway went down with a hamstring strain. He did not return and was replaced by a walk-on and Yale transfer Aiden Warner. Georgia came back to win and the Gators were back at .500 with a 4-4 record and a game against No. 5 Texas looming.

The low point of the season came when the Gators trailed the Longhorns 42-0 early in the third quarter. They lost 49-17 and with LSU and Ole Miss traveling to The Swamp in back-to-back weeks, the Gators’ bowl hopes appeared to be buried at the bottom of Tampa Bay.

 

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But once Lagway was back on the field, Florida upset both the Tigers and Rebels, becoming bowl eligible and renewing hope. The Gators ended the regular season with a 20-point win at Florida State and learned a few days later that they would face Tulane in the Gasparilla Bowl on Friday.

“Our guys were excited when we found out we would be in Tampa,” UF head coach said Billy Napier said this week. “It was a big deal and playing on the 20th, I mean we’d be lying if we weren’t happy with it. I think these guys have a chance to finish properly in our state and then be home for Christmas and a few weeks off before we head out again in January.

“Gator Nation will be on full display. It will be a great opportunity for our fans to come out.”

Florida (7-4) faces the Green Wave (9-4) for the first time since 1984 and has a chance to win four straight games for the first time under Napier, who watched from the sidelines days after signing with Florida , when the Gators last played in the Gasparilla Bowl (a 29-17 loss to UCF in 2021).

With Lagway as the face of the future and the momentum of several key victories on the recruiting trail, the Gators have finally created the kind of momentum Napier envisioned when he took over. With a win on Friday, Florida has a chance to finish the season in the AP Top 25.

“It’s a good opportunity,” senior receiver said Chimere Dikea transfer from Wisconsin and key addition in the offseason. “I want to find the right degree. I think it’s always important to end the year on the right note.”

The Gators are preferred to get rid of the Green Wave, who are without their starting quarterback Darian Mensah. After the regular season, he entered the transfer portal and is going to Duke. Tulane will begin Ty Thompsona dual-threat option who transferred from Oregon.

The Green Wave is characterized by a balanced attack. They rank ninth nationally in scoring (37.2 points per game) and 17th in scoring defense (19.7). Run back Mahki Hughes (1,372 yards, 15 TDs) is the centerpiece of the offense in Mensah’s absence.

The Gators are looking to finish the 2019 season with their first bowl win since defeating Virginia in the Orange Bowl. In the four seasons since, they lost the Cotton Bowl to Oklahoma, the Gasparilla Bowl to UCF and the Las Vegas Bowl to Oregon State. Florida missed a bowl game in 2023, providing added incentive for players to finish this season with a win.

Napier (18-19), a consistent presence in his three seasons as the Gators’ coach, can get back to .500 with a win. That would be another solid reboot in 2025.

Coverage begins at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN2 with the crew of Anish Shroff on play-by-play, Andre Ware Providing analytics and Paul Carcaterra on the edge. The Gators Sports Network broadcast from Learfield will air starting at 12:30 p.m., beginning with pregame coverage Sean Kelley And Shane Matthews in the cabin, with Tate Casey Reporting from practice.

For GSN stations click here. The game will be re-aired on SEC Network on Sunday at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday at 1 a.m. and Friday at 2 p.m.

Finally, follow FloridaGators.com senior writer Scott Carter (@GatorsScott) for commentary and analysis during the game. FloridaGators.com will feature full post-game coverage late Saturday evening and follow-up content on Sunday.