THE QUICK SLIDE
FLORIDA 33, TULANE 8

What happened

TAMPA, Fla. – Freshman quarterback DJ Lagway through for 305 yards and a touchdown in the second half, junior kicker Trey Smack made four field goals and the Florida Gators capped the 2024 season with a fourth straight victory on Friday, defeating Tulane 33-8 in the Gasparilla Bowl at Raymond James Stadium.

With its eighth win, UF picked up its biggest win in four years and sent its third-year coach Billy Napier enters the offseason with the program’s longest winning streak since 2024, giving much cause for encouragement about the future of Florida football given the turnaround after that ugly and lopsided 1-2 start to the season.

Smack, of Severna Park, Maryland, hit field goals of 34, 44, 24 and 30 yards, two in each half, with his first three goals giving his team a 9-0 lead in the third quarter. Lagway, who was named Gasparilla MVP, completed 22 of 305 passes and set a bowl record with his 305 yards rushing. He had a 7-yard scoring throw to the tight end Hayden Hansen He basically opened the game in the third period, but also threw two interceptions in the first half, including one in the end zone, that kept the game exciting for the first two or more periods until a streak of 27 straight points in the third period bridged and the fourth quarter turned a close game into a loss.

Although all eyes were on Lagway, the Florida defense Ron Roberts Overall responsibility according to co-coordinator Austin Armstrong Houston’s exit last week was probably the biggest factor in the game. UF was able to virtually negate a Tulane offense that was one of the best in the country during the regular season – 37.2 points (9th in the country) and 421.1 yards per game (41st) – but was hampered by the loss of the Star quarterbacks brought to their knees Darian Mensah(2,723 yards, 22 TD), who entered the transfer portal and signed with Duke last week. in his place, junior Ty Thompsona former five-star prospect and transfer from Oregon, was under duress the entire game and was wildly inaccurate. Thompson finished just 11 of 29 for 125 yards and three interceptions while rushing nine times for 17 yards. Thompson’s 16-yard touchdown Mario Williams A shutout was averted 29 seconds before the end of the game.

Smack made a field goal in each of the first two quarters, but the Gators’ inability to finish drives kept the score close throughout the first half and well into the third quarter. Midway through the period, UF only led 9-0 at defensive back Dijon Johnson tipped a Thompson pass that was intercepted by a walk-on teammate Alfonso Allen Jr. at the UF 40. Seven plays later, Lagway faked, rolled to his right and threw his short pass to Hanson, who took a 16-0 lead with just over four minutes left in the quarter.

Two minutes into the fourth, Smack scored his fourth field goal to give his team a 19-0 lead.

Florida added two touchdowns in the final seven minutes. The first came after the Gators sacked Thompson on fourth-and-3 to force a turnover on downs. UF moved to the Tulane 25 and faced a fourth-and-1 with Lagway trying to gain first down. However, the ball came loose and bounced backwards, creating a real jam for freshmen KD Daniels grabbed it and raced 27 yards through the Green Wave defense for a score with 6:29 left. It was 26:0.

Walkable traffic jam Anthony Rubiothe son of a US Senator and probably the next Secretary of State, Marco Rubiocapped the Florida scoring drive with a 9-yard touchdown run with 1:11 left in a drive that included two plays – first a 1-yard run, then a lead block – by a 449-pound defensive tackle Desmond Watson in his final college game right next door to his hometown of Plant City.

The Gators finished with 529 total yards of offense, the second-most of the season (behind only the 632 against FCS-ranked Sanford), including 224 on the ground. The Green Wave, which lost to Army in the American Athletic Conference championship game two weeks ago, rushed for a season-low 194 yards, with nearly half (89) coming in the fourth quarter after the game was decided.

What it means

The last time the Gators left a season with this much momentum was in 2019, when they defeated Virginia in the Orange Bowl, securing their fourth straight win and second straight 11-win season. The UF team, coached by Dan Mullendidn’t have nearly the off-field (read: recruiting) momentum of the role Napier and his Army currently have, and expects (when final signings come in) a top-10 class.

UF improved to 25-24 all-time in bowl games, winning for the first time since the UVA showdown in Miami. Napier improved his Florida record to 19-19 over three seasons.

In the spotlight

The Gators are 6-0 when Lagway starts and finishes a game. He joined Chris Leak as the only true freshman quarterback in program history to win at least six games as a starter (Leak was 6-3 in 2003). He was far from perfect, but now the 2023 Gatorade Player of the Year gets an offseason with all first-team representation. Lagway’s final freshman season numbers: 115 of 192 (59.9 percent) for 1,915 yards, 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

Amazing statistics

In the last four games (all wins), Florida’s defense has totaled 38 tackles for loss, 19 sacks and 13 turnovers while allowing an average of 13.0 points per game.

Next

Keep an eye on the transfer portal, which remains open through December 28th, followed by an enthusiastic start to the offseason training season in January and what is expected to be the most anticipated spring season in years in March. In the meantime, Merry Christmas, Gator Nation.

Email senior author Chris Harry at [email protected]