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The Florida Gators are riding the high of beating FCS Samford behind a lethal passing attack. On Saturday, they will look to keep things rolling in their SEC opener against Texas A&M.
Both teams enter the contest 1-1, both coming off dominant cupcake victories against inferior competition. Both teams dropped their highly anticipated openers as well.
Overall, this game seems fairly even across the board.
That said, these are our staff’s predictions on the outcome of Saturday’s Florida – Texas A&M game.
Brian Fox: As of Friday evening, Texas A&M is a four point favorite per ESPNBet. Furthermore, ESPN’s matchup predictor gives the Aggies a 59.2% chance of leaving Gainesville victorious. In their season opening loss to Notre Dame, sophomore quarterback Conner Weigman completed just 12-30 passes for 100 yards. He also turned the ball over twice via interceptions. If the Florida front seven can create pressure, they should be able to force Weigman into errant throws, which is the biggest key heading into the game. Gators, 27-21.
Ryan Friedwald: This will be a make or break game for the rest of the season. After a dominant performance last Saturday, the Gators have an opportunity to shut down the, “It’s only Samford,” allegations. The Aggies have lost the last 10 road games they’ve played with their last road win being at Missouri on Oct. 21, 2021 (35-14) . The biggest and most obvious question mark is the Florida QB situation, but I feel that either QB can take the Gators to victory this weekend. There are absolutely zero excuses this week and a lot will be said about the organization based on the product we see on Saturday. This will be a really close game, but Florida’s momentum and home-field advantage will give them the edge this weekend. Florida 24, Texas A&M, 17.
Aiden Wacksman: DJ Lagway created magic on the field last Saturday. The most pressing question heading into this weekend is how much Lagway will see the field. Billy Napier’s decision to halt the release of depth charts will leave fans on the edge of their seats until kickoff, but the quarterback situation will certainly be different compared to that of week one. While Florida’s offense may be able to create some sparks, the defense remains a huge area of concern. I am especially concerned about how the secondary will fare against the Aggies’ twitchy receivers. Regardless, I believe Texas A&M quarterback Connor Weigman won’t be able to step up to the plate, especially considering his poor performance in the season opener against Notre Dame (which, quick reminder, lost to NIU at home last weekend). Florida 27, Texas A&M 23.
Florida and Texas A&M are set to kickoff at 3:30 PM Saturday. The game will be aired live on ABC and streamed via the watch ESPN app.
The Florida Gators hosted the Kennesaw State Owls in a dominant victory where Florida put three past KSU.
Florida entered the contest looking to bounce back from Sunday’s loss against FSU.
“Every game is a new game and I think we did really well at playing our game at our level,” said Delaney Tellex. Tellex was one of the three goal-scorers this evening.
The first half was nothing short of dominant from Florida. From the start, the Gators controlled everything. Possession was kept for majority of the half and majority of that possession was in the KSU half of the field.
The composure and decision making of the Gators was on point. Every pass was played with purpose and intent. Every tackle was timed and pressed at the perfect moment. The Owls couldn’t do anything because Florida wasn’t allowing them to.
This ultimate control of the game eventually lead to an early goal for Florida. A beautiful, incisive pass by Madison Jones found Delaney Tellex on the right side of the box. Tellex took a touch and put her foot through the ball. The ball came off of her foot like a missile and smacked the underbelly of the crossbar; finding its way into the net to bring Florida up 1-0.
“Great ball by Jonesy (Madison Jones), and then touch and a finish,” said Tellex.
Florida continued after the goal with the same level of possession and composure. They earned five corner kicks within the next 20 minutes of the match.
The overlaps from the midfielders and wing backs were the driving forces of the offensive presence. It was a perfect balance of attacking, defending, and pressuring from both sides of the pitch.
The pressure from the Gators was too much for the Owls to handle. Njeri Butts won the ball and drove into the box. As she wound up for a shot, a KSU defender fouls her and concedes a penalty with 3 minutes to go in the half.
Oakley Rasmussen stepped up to the spot for Florida and put the ball directly into the side netting on the right side of the goal. The KSU goalkeeper, Caroline Wehr, was stuck in her spot. The Gators doubled their lead.
The Gators maintained possession until the end of the half.
Florida finished the half with 2 goals, 14 shots, 1 foul, and 9 corners. KSU finished the half with 0 shots, 5 saves, and 6 fouls.
A dominant half for Florida.
The second half began and Florida got right back into their first half form. They dominated and controlled possession early.
The Gators took no time finding their third goal of the match.
Emily Hauser found Vera Blom on the left side of the box. Blom took an explosive touch and wrapped her foot around the ball. The ball rises and curves at the same time. Caroline Wehr, the KSU goalkeeper, attempted to make a diving save, but the ball had too much bend and pace. A world-class finish from Blom put the Gators up 3-0.
For the next 30 minutes of the match, Florida was practically having shooting practice. The Gators were shooting from all over the field.
At the 70 minute mark, Coach Bohon put in a lot of her reserve players.
“As a coach, it’s always wonderful to get a rotation in,” said Bohon, “I’ll give a lot of credit to our reserve group because they work so hard in practice and this was a wonderful opportunity to show what they’ve been doing and to earn minutes.”
The Gators closed out the game comfortably. KSU applied pressure a few times but it was never a true threat. The back line was very composed for Florida and it showed.
The referee blew the final whistle and Florida comfortably won the match and earned a clean sheet.
Florida ended the match with 21 shots and 9 corners. KSU didn’t have a shot attempt.
“We really challenged our back line this week because we felt like we were just a little too casual,” said Bohan, in regard to the defensive lines goals after the FSU loss.
“Unapologetically, we had to win today,” expressed Bohan. Her and her ladies got the job done.
It was a very important win for Florida. A perfect bounce back game that will give Florida momentum for a tough away fixture against Florida Gulf Coast.
A rainy day that turned into a beautiful Gators victory. The Gators win 3-0.
The Gators suffered their first loss of the season to Florida State Sunday, losing 3-0 to the reigning national champions. But, this game was more about experimenting with tactics and trying new styles of play against a very good team before SEC play.
“I love being tactically versatile. That is one identity of our program, so we aren’t afraid to change if the game calls for something different and mix and match our strengths,” said Florida coach Samantha Bohon.
The Gators played with the 3-5-2 formation for the first time this season. This formation allows the Gators to transition into many other formations like the 4-3-3 or even a 5-3-2 depending on the circumstances of the game. For example, if the Gators wanted to play more defensive they can transition to a 5-3-2 which allows or more defensive width and greater coverage of the field. If they want to be more aggressive they can transition into a 4-3-3 or even a 4-1-2-1-2 which allows for more passing lanes and link up play.
Experimenting a new formation against a team like FSU can bring its difficulties. Especially in a 3-5-2 where you have to play a high-defensive line, the Seminoles knew that they had to apply pressure and get runs in behind the Florida defense if they want to score.
After a period of constant pressure, the Seminoles forced Florida to turn the ball over in their defensive half. Peyton McGovern collects possession for the Seminoles and played a pass to Taylor Huff inside the 18-yard box. Huff took a touch to her left to set up a strike and put her laces through the ball and beat Alexa Goldberg to give the Seminoles the lead.
Despite the pressure, Florida remained defensively strong for the remainder of the half. They were constantly switching between a 5-3-2 on defense and a 3-5-2 when counter attacking. It was a fresh look from the Gators and it was giving the Seminoles a tough time late in the first half. The Gators found two shots within a minute by McClure and Tauzel that made the FSU keeper work.
The Gators and Seminoles both finished the half with a few more possessions. The referee blew his whistle for halftime. The Seminoles led 1-0 going into half but the Gators seemed confident going into the second half.
The Gators started off the second half with a sensational demonstration in pressure, passing, and counter attacking. They stayed in the 3-5-2 and transitioned to the 4-3-3 when they gained possession. Florida was playing better, tactically, for the first 10 minutes of the second half. But, there’s a reason why the Seminoles are national champions.
Within five minutes, FSU had two one-on-one opportunities. In what seemed like Florida’s greatest period of play, turned into a quick reminder of how quick a counter attack can happen. Fortunately for the Gators, both opportunities didn’t result in a goal as one shot went high and the other hit the post. Despite the unlucky chances, FSU wasn’t finished.
In a flash, the Seminoles gained possession and flew down the field. They were connecting passes so easily and taking touches so articulately that the Gator defenders couldn’t stop them. A lethal through ball by Ran Iwai found Wrianna Hudson and allowed her to be one-on-one with the keeper. Hudson finished her chance convincingly and doubled the Seminole’s lead.
From this point, it was all FSU. They settled into their game and were passing around the Gators. The Gators took this time to keep experimenting with formation converting and with different players. Vera Blom, notably, was playing a crucial role that rotated between a left-winger and left-center midfielder and she was the Gators’ engine that kept pushing for a goal.
“She’s just a competitor,” said Bohon.
With 10 minutes left in the half, the Seminoles found another opportunity. Another pass behind the defense allowed the Seminoles to apply pressure in the 18-yard-box. Hudson finds Kameron Simmonds with a cut back pass and Simmonds finished clinically by placing the ball in the left side of the net.
The Seminoles controlled possession for majority of the time remaining. The referee blew his whistle as the ball flew across the overcast Gainesville sky. The match ended 3-0 in favor of FSU.
The Gators didn’t get the result they wanted in the end, but this game provided Bohon with more of a tactical understanding of her team before the gauntlet of the SEC. The Gators looked good for the majority of the match and brought a good fight that made FSU uncomfortable at some points.
On Thursday, September 12, the Gators face off against Kennesaw State at home. A game where the Gators can bounce back and find a new wave of momentum. It will be interesting to see if Bohon sticks with the new tactics.
The Florida football team came away with a much needed 45-7 victory over the Samford Bulldogs on Saturday night. Freshman DJ Lagway’s 456-yard, three touchdown performance certainly stood out the most, but here are four takeaways from the Gators’ first victory of 2024.
DJ Lagway isn’t just an incredible athlete; he’s a phenomenon and has the potential to lead this program for years to come
The 2023 Gatorade National Football Player of the Year put on an incredible display in his earlier than anticipated debut. He made reads with quickness and accuracy, created explosive plays and utilized his scrambling ability multiple times. The Gators had six plays of thirty-plus yards in the win, which nearly halved its 2023 total of 14. Lagway’s poise in the pocket and outside it allowed for Florida’s offense to generate over 600 total yards.
He wasn’t perfect in his debut, but he played well enough to set the program record for the most passing yards in a single game by a freshman. Lagway put himself in position to earn the starting spot in Florida’s SEC opener against Texas A&M next week, but the final word will rest with head coach Billy Napier.
Lagway’s presence on the field gives the offense a potency it lacks otherwise. Overall, he should be more involved regardless of whether he starts next week.
The Florida secondary once again left much to be desired. While the Bulldogs accumulated a mere 144 yards through the air, the statistics do not tell the whole story. The Florida secondary appeared lost at times as it fell behind on multiple screen passes in the first half and granted Samford multiple big play opportunities through the air. It also incurred an unacceptable unsportsmanlike conduct penalty when cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. suplexed a Samford player.
The Bulldogs, though, were unable to convert on a majority of the aforementioned opportunities due to Florida’s strong defensive line play that consistently forced quarterback Quincy Crittendon into uncomfortable positions.
The Gators’ secondary will need to escape its slump if it hopes to keep up with SEC foe Texas A&M next Saturday. Otherwise, it could be another long afternoon for fans in The Swamp.
Tyreak Sapp can wreak havoc on opposing offensive lines
Sapp had a spectacular night and effectively displayed what he’s capable of on the defensive line. He finished with five tackles, 2.5 TFL and a sack. When he didn’t appear on the stat sheet, he was clogging run gaps and demanding the attention of Samford’s offensive linemen. The redshirt junior’s statement performance is a sign of good things to come.
The defensive line as a whole rebounded quite well from the season opener loss. Florida’s unit combined for four sacks and 12 TFL against Samford. It will be challenged to repeat that success this season against some of the best offensive lines college football has to offer.
Special teams continue to show improvement from last season
A game without a sloppy or game-altering special teams mistake last year was a rarity. Now, the special teams unit has executed its duties to a tee for the second-straight game. Kicker Trey Smack nailed his PATs and lone field goal attempt, Jeremy Crawshaw landed both of his punts inside the 20, and the unit incurred no outstanding penalties. Former New England special teams coordinator Joe Houston is proving to be one of Napier’s best coaching hires to date; since his arrival, special teams have been much more efficient.
Florida fans can finally breathe a sigh of relief when the special teams unit steps on to the field.
Week one of the 2024 college football season went about as bad as it could have for the Florida Gators. Florida was embarrassed by in-state rival Miami in The Swamp.
Week two will see several changes in personnel, most notably freshman DJ Lagway will get his first start against Samford. Lagway entered the game late against Miami after Graham Mertz left with a concussion. Mertz is still in concussion protocol at the time of this piece. The Gators are also down three starters in the secondary, and will be playing a ton of youth against what should be an outmatched Samford squad.
Our prognosticators took big L’s last week and bought into the hype the program was selling but will look to make up for it this week.
The following are our staff’s weekly prediction:
Brian Fox (season record: 0-1): This game should be such a blowout that BetESPN isn’t even taking odds on it. In ESPN’s matchup predictor, Florida has a 97.7% chance at winning. Yet, I’m hesitant to believe UF is going to call their shot. Why? Simply put, I don’t trust the Gators. I admit that DJ Lagway should spark the offense a bit but the signal caller on the other side (Quincy Crittendon) threw for over 300 yards and rushed for 95 more in their first game of the season. He’s a bad matchup for what appeared to be a terrible front seven for Florida in week one. Fortunately for Florida, the Bulldogs defense looked bad against West Georgia, allowing 456 yards and 24 first downs. Florida should win, but I think the first half is stressful. Gators, 44-24.
Ryan Friedwald (season record: 0-1): With DJ Lagway given the start this week due to Mertz’s concussion, Florida fans have something to look forward to after the massacre last Saturday. The Gators should win this game comfortably on both sides of the ball. This is the perfect game for DJ Lagway to make his first start and for the defense to regain some confidence. I hope we see a more aggressive playbook from Billy Napier this week. The fans need hope again and the best way to do that is by scoring points. Florida wins comfortably, 42-3.
Aiden Wacksman (season record 0-1): The Gators will luckily have the opportunity to bounce back from their brutal week one loss. DJ Lagway, one of the few bright spots in the Miami loss, will take the starting role this week as Graham Mertz recovers from a concussion. The offense should have a field day against a Samford unit that allowed over 450 yards in its season opener against West Georgia. Florida will also have the opportunity to recoup defensively after being gashed in in The Swamp. Hopefully, this defensive unit will share no similarities to the 2021 squad that allowed 52 points to Samford. Florida 45, Samford 17.
Florida and Samford are set to kickoff from the Swamp at 7:00 PM. The game will not be aired on national television but can be streamed on ESPN+ and SEC Network+.
What do you think will be the final score of the game?
After a disappointing opening game against Miami last weekend, the Florida Gators are set to face off with the Samford Bulldogs on Saturday night in the Swamp.
One of the biggest storylines coming into Week 2 for the Gators is the insertion of freshman phenom DJ Lagway into the starting quarterback position. With Graham Mertz in concussion protocol after an injury sustained against the Hurricanes, Lagway will get his first collegiate start Saturday.
Florida is coming off an “embarrassing” performance in the eyes of third-year head coach Billy Napier against Miami. The Gators gave up over 500 yards of total offense to the Canes while only totaling 261 yards themselves. They will try to hit the reset button against an FCS opponent who gave Florida some trouble the only other time they met on the gridiron.
Florida hosted Samford in 2021, and the Gators pulled out a victory but it wasn’t pretty. Florida won 70-52 and was down 42-35 at the half. The 42 points the Bulldogs scored in the first two quarters were the most Florida has ever given up in the first half of a game.
While the Gators will look for a similar offensive performance this time around, the defense will need to be better if they want to keep the fanbase on their side. Florida will try to sure up the defensive side of the ball without some key names who were left off the depth chart for this week.
Devin Moore, Sharif Denson, Asa Turner and Joey Slackman were all not listed as available for Florida against Samford. Moore, Denson and Turner all started in the secondary for the Gators against Miami. Ja’Keem Jackson will start in place of Moore at cornerback, Aaron Gates will get the nod at STAR for Denson and DJ Douglas will play for Turner at safety.
After being torched on multiple occasions by Miami and the fact the position group is limited this week, the Florida secondary will need some players who were not expected to start this early in the season step up in a big way.
On the offensive side of the ball with Lagway leading the charge, there will most likely be a huge emphasis on the ground game against the Bulldogs. Montrell Johnson Jr., the veteran leader of the running back room, ran for 106 yards last week with 71 of them coming on a long touchdown run. He will get the bulk of the carries again as we will see lots of option plays with him and Lagway in the backfield.
It will be interesting to see how much Napier and Lagway try to attack the secondary of Samford, a team that surrendered 271 yards and two scores in the air in its Week 1 loss to West Georgia.
As for the Samford offense, it will be led by junior quarterback Quincey Crittendon. Crittendon, just like Lagway, is a true dual-threat for defenses to deal with. He threw for for over 300 yards and two touchdowns last week and ran for 90 more with two scores on the ground. His ability with his arm and legs is something Florida will have to look out for after Miami’s Cam Ward was able to get out of the pocket and make explosive plays multiple times last week.
With the gauntlet of a schedule Florida has this season, this game against Samford is the only one where the Gators should be able to win convincingly. However, with a true freshman getting his first start and a team that looked deflated after last week’s disaster, it may be tougher sledding for the Gators than some expect.
Florida freshman quarterback DJ Lagway will make the first start of his collegiate career on Saturday against Samford, Gators’ head coach Billy Napier said in a news conference Wednesday.
Florida released this depth chart ahead of Saturday’s contest with Samford
The news of Lagway’s start comes four days after Florida’s opening-season 41-17 loss to the Miami Hurricanes where senior starter Graham Mertz was injured and has been in concussion protocol since.
Lagway, who was set to sit behind Mertz for the beginning of the season and learn from the veteran, entered for Mertz last weekend for the fourth quarter. Lagway ran three drives at QB against Miami and looked good. He went 3-for-6 with 31 yards in the air and one interception and added 20 rushing yards on four carries.
The five-star prospect put together Florida’s most complete drive of the game, which ended in a Treyaun Webb one-yard touchdown run. In the series, he completed two passes for first downs to Eugene Wilson III and had Florida’s only third-down conversion of the game with a 16-yard scamper to put the Gators in a first-and-goal opportunity.
Lagway entered UF as the most sought-after quarterback in the country. In his senior year at Willis High School in Texas, Lagway had 74 total touchdowns, 58 in the air and 16 on the ground. The dual-threat star was named the 2023 Gatorade National Football Player of the Year and MaxPreps Player of the Year, among other accolades in his stellar high school career.
While Mertz’s presence at the quarterback position has been steady and consistent since joining the team last season, Lagway brings a different type of excitement to a program at a low point after Saturday’s loss. His raw talent and incredible ability to use both his arm and legs to make explosive plays adds another layer to a Florida offense that was stagnant against Miami.
Gators fans have been waiting for the day that Lagway is named the starter since he signed with Florida in December. While the injury to Mertz is not the way many wanted to see it happen, the time for DJ Lagway is now.
“Embarrassing” is the word Florida head coach Billy Napier used to describe his team’s performance in the Gators’ 41-17 opening week loss to the No. 19 Miami Hurricanes on Saturday. This was the first time since 1989 that the Gators dropped their home opener.
Florida was outclassed by the Canes in every facet of the game in the blowout. The Gators gave up 529 yards of total offense to a balanced Miami attack. Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward completed 74% of his passes en route to 385 yards in the air and three touchdown passes. Wideout Xavier Restrepo accounted for 112 yards and one of the scores as he carved up a Florida secondary that looked lost all game long.
Cam Ward Marched right down the field with halftime approaching and zips a TD pass to Xavier Restrepo to make it 24-10. @MiamiHurricanes have to be feeling great about how Ward has played as he's now 16-20 for 174 w/ 2TD's and 1 INT with halftime approaching. pic.twitter.com/WZwmc8bKUz
Miami also ran for 144 yards on 4.4 yards per carry as the Gators’ defensive front did not provide much resistance to Miami’s backs. The defensive line was bullied most of the game as the team mustered just one sack and two tackles for loss.
On the offensive side of the ball, Florida didn’t fare much better. Quarterback Graham Mertz, who had high expectations coming into this season after a phenomenal first year with the Gators, finished with less than 100 yards on the day and an interception. On the play where he was picked off, Mertz took a big hit, was taken to the locker room and did not return.
Mertz being out of the game allowed Florida fans to witness the highly-anticipated debut of five-star true freshman quarterback DJ Lagway. Lagway took a few plays to get his bearings but looked good in his limited playing time. On his second drive, Lagway marched the Gators down the field for a touchdown. On the drive, he was 3-for-4 with 31 yards in the air and had a 16-yard scramble on third down in what was Florida’s only third-down conversion of the game.
DJ Lagway orchestrated the only successful drive of the game vs Miami. Time for the Freshman to take over. pic.twitter.com/4oJTmKoauB
One bright spot for Florida’s offense, besides Lagway’s performance, was a 71-yard rushing touchdown for Montrell Johnson Jr. in the second quarter. Other than that run, Johnson carried the ball 10 times for just 35 yards.
Now in year three of Napier’s tenure at UF, this “embarrassing” loss to an in-state rival in Week 1 is not something that will go over well with Gators fans. It also does not help Florida’s case for recruiting in the state. Every recruit who is deciding between the top Florida schools watched Miami march into the Swamp and take it over.
The Gators must now turn the page. They have to throw Saturday’s game out the window and focus on the next task, which is Samford.
On Monday, Napier said in a press conference that it is “to be determined” who will start at quarterback against the Bulldogs in Week 2. Mertz is in concussion protocol, and it is unknown if he will be ready to suit up on Saturday. If Mertz is unable to play, Lagway will get his first start as a Gator in just his second game in college. While he does not have the veteran mindset of Mertz, Lagway’s raw talent and dual-threat ability make him a game-changer on the field.
Whether it is Mertz or Lagway starting at QB, there is a lot more for Napier and the Gators to figure out before their next big game. They are hoping to use Samford as a tune-up and a confidence booster before facing Texas A&M in the Swamp on Sept. 14.
The Towson University Tigers hosted the Florida Gators in a thrilling and physical game that resulted in a 1-1 draw. The Gators were looking to come back to Gainesville with a win in preparation for their game against Florida State, but they had to get through the 2023 CAA champions first.
The game started off with both teams finding their groove. There were seven throw-ins within the first four minutes of the game as both teams weren’t letting up on the pressure. Early possession was crucial for both teams.
The game started to open up for Towson as a shot by Courtney Butlion testsed the Florida keeper, Alexa Goldberg, with a strike that forced her to make a great save. Towson won the first corner of the game, but nothing came of it.
Possession kept being switched routinely throughout the next 10 minutes of the match. Florida was more aggressive and physical throughout this period. Maybe a little too aggressive, as Florida conceded seven fouls in under ten minutes. Even with the physicality, the Tigers still found ways to apply pressure to the Florida defense with good passing through the midfield and into the final third. They tested Goldberg again with a low-shot to the right of her net, but Goldberg made the save comfortably.
At the 28:22 mark, Florida made a quadruple substitution replacing three forwards and a midfielder. At this point in the match, it seemed like whoever got the first goal was going to be the winner. Florida’s aggressive substitutions made a quick impact by winning Florida their second corner of the game.
The Gators continued to apply pressure looking to open the scoreline. Gators’ defender, Emilee Hauser, found a chance but her shot was blocked by a Tigers defender. The ball then deflected to Florida forward Sophie White, who puts her shot off the mark for a Tigers goal kick.
The first half continued to go back and forth between the two as both teams were trying to create opportunities. The Gators began to settle into their game towards during the last 10 minutes of the half and continued their pursuit to lead the scoring. Norah Abbot and Sophie White both found their shots blocked by brave Towson defenders, which then led to a swift counter attack the other way, but Towson was ultimately was called offsides which stopped their move.
Towson continued the pressure late into the half with a shot by Demi Pierre which was blocked and cleared by the Florida backline. The half ended shortly after.
The first half ended all square. The Gators out shot the Tigers 5-3 and the Tigers had two shots on goal which forced two saves from Goldberg. Florida finished the half with 12 fouls and two yellow cards: Kaela Standish for unsportsmanlike (38:41) and Daviana Vaka for time wasting (44:13).
Both teams made quadruple substitutions at the beginning of the second half. The Gators replaced goalkeeper Alexa Goldberg with Jayden Emmanuel, but the most notable of the eight substitutions that occurred was Lena Bailey coming in for Ryleigh Acosta.
It took Bailey just over a minute and a half to bring the Gators the goal they had been looking for. A dangerous set-piece conceded by the Tigers allowed Emilee Hauser to deliver a cross that found Bailey on her left foot. Bailey took a touch through on goal, put her foot through it, and beat the Towson keeper, Riley Melendez, comfortably. A wonderful strike that was celebrated accordingly by her teammates.
After the goal, it was like a big weight was lifted off of the shoulders of the Gators. The ladies looked more composed and started playing their style of play. Towson wasn’t going to let them get off that easy, though. The Tigers took their aggressiveness up a notch. With constant pressure, Towson found themselves in the final third consistently for three minutes. It earned them two corners, and a shot from Courtney Butlion again, but the shot wasn’t threatening and the Gators got rid of the trouble.
At the 68:54 mark, Florida’s keeper, Emmanuel, makes a challenge and fouls Kale’a Perry, denying her of a goal scoring opportunity. Towson was awarded a penalty. Emmanuel was shown a red card and is dismissed. Alexa Goldberg was substituted for Delaney Tellex.
Perry steps up to the spot for Towson. She took a breath, ran up and guided the ball to the bottom right of the goal. Goldberg dove the same and saved the penalty keeping the Gators a goal ahead. Florida avoided the double whammy and momentum is at an all time high, even with a lady down.
Towson continued to apply a threat following the penalty miss. They earned a corner from the penalty save. The corner leads to three consecutive shots in which two are blocked by scrambling Florida players and the last shot was off target for a Florida goal kick.
The physicality was intense the entire match and it didn’t stop. After the red card, there were seven additional fouls and three yellow cards. Both teams weren’t giving an inch and the tension could be felt through the screen.
With 10 seconds left in the game, the worst case scenario occurs for Florida. What would have been a gritty and rewarding victory, turns into a frustrating draw. Off of a deep free kick, Towson scored a late equalizer courtesy of Maja Hannsson, who slid the ball right into the center of the goal after an unselfish pass from Sophie Thibeault. A missed punch from Goldberg allows the Tigers to Equalize. Towson cheered and Florida dropped their heads as the final whistle blew.
The Gators feel like they deserved the win, the Tigers were ecstatic for a draw. Its was a tough test for Florida, in which they almost passed with flying colors. Even with 10 ladies on the field, Florida looked like the better team for majority of the second half.
With a record of 2-0-3, the Gators are still undefeated heading into their Sunday afternoon game at home against 2023 NCAA champions, Florida State on September 8. It will be a tough game for Samantha Bohon and her lady Gators, but this result showed that they can thrive in a physical, gritty game flow which will be beneficial against FSU.
The Florida Gators are set to take on in-state rival Miami Saturday. This is the 57th meeting between the two programs on the gridiron. Miami currently leads the series, 29-27.
Both teams enter the 2024 season optimistic for better days. Last year, Miami finished 7-6 overall while the Gators missed out on bowl season at 5-7.
The following are our staff’s predictions for the outcome of this game. Please, comment on this page or on social media and let us know what you think the final score will be.
Brian Fox: The Gators enter Saturday’s matchup with Miami as 2.5-point underdogs despite playing in the Swamp (per BetESPN). Miami enters with a preseason national ranking inside the top-20 and the hype out of Coral Gables is that this is easily the best roster Mario Cristobal has put together. Florida must limit the damage transfer QB Cam Ward does, but a revamped defense should have the ability to create chaos with a vocal crowd at their aid. I like Florida to pull off the upset(?), 24-20.
Ryan Friedwald: The Gators need to capitalize on their first drive on both sides of the football. The first offensive drive must be 7 points for the Gators with the defense making a stop when it’s their turn. Miami has always been historically flustered when behind early in the game and with the energy of a sold out swamp, it will be a tough task for the Hurricanes to bounce back if they’re behind. Mertz needs to avoid any easy turnovers and keep his composure against a defensive line that will get pressure on most plays. If the Gators can remain composed, disciplined, and make their tackles, then it will be a tough day for Mario Cristobal and his Hurricanes to storm their way through the swamp. Florida, 31-23.
Aiden Wacksman: The Swamp will be rocking on Saturday and the defense will need to ride that wave. A stop on the first possession is a must to generate momentum on the defensive end and keep the crowd as involved as possible. One of the greatest concerns heading into this game is pass protection, especially considering Rueben Bain’s presence on the Miami defensive line. Guards Knijeah Harris and Damieon George Jr. will need to be playing at their best to create a clean pocket for Mertz. This game will be won or lost in the trenches both offensively and defensively. It will be close, but the Gators should be able to win that battle, especially on defense. Florida, 23-17.
Florida and Miami will kickoff just after 3:30 PM and the game will air live on ABC.
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