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Florida Gators beat Samford Bulldogs 45-7 to snap losing skid

Untitled designby:Nick de la Torre•09/07/24•

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Gators on Saturday night at The Swamp snapped a painful six-game losing streak that dated back to 2023. They did so behind a strong performance from true freshman quarterback DJ Lagway. Final score: Florida 45, Samford 7.

Lagway, making his first college start in place of the injured Graham Mertz, was 18-of-25 passing for 456 yards and three scores. He was the first Florida freshman QB to start a game for the since Treon Harris in 2013. As a team, Florida totaled 632 yards while holding the Bulldogs to 205.

Here’s a look back at how it all transpired.

SCORE: FLORIDA 45, SAMFORD 7

Fourth Quarter

SCORE: Florida’s Trey Smack just booted a 25-yard field goal to cap a 56-yard scoring drive for the Gators. Florida 31-7, 13:18

SCORE: Eugene Wilson just went 85 yards on a sweep pop pass, which technically is credited as a touchdown pass for DJ Lagway. Lagway now is 18 of 24 for 456 yards and three scores. Florida 38-7, 9:55

SCORE: Backup quarterback Aidan Warner just scored on a 9-yard run. Florida 45-7, 0:48

Third Quarter

SCORE: DJ Lagway connects with Tank Hawkins for a 36-yard touchdown strike. Florida 21-0, 13:38

Samford answers Lagway’s first career touchdown pass with a scoring drive of its own. Florida 21-7, 7:40

SCORE: Damonta Witherspoon plunges in from one yard out to make it a two-score game.

SCORE: DJ Lagway turns nothing into something with a beautiful with a long TD pass of 41 yards to  Aidan Mizell. Florida 28-7, 5:52

DJ Lagway has 324 passing yards, the most by a freshman at UF ever … broke Chris Leak’s UF record (268).

HALFTIME STATS

Second quarter

DJ Lagway dropped a beautiful pass in over the defense to hit Chimere Dike for a 44-yard pickup.
Freshman running back Jadan Baugh fumbled into the end zone. It was recovered by Samford for a touchback.

Redshirt junior defensive lineman Tyreak Sapp forced a fumble. The Bulldogs recovered it but were forced to punt.

Lagway with a great pass just over the linebacker to hit Hayden Hansen. It’s an inferior opponent but the freshman is making some big-time throws.

SCORE: Montrell Johnson collected his second touchdown of the game, the 30th of his career. Florida 14-0, 7:02

First Quarter

The Gators won the toss and deferred to the second half.
Safety Jordan Castell forced a fumble on the first drive of the game. Aaron Gates recovered the fumble.

Florida’s drive stalled at the Samford 17. Billy Napier drew up a wildcat (direct snap to the running back) but it was stopped short of the line to gain.

The first big play of the game. DJ Lagway connects with Elijhah Badger for 77 yards before Badger is tackled down at the three-yard line.

SCORE: Montrell Johnson scores from the one-yard line. Florida 7-0, 2:53.

The Florida defense responded forcing a Samford punt. Florida has allowed just 70 yards in the first quarter.

Game Notes

  • Week 2 marks the fourth all-time meeting between Florida and Samford and the first since 2021 (UF 70, SU 52).
  • With 122 combined points, the 2021 meeting was the highest-scoring game in the history of The Swamp.
  • It was the second-highest scoring game in team history behind the 1913 season opener vs. Florida Southern (W, 144-0).
  • Florida’s 717 yards vs. Samford in 2021 sits second all-time in team history (774 yards vs. West Texas State in 1982).
  • Prior to the 2021 meeting, it had been 99 years since the Gators last played the Bulldogs on Oct. 28, 1922 (UF 57, SU 0).
  • Going further back, Florida defeated Samford in consecutive seasons from 1921-22.
  • In those two games, Florida topped Samford (then Howard College) by a combined margin of 91-0 (34-0, 57-0).
  • In each of its last three FCS games since 2021, Florida has eclipsed 560 total yards while rushing for over 250 yards.
  • Florida is 23-1 vs. FCS teams dating back to 1981, with the lone loss coming against Georgia Southern in 2013.
  • The Gators have outscored their opponents in those 24 games by an average margin of 38.8 points.
  • Florida has totaled 400-plus yards while passing for 200-plus yards in eight-straight games vs. FCS teams since 2014.
  • The Gators have racked up 400-plus yards in 16 of its 18 games against FCS schools dating back to 1996.
  • Florida could start its first true freshman quarterback in 115 games – since Treon Harris started the final game of
    the 2014 campaign on Jan. 3, 2015 in the Birmingham Bowl (Florida 28, East Carolina 20).
  • Florida has seen six different true freshmen combine for 12 starts at QB, going 7-5 in those games (Wayne Pace in 1980,
    Donald Douglas in 1989, Jessie Palmer in 1997, Chris Leak in 2003, Jacoby Brissett x2 in 2011, Treon Harris x6 in 2014).

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