LIVE THREAD: 2024 Orange & Blue Game coverage -- Blue wins 19-17

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA — Another spring football season is just about in the books for the Florida Gators. But first, the team will showcase its roster Saturday in The Swamp at the annual Orange & Blue Game Presented by Florida Victorious.

Kickoff is at 1 p.m. The game is being broadcast on ESPN PLUS

Gators Online is on location at the stadium to provide you with wall-to-wall coverage, from team notes and intel to recruiting insight.

You can follow along right here or be going HERE.

ORANGE & BLUE GAME UPDATES

*All significant notes from Saturday’s game will be posted in this space.

NOTABLE STATS

–Graham Mertz, QB, 15-of-27, 243 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
–DJ Lagway, QB, 12-of-21, 173 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
–Eugene Wilson, WR, 8 catches, 128 yards, 1 TD (long of 60)
–Marcus Burke, WR, 3 catches, 63 yards (long of 37)
–Kahleil Jackson WR, 2 catches, 60 yards (long of 50)
–Taylor Spierto, WR, 3 catches, 40 yards, 1 TD (long of 32)
–Jadan Baugh, RB, 12 carries, 77 yards (long of 25)
–Ja’Kobi Jackson, RB, 5 carries, 60 yards (long of 32)
–Aidan Mizell, WR, 1 catch, 22 yards, 1 TD
–Quincy Ivory, DE/edge, 6 tackles, 2 TFL, 1.5 sacks
–George Gumbs, Edge, 5 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks
–Grayson Pup Howard, LB, 6 tackles, 1 PBU
–RJ Moten, LB, 6 tackles
–Trey Smack, PK, 4-of-4 field goals

4th Quarter

-Hunter Smith missed a 52-yard field goal to begin the quarter.

-Smith missed again, this time from 38 yards. He’s 0-for-3 today.

-With 1:55 left, quarterback Graham Mertz is 11 of 21 for 196 yards, one touchdown and one interception; DJ Lagway is 10 of 16 for 163 yards, two touchdowns, one interception.

-The attendance was just announced at 48,000.

-Lagway was 0-for-2 passing on a drive that began with 1:55 left and ended with 1:32 on the clock.

-A deep pass from Mertz to Eugene Wilson with 1:17 left falls incomplete on first down. Mertz again throws incomplete on second down. Mertz’s third-down pass hits the ground. Mertz now is 12 of 24 for 196 yards.

-The Blue team got the ball back late and Mertz quickly completed a long pass to Chimere Dike. That was followed by a completion to tight end Arlis Boardingham. As time expired, Trey Smack attempted a 37-yard field goal — and he made it. FINAL SCORE: Blue 19, Orange 17.

3rd Quarter

-Quarterback Graham Mertz just completed a perfect throw down the left sideline to Kahleil Jackson that covered 50 yards. Trey Smack booted a 39-yard field goal to cap the drive. Third field goal of the day for Smack. SCORE: Orange 17-16

-Freshman QB DJ Lagway just threw his first interception — it was grabbed by linebacker Mannie Nunnery, who stepped in front of the short throw. Lagway is now 8 of 13 for 153 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

-After a 14-yard completion, Mertz is 11 of 18 for 193 yards and a touchdown.

-Mertz just threw his first pick — to sophomore defensive back Sharif Denson. The throw appeared to be late and the receiver didn’t make much of a play for the ball.

-End of the quarter: SCORE: Orange 17-16

2nd Quarter

-Freshman QB DJ Lagway throws the first TD pass of his Gators (spring) career. A post over the middle to Aidan Mizell that covers 22 yards. Drive: Seven plays, 77 yards. SCORE: Orange 10-3

-The Blue team just got two solid runs from running backJa’Kobi Jackson, who took advantage of solid blocking up front. Trey Smack just made his second field goal of the game, this time from 38 yards. DRIVE: Six plays, 55 yards. SCORE: Orange 10-6

-Lagway just completed his second pass; it went for 3 yards. Freshman running back Jadan Baugh with another strong run; it covers 13 yards. He’s having a solid day.

-Third-four yard completion on a medium/long throw drown the left sideline from Lagway to Taylor Spierto. It’s Lagway’s longest completion today and was put right into the receiver hands. Arguably was Lagway’s best throw thus far.

-Hunter Smith just missed a field goal wide to the left.

-Graham Mertz just completed a 20-yard pass to Eugene Wilson, then hit Wilson for a 60-yard touchdown deep over the middle on the very next play. Wilson was wide open on both plays. Drive: Two plays, 80 yards. SCORE: Blue 13-10.

-Lagway just completed another pass of more than 30 yards. Lagway throws his second pass of the game, this time from 3 yards out to Spierto. Drive: Seven plays, 75 yards. SCORE Orange 17-13.

1st Quarter

-The Orange team was spotted 3 points to begin the game. That was the result of them winning a team competition at practice last week.

-True freshman quarterback D.J. Lagway went 0-for-2 on his first drive and was sacked. Both incompletions were deep throws.

-Eugene Wilson caught a 7-yard pass on the first play of the game for the blue team. His QB is Graham Mertz. It was a pop pass behind the line of scrimmage.

-Senior defensive tackle Cam Jackson went down with an injury but was able to walk off the field on his own.

-Third-down pass attempt from Graham Mertz to tight end Arlis Boardingham falls incomplete. Trey Smack kicks a 33-yard field goal to make it 3-3. Drive went 59 yards in 17 plays. Covers 10:15 on the clock. No real big plays but it does end in points.

-Second-year receiver Aidan Mizell with a nice return to the 30 on the kickoff after the field goal.

-Freshman running back Jadan Baugh just had a solid run for 8 yards up the middle. Showed some nice wiggle on that rush. Lagway follows with a 7-yard rush. Baugh, an early enrollee then goes around right end for 25 yards on the most impressive offensive play thus far for either team.

-END OF QUATER: 3-3

Captains:

Blue: Graham Mertz, Montrell Johnson and Jeremy Crawshaw

Orange: Derek Wingo Ja’Markis Weston and Jason Marshall are the captains for the orange team.

*12:20 p.m.: The entire team is out on the field in pre-game warmups. The drills are very similar to what you’d see on a typical Saturday in the fall. Everything is taking place south of the 50-yard line moving toward the South End zone.

*Beautiful day here in Gainesville. Not a cloud in the sky and a high of 79 expected by mid/late afternoon. There’s a slight swirling breeze. You couldn’t ask for a better day for football.

FLORIDA GATORS LINKS

To pass the time, here are some other related links …

*Intel & scoop from Florida Gators spring camp
*Injury report for Florida Gators spring game
*Roll Call: Prospects attending the Orange and Blue Game
*The 4 most intriguing recruiting targets expected at the Orange & Blue Game
*5 for Friday: Insight into Florida Gators recruiting
*Recruiting Insider: Notes from the trail