Quarterback DJ Lagway fired three touchdowns in Florida’s 38-point first half as the No. 15 Gators opened the season by pummeling the Long Island Sharks 55-0 on Saturday night in Gainesville, Fla.
The sophomore signal caller from Texas finished his season debut by going 15 of 18 for 120 yards and completing his final six passes in his half of action for the Gators.
Backup Tramell Jones Jr. was 12 of 18 for 131 yards with two TDs while Jadan Baugh rushed for 104 yards and a score on nine carries. Defensive back Bryce Thornton scored on one of his two fumble recoveries.
Division I FCS Long Island (0-1) mustered only two first downs to Florida’s 28 and was outgained 451-86 in total offense. Sharks quarterbacks Luca Stanzani, Ethan Greenwood and Chris Howell combined to go 4 of 11 for 49 yards.
Florida’s defense put up the season’s first points on the second play from scrimmage as Thornton scooped up a Howell fumble and dashed 37 yards to paydirt.
Baugh added on with a 4-yard run on Florida’s first possession for a 14-0 lead at the 9:34 mark. Kicker Trey Smack III nailed a career-long 56-yard field goal early in the second quarter after missing earlier from 40.
Florida settled for field-goal attempts on three consecutive drives — Smack missed a second kick from 39 — before Thornton’s second recovery set up Lagway’s first TD pass, a 4-yard toss to Eugene Wilson III for a 24-0 lead at 7:04.
On the Gators’ next possession, Lagway rolled right and completed a six-play, 88-yard drive late in the second quarter with another four-yard strike, finding Hayden Hansen for a 31-0 advantage.
Lagway wasn’t done. Vernell Brown III’s spectacular one-handed 41-yard reception while falling backward set up J. Michael Sturdivant’s 8-yard scoring catch with 10 seconds left in the half and a 38-0 edge — the largest halftime lead in fourth-year coach Billy Napier’s tenure.
In the second half, Jones set up Smack’s 41-yard boot and connected on a 4-yard strike to Tony Livingston and an 11-yarder to Taylor Spierto for the final margin.
–Field Level Media
