Sep 123 min read

Florida Gators Look to Build on Win Against Texas A&M

Florida | Eugene Wilson III — ©Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun-USA TODAY NETWORK

The Florida Gators (1-1) take on the Texas A&M Aggies (1-1) in Gainesville, Fla. in hopes of starting off their Southeastern Conference schedules on the right foot. Florida most recently came off a win against the Samford Bulldogs while the Aggies won against McNeese State. Texas A&M is a 3.5-point favorite to win the game against the Gators.

The Game's Ramifications

For Florida, every game must feel like a must-win after its loss to the Miami Hurricanes in Week 1. The Gators have quite a difficult schedule and need every win they can get if they want to get to back to playing in bowls annually. In Week 2, they saw the talent of true freshman quarterback D.J. Lagway, who will now be incorporated many times in the Gators' offense. He threw for 456 yards against Samford. While Samford may be an FCS opponent, it was Lagway's first start.

For the Aggies, they are in the first season of head coach Mike Elko's tenure at College Station, Texas. In Week 1, they lost to the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame and have since won against their "cupcake" opponent, McNeese State. Heading on the road to face the Gators, they are looking for revenge. The last time these two teams met was in College Station. The Gators won that matchup 41-24 as it was a Gators team led by now Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson. That was in 2022. There may be extra motivation for the Aggies.

Key Players: Florida Gators

The Gators will have quarterback Graham Mertz back for the game against the Aggies. He is currently listed as probable for the game as of Sept. 11. However, as previously mentioned, Lagway will likely get some playing time, too. Many of the receivers such as Eugene Wilson III, Aidan Mizell and Elijhah Badger all made huge contributions in both the receiving and rushing games against Samford. If they can all get in and be hot against the Aggies, then this offense will be dangerous.

UF's Aidan Warner — ©Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun-USA TODAY NETWORK

Defensively, the Gators only allowed 1 touchdown and it came in the third quarter. The Gators will have a much tougher test against the Aggies and their defense. The Gators are also hurting on defense as several members of their secondary are injured and listed as questionable for the clash with the Aggies.

Key Players: Texas A&M Aggies

The Aggies are led by quarterback Conner Weigman. In two games this season, Weigman has thrown for 225 yards. The Aggies have used two different running backs a fair amount in the two games they've played. Le'veon Moss has rushed for 154 yards and Amari Daniels has rushed for 95 yards. The wideouts aren't bad either. Cyrus Allen leads receivers in yards with 100 yards on 7 catches.

TAMU's Trey Jones III — ©Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images

Defensively, the Aggies struggled in their only meaningful game. The Aggies will have to shut down a mid-tier Gators offense. However, as we saw with the Samford game, the Gators can get hot and stay hot. On top of that, the Aggies will be in a hostile environment in "The Swamp." Their defensive leaders like linebacker Taurean York or defensive back Trey Jones III will need to step up if they want to win.

Trends to Watch

If either team struggles, then they could lose their second game of the year. For the Gators, their season is rated as the most difficult of any FBS team for this season. Elko will be looking for a statement win against the Gators. This game could decide the fate of either team's season.