Florida Looks to Rebound From Embarrassing Loss at The Swamp

Florida | DJ Lagway — ©Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun-USA TODAY NETWORK

The Florida Gators (0-1) prepare to take on the Samford Bulldogs (0-1) at 7 p.m. EST on Sept. 7 in Gainesville, Fla. Both teams are coming off losses in their previous games. The Gators lost to in-state rival No. 19 Miami (Fla.) 41-17. They also lost starting quarterback Graham Mertz to a concussion in the middle of the game. Samford was on the short end of a 38-29 loss to West Georgia.

While Florida will be heavily favored, the last game they played each other was very competitive. In 2021, Florida outlasted Samford 70-52. Both teams combined for 122 points. In this matchup, the Gators will be led by true freshman DJ Lagway, who will be making his first collegiate start. This could lead to this game being an even closer one than their 2021 matchup.

What's at Stake

For Florida, this game is quite important. Head coach Billy Napier is feeling the heat already after the 41-17 loss to Miami (Fla). There even have been unconfirmed reports that Napier could be gone early this season. Reportedly, a GoFundMe was set up to take care of Napier's $26 million buyout.

Therefore, these first few games are must-win ones for Florida. They hope to reach a bowl game with the toughest schedule in the country. With Mertz out, this leads to Lagway making his first career start. The personnel around him will need to step up and help him.

For Samford, a win here will be crucial for the Bulldogs so they can be prepared for Southern Conference games after they play against the favored Gators. Both teams want to look a lot better in this game than in their openers.

Key Players: Florida Gators

Lagway gets the start here. In last week's game against the Hurricanes, Mertz and Lagway combined for 122 yards on just 14 completed passes. Florida's offense was highlighted by senior running back Montrell Johnson Jr. He rushed for 106 yards and scored 1 touchdown.

On defense, the Gators struggled against the Hurricanes except for senior inside linebacker Shemar James. He picked off Miami quarterback Cam Ward early in the game and had 5 tackles.

Key Players: Samford Bulldogs

For the Bulldogs, Quincy Crittendon makes his second career start as Samford quarterback. Last week, Crittendon threw for 307 yards on 24 completions and 2 touchdowns. He's also a dual-threat quarterback as he also rushed for 99 yards against West Georgia and scored 2 more touchdowns. Running back Micah Kelly added 42 yards to their total yardage on the ground.

Samford | Michael Hiers — ©Mickey Welsh/Advertiser-USA TODAY NETWORK

Defensively, the Bulldogs enter the game led by graduate student linebacker Noah Martin, who has 8 tackles. He is supported on the line by junior Jaden Mosely, who has 6 tackles, and grad student Edwin Dearman with 5.

Trends to Watch

Coming into this game, the Gators will have the Napier storyline running parallel to the Mertz/Lagway saga.

For the Bulldogs, they will take whatever money they are being paid by the Gators to play once again in Gainesville, Fla. It also will be a good learning experience for their young quarterback to play in a top 10 college atmosphere like "The Swamp."