It didn’t take long for the University of Florida Gators, backed by more than 90,000 fans, to open their 2025 season with a bang. After giving Long Island University its lone first down of the half, a broken play led to a 38-yard scoop-and-score by junior safety Bryce Thornton to put Florida on the board. Later in the half, Thornton recovered another fumble, giving him both of Florida’s takeaways in the game. From the opening kickoff to the closing whistle, it was all Gators, as the defense established its dominance, holding the Sharks to just 35 total yards in the first half.
On offense, after a fast opening drive capped by a Jaden Baugh 4-yard touchdown run, the Gators offense stalled in the middle of the half, settling for three Trey Smack field-goal attempts on consecutive possessions resulting in just three points. Smack converted just 1 of 3 first-half tries and finished 2-for-5 on the night. As the second quarter progressed, so did sophomore quarterback DJ Lagway’s confidence; he finished the first half, and his night, with an 8-yard touchdown pass to new transfer J. Michael Sturdivant. Lagway went 15-of-18 passing for 120 yards and 3 TDs on the night. Florida went into halftime with a 38-0 lead.
The story of the game was the Florida defense. The Gators suffocated the Sharks at all three levels, limiting them to just 86 yards of total offense. LIU managed just two first downs all night, and their longest play, an 11-yard gain on 3rd-and-14 still resulted in a punt. The front stuffed the run, and on rare pass attempts the secondary did its job, protecting the sticks and preventing momentum-building plays, securing Florida’s first shutout in 44 games. “We played turnover-free football, we played penalty-free football, we got some takeaways,” Napier said. “I thought we tackled well, and overall the operation was pretty clean.” Sophomore linebacker Myles Graham led the team with 5 tackles, easing concerns about holes in the linebacker room with star linebacker Shemar James leaving for the NFL Draft last season.
After halftime, head coach Billy Napier emptied his bench. True Freshman Trammell Jones Jr. took over the reins of the Florida offense and solidified himself as Lagway’s backup, going 12-18 for 131 yards and 2 TDs in his college debut. Florida’s backups piled on 17 second-half points, showcasing their depth as 16 different Gators recorded a reception, with five receivers finding pay dirt.
From an operational standpoint, Florida did something they’ve only done once before in program history: The Gators committed zero penalties for the entire game, heeding Napier’s call for clean football.
Up next for the Gators is a South Florida team that shocked No. 25 Boise State providing an early-season test as Florida looks ahead to one of the nation’s toughest schedules as they set their sights on competing in a loaded SEC and a potential playoff bid.
Stat Leaders:
DJ Lagway: 15-18, 120 yards, 3 TDs
Trammell Jones Jr: 12-18, 131 yards, 2 TDs
Jaden Baugh: 9 carries, 104 yards, 1 TD
Vernell Brown III: 3 receptions, 79 yards
