DJ Lagway threw a touchdown pass, Trey Smack kicked four field goals and Florida’s defense dominated in a 33-8 victory over Tulane in the Gasparilla Bowl on Friday in Tampa, Fla.
Lagway completed 22 of 35 passes for 305 yards with two interceptions and improved to 6-1 as a starter as the Gators (8-5) won their fourth consecutive game.
“We’ve spent three years building this thing,” said Florida head coach Billy Napier, who is 19-19 in his three seasons. “I’m thankful for the leadership we got from a great group of seniors. This senior group is special — not only talented, but elite people and elite leadership. We don’t overcome the adversity we faced in the first month of the season if we don’t have elite leadership and we had elite leadership from the players.”
The Gators allowed just 194 yards to the Green Wave (9-5), who lost their third consecutive game. Florida had three interceptions of Ty Thompson, who completed 11 of 29 for 125 yards in his first college start in place of regular-season starter Darian Mensah, who transferred to Duke.
It was 9-0 Florida on three field goals after Smack kicked a 24-yarder with 9:11 left in the third quarter.
On the fourth play of the ensuing possession, Thompson was intercepted by Alfonzo Allen Jr., giving Florida the ball at its 40. Seven plays later, the Gators finally reached the end zone when Lagway’s 7-yard pass to Tony Livingston produced a touchdown and a 16-0 lead at the end of the third.
Florida got the ball back at the Tulane 47 when Thompson was stopped for a 2-yard loss on fourth and 2. Early in the fourth quarter, Smack kicked a 30-yard field goal that increased the lead to 19-0.
The Green Wave turned the ball over on downs again at their 34, and four plays later, KD Daniels picked up teammate Lagway’s fumble and advanced it 27 yards to the end zone for a 26-0 lead.
Anthony Rubio rushed 9 yards for the Gators’ final touchdown with 1:11 remaining, and Thompson threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Mario Williams and added a two-point pass with 29 seconds left.
“This isn’t the outcome we wanted at all,” Tulane coach Jon Sumrall said. “We didn’t help ourselves in a lot of areas. (Florida) is a really talented team. I hate the way it ended. We didn’t finish the season or this game very well, obviously.”
On Tulane’s first offensive play, Thompson was intercepted by Trikweze Bridges, leading to Smack’s 34-yard field goal and a 3-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
On the second play of the second quarter, the Green Wave’s Patrick Durkin was wide right on a 35-yard field-goal attempt, and the Gators’ drive led to drove to Smack’s 44-yard field goal and a 6-0 halftime lead.
–Field Level Media
