Entering its first SEC contest of 2024, Florida knew whatever happened in its matchup against Texas A&M would define the direction of the program. On Saturday afternoon, the results spoke for themselves: the Gators look to be in for a long and wearisome season.
Florida (1-2) struggled to keep up with Texas A&M (2-1) en route to a demoralizing 33-21 loss. After taking a 10-point lead in the first quarter, the Aggies went on to hold a double-digit lead the entire afternoon, as the stands at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium were all but empty by the end of the fourth quarter.
“When we don’t have success and we don’t play quality football on Saturdays, it’s my responsibility,” UF head coach Billy Napier said. “Everything that happens within our organization from top to bottom is under my direction and control. Certainly, I take full responsibility for that.”
Redshirt senior quarterback Graham Mertz attempted to keep Florida afloat in the ball game, albeit to no avail. Following a week driven by speculation regarding if he would get the start, Mertz completed 12 of his 15 passes for 195 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Mertz alternated reps with freshman quarterback DJ Lagway throughout Saturday’s contest. Nevertheless, the highly touted signal caller struggled in his first slate of SEC action, completing just 6 of his 13 passes for 54 yards and one touchdown. Lagway was also sacked twice for a combined loss of 21 yards and threw two interceptions.
The Aggies controlled nearly every aspect of the first half, maintaining possession for 22:55 in comparison to Florida’s 7:05. Texas A&M also accumulated 488 total yards to UF’s 301. Additionally, UF starting running back Montrell Johnson Jr. tallied negative-seven rushing yards on seven carries and was unable to find a rhythm on the ground for the Gators.
“The reality is, we got our butts kicked today, and early,” Mertz said. “It was weird for the offense, I think we had 12 snaps in the first half… There’s no time to waste, especially in SEC play. You need to start fast, and you need to get that going.”
Texas A&M backup freshman quarterback Marcel Reed started his squad’s first drive of the game with a 31-yard scramble on 2nd-and-21, silencing the home crowd. Later in the drive, Reed found senior wide receiver Jabre Barber on a quick 11-yard pass that was initially called a touchdown.
However, Texas A&M was whistled for an illegal block in the back on the play, reversing the touchdown call and forcing the Aggies to settle for a 31-yard field goal.
With Texas A&M up 3-0, the Gators struggled to find their footing on their first offensive drive. Florida was forced to punt after senior running back Montrell Johnson Jr. was tackled for a loss of five yards
Facing a crucial fourth down on the Aggies’ subsequent drive, Texas A&M opted to go for it. Reed overthrew junior wide receiver Cyrus Allen in what initially looked to be a turnover on downs. However, UF senior cornerback Jason Marshall was called for a holding penalty, giving the Aggies an automatic first down.
Two plays later, Reed found Öhrstrom on a laser through the middle of Florida’s defense. Öhrstrom came down with a 29-yard catch to extend TAMU’s lead to 10-0.
Napier looked to shake things up by giving Lagway his first snaps of the game. After just one play to end the first quarter, however, Lagway and the Gators retreated to the locker room to sit out a 47-minute lightning delay.
Upon returning to the field, Lagway found himself going backwards on a 15-yard sack that forced Florida to punt from its own 10-yard line.
After being stopped on 3rd-and-11, A&M graduate kicker Randy Bond knocked in a 48-yard field goal to extend Texas A&M’s lead to 13-0.
Mertz made a splash as he returned to the ballgame, finding senior wide receiver Chimere Dike on a 39-yard completion to flip the field for Florida.
Moreover, after a pair of short gains and a false start penalty, Florida ran a screen behind the line of scrimmage on 3rd-and-12. The play went nowhere, prompting a barrage of boos from the home crowd.
The Aggies went on to complete a 15-play, 99-yard scoring drive capped off by a one-yard rushing touchdown from Reed that took up nearly seven-and-a-half minutes. As sparse chants of ‘Fire Napier’ rang through the stadium, A&M went into the halftime break carrying a 20-0 lead.
“I don’t blame – I have no excuse, I have no negative comment about that,” Napier said. “Ultimately, when you play a certain way in this arena, you’re going to be criticized… I probably would have done the same thing, truth be known.”
In their postgame remarks, both Mertz and junior cornerback Devin Moore defended Napier in response to the criticism he has received in recent weeks.
“It’s really on us, as the players,” Moore said. “The players [have] got to execute. That’s why we play the game.”
Mertz found senior wide receiver Elijhah Badger on a 54-yard pass that went all the way for a touchdown to open the third quarter. The score, however, was called back due to a holding penalty.
The duo connected once more just four plays later, with Mertz finding Badger in the back left corner of the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown to cut A&M’s lead to 20-7 with 11:49 left in the third quarter.
On just the second play of the following drive, Reed found Allen in stride on a deep ball down the left sideline for a 73-yard touchdown.
As Florida faced a lofty deficit, the team desperately needed to respond in hopes of turning the game into a shootout. Facing a 3rd-and-9, Mertz attempted to hit Badger on a short pass attempt, but the ball was batted away, allowing sophomore safety Bryce Anderson to return it for a pick-six.
Florida managed to make its way back down the field on its next offensive drive courtesy of two 15-yard penalties from Texas A&M. Lagway capped off the scoring drive as he found Dike in the back of the end zone for a 7-yard touchdown, cutting the Aggies’ lead to 33-14.
In the fourth quarter, Mertz led the Gators on another scoring drive. The redshirt senior completed all four of his passes for the drive.
Redshirt junior running back Ja’Kobi Jackson punched in a two-yard rushing touchdown, but Florida’s two-point conversion attempt failed. The energy inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium was long gone, as Florida trailed 33-20.
As Florida seemingly had just enough time to get back into the game, the team’s hopes quickly dwindled in its final offensive drive. Lagway attempted to hit redshirt junior wide receiver Taylor Spierto in stride, but the pass went over his head and into the hands of TAMU sophomore cornerback Jayvon Thomas, who came away with the game-sealing interception.
Florida will hit the road for its next matchup, as it prepares for a matchup against Mississippi State. Kickoff is currently set for 12 p.m. ET.
“We’re all in this thing together,” Mertz said. “Good or bad, there’s always noise… I’m just tired, tired of losing.”
Contact Jack Meyer at jmeyer@alligator.org. Follow him on X @jackmeyerUF.
Jack Meyer is a fourth-year journalism major and the Assistant Sports Editor for The Alligator. In his free time, he enjoys reviewing music, spending time with friends, playing video games and going to the gym.
