COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Florida quarterback DJ Lagway’s homecoming ended in disappointment after a hot start as Billy Napier’s Gators failed to complete a Texas two-step and finally beat a ranked team on the road.
A 34-17 loss Saturday night at clamorous Kyle Field dropped Napier’s team (2-4, 1-2 SEC) to 0-13 on the road against Top 25 foes and intensified the pressure on UF’s head coach.
Napier and the Gators looked to build on last weekend’s decisive 29-21 win against Texas but could not replicate their dominance at the line of scrimmage or unleash true freshman receiver Dallas Wilson.
A 2-yard touchdown run by Rueben Owens II iced the game with 4:39 remaining for the No. 5 Aggies (6-0, 3-0) following a bold Napier move backfired.
Facing 3rd-and-6 from at the Aggies’ 49-yard line, Lagway handed off to Jaden Baugh, who was stopped for no gain. Trailing 24-17 with 13 minutes left in the game, Napier opted to attempt a fourth-down conversion, but A&M pressured Lagway and his pass over the middle to Vernell Brown III was high and behind the true freshman receiver.
The Aggies proceeded to march 50 yards on 12 plays to put away the game.
On the Gators’ first play after Owens’ touchdown, Lagway fumbled while getting sacked by A&M end Dayon Hayes on a night UF’s front was a step slow and wore down against the relentless pressure of coach Mike Elko’s defense.
A week earlier, the Gators had been the aggressor, sacking Texas quarterback Arch Manning six times and hurrying him 10 more.
But quarterback Marcel Reed proved much slipperier and the Aggies’ front much stouter. Florida finished without a sack and just one QB hurry as Reed shined from A&M’s opening drive.
Lagway kept pace with his counterpart early on. The sophomore from Willis, just 75 minutes east of College Station, went 6-of-6 for 58 yards to lead the Gators’ best opening drive of 2025, capped by a 1-yard scoring pass to Amir Jackson.
Reed answered with a 67-yard pass to SEC leading receiver Mario Craver followed by an 8-yard quarterback keeper to tie the game in two plays at 7-7.
A quarterback duel appeared in the offing after the teams combined for touchdowns on five of the first six possessions as A&M staked a 21-14 lead.
But Florida’s offense petered out, managing 19 yards on 19 plays on the final four drives of the half. The Aggies lost tailback Le’Veon Moss to a left knee injury to open their fourth drive and lost steam themselves.
A&M’s defense proved the difference. The Aggies sacked Lagway three times, forcing two fumbles, and hurried him five times as UF went 1 of 11 on third down.
The sophomore finished 21 of 37 for 229 yards with two scores while Reed was 16 of 26 for 234 yards and a score.
UF finished with just 74 rushing yards a week after compiling a 159 against Texas. Meanwhile, A&M ran for 189 yards a week after the Longhorns managed just 52.
Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com
