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The Florida Gators football team will play its second game of the season tonight against the visiting Samford Bulldogs.
The Gators are looking to redeem themselves after last week’s painful 41-17 loss against Miami at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
Both the Gators and the Bulldogs are 0-1, but the Gators are predicted to win in The Swamp.
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What To Expect From Gators
Freshman five-star quarterback recruit DJ Lagway will make his first start as he steps in for injured starter Graham Mertz, who suffered a concussion in the final quarter of last week’s game against Miami.
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Against Miami, Lagway went 3-for-6 for 31 yards and an interception. He also led UF on a 58-yard scoring drive in the fourth quarter.
The change at quarterback is not the only change Gator fans will see on the field tonight. Florida will be without four defensive starters: safety Asa Turner (lower body injury), cornerback Devin Moore (upper body), defensive back Sharif Denson (unspecified) and lineman Joey Slackman (unspecified).
Other Gators out due to injury:
- Mertz (concussion protocol)
- DL Jamari Lyons (ankle surgery, out for season)
- WR Kahleil Jackson (knee surgery, out for season)
Samford Seeks Bounce Back
Samford also lost its opener against West Georgia, 38-29.
Samford coach Chris Hatcher is in his 10th season with the Bulldogs. Hatcher said his team did some things well, but as whole, it didn’t play well enough:
Despite not seeming to have high expectations against the Gators, Hatcher says he’s excited to see what his team can do during the rest of its games this season.
Samford and Florida are meeting for the fourth time. The previous game in 2021, the Gators had to overcome the Bulldogs for a 70-52 win.
Hatcher says his gameplan is to prevent Florida from making big plays and make it work hard to move the ball down the field:
The Bulldogs successfully did these things last time they faced the Gators in 2021, when it brought them a lot of success until the second half when they were leading 42-35 only to struggle in the final quarters.
Game Time
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. today, with game coverage on SEC Network+ and Gainesville ESPN 98.1-FM/850-AM WRUF.
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