2024 Florida Football Postgame Notes
Florida 33, Tulane 8
Raymond James Stadium – Tampa, Fla.
OPENING DRIVE: GATORS CAP RESURGENCE WITH FOURTH-STRAIGHT WIN TO CLAIM GASPARILLA BOWL
- Florida capped its late-season surge with a fourth-straight victory by defeating Tulane in the 16th
Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl, eclipsing eight wins on the season (most since 2020). - The Gators claimed their first bowl win since 2019 – the last time UF won more than eight games.
- Florida finished 8-5 on the season after staring down a 4-5 record following a 49-17 loss at No. 5
Texas on Nov. 9. - The Gators combined to outscore opponents by 63 points (115-52) across their four-game streak.
- This is the first time Florida has closed out the season with four-straight victories (def. No. 21 LSU, No.
9 Ole Miss, FSU & Tulane) since 2019 (Vanderbilt, Missouri, FSU, Virginia – Orange Bowl). - The Gators have won four-straight games for the first time since Oct. 31-Dec. 5, 2020 (six).
- K Trey Smack set the Gasparilla Bowl record with a season-high four field goals (4-for-4).
- QB DJ Lagway was named Gasparilla Bowl MVP for his bowl-record 305 yards passing.
- Florida held Tulane to the fewest yards (194) in Gasparilla Bowl history, setting a new season low.
GASPARILLA BOWL VICTORY GIVES GATORS 25TH ALL-TIME BOWL WIN - Today’s game represented Florida’s 49th bowl appearance dating back to 1953.
- With today’s victory, Florida improved to 25-24 (.510) all-time in bowl games.
- The Gators are 9-5 in bowls since 2009 and 11-6 since 2006, getting their first win since the 2019
Orange Bowl. - HC Billy Napier rises to 3-2 (.600) all-time in bowl games: 2024 Gasparilla Bowl (W), 2022 Las Vegas
Bowl (L), 2018 Cure Bowl (L), 2019-20 LendingTree Bowl (W), 2020 First Responder Bowl (W). - Florida improves to 1-1 in the Gasparilla Bowl after coming up short vs. UCF, 29-17, in 2021.
- The Gators are the first SEC team and fourth college from the state of Florida to appear in the
Gasparilla Bowl twice. - Florida competed in its sixth bowl in the last seven seasons, including its ninth in the last 11.
- Florida’s 6-0 halftime lead marked the lowest-scoring first half in Gasparilla Bowl history.
OFFENSIVE NOTES: TRUE FRESHMAN BACKFIELD PUTS ANOTHER NOTCH IN BELT - QB DJ Lagway became the fourth UF true freshman quarterback to start a bowl game, joining
Wayne Peace (W, 1980 Tangerine Bowl), Chris Leak (L, 2004 Outback Bowl) and Treon Harris (W,
2015 Birmingham Bowl). - Lagway improved to 6-1 as a starter and 6-0 in games he starts and finishes, tying QB Chris Leak for
the most wins as a true freshman quarterback at UF. - Lagway eclipsed 300 yards passing for the second time, throwing a career-high 35 times to finish
22-of-35 for 305 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions for a 134.1 rating. - Lagway surpassed 200 yards passing for the fourth time.
- With RB Jadan Baugh starting alongside Lagway, Florida started a true freshman backfield (QB &
RB) for the third time in program history (all this season), and is now 3-0 with the only FBS wins this
season while starting a true freshman backfield. - Baugh carried 14 times for 70 yards to average 5.0 YPC.
- WR Elijhah Badger recorded a reception for the 38th-straight game (10th-longest streak in FBS).
- Badger also registered his 180th career catch.
- Badger finished the season with a team-high 806 receiving yards, ranking third behind Kadarius
Toney (984) and Ricky Pearsall (964) across Florida’s last 10 seasons. - WR Chimere Dike hauled in three explosive catches (15-plus yards) to finish with 24 on the season.
- Dike also had one big play (20-plus yards) to finish with 18 on the year.
- Dike set season highs with six catches (tied) and 96 yards.
- TE Tony Livingston set career highs with four catches (tied), 58 yards receiving and a long grab of
24 while catching his second-career touchdown (both this season) on a seven-yard pass from
Lagway in the third quarter. - WR TJ Abrams hauled in a career long reception of 31 yards.
- RB KD Daniels recovered a botched snap and returned it for a 27-yard rushing touchdown for the
first score of his career (Florida 26, Tulane 0). - DT Desmond Watson logged his first-career carry to pick up a first down on fourth and one at 4:14 in
the fourth quarter. - RB Anthony Rubio made his collegiate debut and rushed five times for 30 yards and one
touchdown. - Florida eclipsed 400 total yards for the fourth time this season (first in six games) and16th time since
the start of 2022. - Florida has rushed for 100-plus yards in 12 of 13 games this season and 32 of their last 38 since 2022.
- The Gators punched in a rushing touchdown in 12 of 13 games this season and 32 of 38 since 2022.
- In 29 of 38 games in the Napier era, Florida has registered at least one passing touchdown.
- Florida has won the time of possession battle in 16 of 25 contests since the start of last season.
- By totaling 335 more yards than Tulane, the Gators have outgained their opponents in 20 of their 38
contests since 2022. - This is the ninth time Florida has reached 300 passing yards since 2022.
● The Gators eclipsed 500 yards for the third time this season and eighth time in the Napier era.
● The Gators rushed for 200-plus yards for the second-straight game, third time this season and 14th
time since 2022.
● Florida scored 30 points for the fifth time this season and 19th time since 2022.
DEFENSIVE NOTES: GATORS ALLOW SEASON-LOW IN YARDS WHILE NABBING THREE PICKS
● The Gators allowed their fewest points (eight) in a bowl game since Jan. 2, 2017 vs. Iowa in the
Outback Bowl (W, 30-3).
● Florida allowed its fewest total yards (194) in any game this season.
● Florida has recorded a takeaway in 10-straight games and in 12 of 13 contests this season.
o The Gators have produced at least one turnover in 29 of 38 games in the Napier era.
o Since 1996, the Gators are sixth nationally in interceptions with an SEC-leading 427.
● The Gators did not allow any opening drive points for the eighth-straight game and held their
opponent to zero first quarter points for the fourth-straight contest.
● Florida delivered a first half shutout in a bowl game for the first time since the 1992 Outback Gator
Bowl vs. NC State (W, 27-10).
● The Gators notched three interceptions for the third time in the last seven games.
● DB Trikweze Bridges intercepted QB Ty Thompson on Tulane’s first play from scrimmage.
● The pick was the sixth of Bridges’ career and his second of the season.
● Bridges’ pick marked Florida’s first interception in a bowl game since Kaiir Elam in the 2019 Orange
Bowl vs. Virginia.
● DB Alfonzo Allen Jr. logged his first-career interception in the third quarter.
● LB Myles Graham also recorded his first-career interception for Florida’s third of the game.
● The Gators finished with 14 interceptions on the year.
● Florida held Tulane to under 300 total yards of offense (194).
o This is the 11th time since the start of the 2022 season that the Gators have held an
opponent to 300 yards or fewer.
● Florida held its opponent to under 200 passing yards for the 16th time in the Napier era.
● The Gators allowed fewer than 100 rushing yards for the ninth time in the Napier era.
● The Gators recorded one sack in tonight’s game to finish the season with 39.
● Since the start of 2021, Florida has out-sacked its opponents by a plus-31 margin.
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
● K Trey Smack set the Gasparilla Bowl record by making a season-high four field goals.
● Smack finished 4-for-4 on field goal attempts, connecting from 34, 44, 23 and 30 yards.
● Smack concluded the season 18-of-21 on field goals.
● P Jeremy Crawshaw punted three times for an average of 42.0 yards with a long of 43.
EXPLOSIVE PLAYS (12)
● WR Aidan Mizell (from QB DJ Lagway): 29-yard reception, first quarter
● RB Ja’Kobi Jackson: 14-yard rush, second quarter
● WR Chimere Dike (from Lagway): 17-yard reception, second quarter
● WR Chimere Dike (from Lagway): 18-yard reception, second quarter
● TE Tony Livingston (from Lagway): 21-yard reception, second quarter
● WR TJ Abrams (from Lagway): 31-yard reception, second quarter
● RB Ja’Kobi Jackson (from Lagway): 21-yard reception, second quarter
● WR Chimere Dike (from Lagway): 38-yard reception, third quarter
● RB Jadan Baugh: 11-yard rush, third quarter
● RB Jadan Baugh: 23-yard rush, third quarter
● TE Tony Livingston (from Lagway): 24-yard reception, fourth quarter
● RB KD Daniels: 12-yard rush, fourth quarter
SERIES UPDATES VS. TULANE
● Today’s game was the 22nd all-time meeting between Florida and Tulane and the first since 1984.
● With today’s victory, the Gators improve to 14-6-2 (.682) in the all-time series vs. the Green Wave
and 2-1 against them in Tampa.
● Florida has won 12-straight against Tulane with the last loss over 78 years ago in 1946.
- HC Billy Napier defeated Tulane HC Jon Sumrall in their first meeting as head coaches, improving
to 1-1 all-time vs. Tulane.
THE SCORING STREAK
● Florida has scored in 461-consecutive games — an NCAA record and 53 games longer than any
other college football team in history.
o The Gators broke Michigan’s record of 365 games (1984-2014) against LSU on Oct. 7, 2017.
o The last time Florida was shut out was on Oct. 29, 1988 vs. Auburn (L, 16-0).
GAME DETAILS
● Florida Game Captains: #26 P Jeremy Crawshaw, #17 WR Chimere Dike, #6 LB Shemar James, #15
QB Graham Mertz, #66 C Jake Slaughter
● Coin Toss: Tulane won the toss and deferred; Florida defended the east endzone.
● Attendance: 41,472
2024 UNION HOME MORTGAGE GASPARILLA BOWL GAME NOTES
FINAL SCORE: FLORIDA 33, TULANE 8
Game MVP:
Lagway, DJ – 22 completions (35 att.) with a 63%, 305 passing yards, and 1 touchdown. First
quarterback in Gasparilla Bowl history to pass for more than 300 yards in the game.
Bowl Notes:
● The six points scored in the first half (UF 6, Tulane 0) were the fewest ever scored in the first
half of the Gasparilla Bowl. The previous record was seven in the 2017 game (Temple 7, FIU 0,
2017). It also matched the lowest scoring half in bowl game history (Marshall and UConn)
combined for six points in the second half of the 2015 Gasparilla Bowl).
● In the 16-year history of the Gasparilla Bowl, this is the first time when the team designated as
the home team has won the contest.
● DJ Lagway tied for 4th in most pass completions at 22
● Second highest attendance in bowl history (41,472)
Bowl Game Records Set:
Team Records
● Most interceptions between the two teams forced in a game (5)
● Fewest Yards Total Offense: 194, Tulane (vs. Florida), 2024
● Time of Possession: Most: 38:57, Florida (vs. Tulane), 2024
● Time of Possession: Fewest: 21:03, Tulane (vs. Florida), 2024
● First Downs: Fewest: 11, Tulane (vs. Florida), 2024
Individual Records
● Most field goals: 4, Trey Smack III, Florida (vs. Tulane) 2024
● Most passing yards: 305, DJ Lagway, Florida (vs. Tulane) 2024
Game Notes
● Florida scored the first 33 points in the game and had a shutout until the last minute of the
fourth quarter when the Green Wave scored a touchdown and completed a two-point
conversion.
● Florida also earned the longest time of possession in Gasparilla Bowl history (38:57), which
was previously set at 36:14 by Marshall (v. USF).
● Trey Smack made all four of his field goal attempts, the longest being at a distance of 44 yards,
and completed all of his extra point attempts accounting for 15 total points.
2024 UNION HOME MORTGAGE GASPARILLA BOWL QUOTES
FLORIDA QUOTES
Head Coach Billy Napier
Opening Remarks:
“We have a great group of seniors. This senior group is special. We have overcome adversity
all season long and this group came together.”
“What an incredible event. Staff with Gasparilla Bowl was first class. A great experience for our
players. To see Gator Nation out in force was special.”
“Lots of credit to Tulane. Tough bouncing back from their conference championship to make it a
tough game.”
“We had some red zone challenges. We created some takeaways, played really good defense.
Great to finish the season in the right way.”
On struggles offensively in the first half:
“We were a little rusty. Had penalties and sacks that hurt us.”
On Ending on a 4-game Winning Streak:
“When you are in a leadership position you are only as good as the people you surround
yourself with. After our first month, I am really proud of how the coaches and players
collaborated to get us back on course. It could have easily gone sideways after the start of the
season, but we got confidence and belief and felt we could play with anyone over the last half of
the season.”
“To win four in a row in impressive fashion against really good teams is a great way to finish.”
“One way we have turned it around is by playing good defense and I thought we did that again
today. To be a consistent championship contender you have to play really good defense. We
went to Tennessee and played pretty good defense and we have kept that going the rest of the
season.”
Chimere Dike, Senior, Wide Receiver
On His Performance and Game:
“You know I wanted to be a part of it and finish off the right way. You know, I think that the
adversity we were up against this season really brought this team close, guys like DJ are the
reason I wanna play this game. I’m so excited for their future.”
“Coach Napier has done a great job of leading our team. He is someone that is a role model for
each and every person on our team. Not only the coach he is but the leader he is and the man
he is. And obviously I just wanna go out there and play well and I think I was able to do that.”
Desmond Watson, Senior, Defensive Lineman
On His Favorite Play in the Game, Picking up Thompson or Running the Ball:
“Um, I think running the ball. It’s something I haven’t done in years. I feel like tackling people is
routine or picking people up or something like that is routine.”
When Asked if He Can Catch the Ball too:
“I can do it all. Every time I do something more athletic than they expect me to, I just look like
this, I can do it all.”
On What the Whole Play Call Meant to Him:
“Feels great. Since I came to college, every time I would go on the internet I would see
somebody saying that I should be on some type of package, getting the ball, especially wearing
number 21, a running back number. I never really looked too much into it and I never went and
told to Napier about it, but I feel like he’s seen it too – great moment to finish off my career as a
Florida Gator.”
DJ Lagway, Freshman, Quarterback
Game MVP
On What Being a Gator Means to Him:
“It’s just a blessing to be in orange and blue and having an amazing fanbase has been good.”
On What this Win Means for the Offseason and His Future with Florida:
“It definitely gave me an edge. It’s a bad taste in my mouth with my performance. So it’s going to
be straight to work this offseason.”
“I have some goals, you know personal and for the team, so it’s gonna be a great offseason.”
TULANE QUOTES
Head Coach Jon Sumrall
Opening Remarks:
“I want to thank our cheerleaders and fans for travelling out here and cheering us on. Tough
loss, not a good one to coach. As you can see, it didn’t go great because of how much voice I
have left, but I’m proud of our guys’ fight. Not the outcome we wanted at all, and we didn’t help
ourselves in a lot of areas. Florida’s a really good football team, they’re extremely talented.”
“I’ve coached in that league [SEC] and they look like how they’re supposed to look in that
league. But I love this group, 35 guys that are for sure exhausting eligibility they’re moving on.
It’s such a cool blended group. Some guys have been here the whole time, like Josh Remetich
and Rashad Green for the Tulane people in the room. Some guys that joined in the middle of
their careers, before I got here, Tyler Grubbs, some of those guys like that, Pat [Patrick] Jenkins.
Some of those guys that showed up right when I got here, that were cleared right after I got the
job.”
“Marco Williams, he showed up in January with me and Caleb Ransaw and then Micah
Robinson and Johnathan Edwards, he got here in June. Just a cool group of seniors, the
collection of guys. I am grateful for them forever, I love them. This doesn’t change how I feel
about them. I hate the way that we didn’t finish the season very well at this game. Tulane
football is here to stay, and we’re going to keep fighting.”
“We’re not going to back down, I tell all the youngsters that are going to be on the team next
year. They’re on the clock, they got to be ready to go. So proud of these guys. Love both these
dudes [Mario Williams and Tyler Grubbs], they’re a great reflection of our team.”
On What Changed in the Second Half:
“We were down a little. Even at halftime we were in a tough position, that’s not ideal. So we
were down a little.”
“They ran the ball on us a lot and had a lot of turnovers. Our deepest cut was short field a lot in
the second half because I was choosing to go for it to try to get back in the game.”
On the Challenge of Building a New Team/Losing Players:
“I think this day in age in college football you build a new team with the transfer portal. It’s a
challenge, I got lucky starting off.”
“[Half] of our starters are moving on, so that’s why I told the young guys in the room that they’re
on the clock and we’ve got to be very active. We fly back tonight and have ten guys showing up
tomorrow morning for transfer business.”
“There’s a lot of roster rebuilding to be done for us to have the opportunity to be successful.”
On His Opinion of DJ Lagway:
“He’s [DJ Lagway] a very talented young player. I had the privilege of coaching against Anthony
Richardson while I was at Kentucky and he was a freshman at Florida, different players. This
guy, I think, is probably more natural right now at that age of playing the quarterback position.
He’s got a huge arm, he runs it good. Doesn’t necessarily want to be a run first player, but he
can beat you with his legs too.”
“He’s a really good player, he’s got a bright future. He’s a talented young man and seems like a
great kid too. From all accounts, he’s a really hard worker.”
Mario Williams, Senior, Wide Receiver
On Playing in Tampa Again:
“I’m so grateful for this team and coaching staff for putting their trust in me. We were not able to
come out with a victory, but I think this Tulane team is going to be serious next year. I really
appreciate coach Sumrall for being a great leader for the team and the staff.”
On Crossing Paths with Desmond Watson in High School:
“I played him in high school. I’ve seen him play multiple times so I wasn’t too worried about him.”
“He was always that big though. In high school football, you couldn’t run that ball through the
A-gap. You still can’t.”
Tyler Grubbs, Junior, Linebacker
On the Team Feeling Down After the First Half and how that Affected the Game:
“I don’t think that we felt like we let off the gas at all. I just think we try to take everything one
play at a time, and towards the end we just didn’t make the plays we needed to make.”
