KNOXVILLE, Tenn.— The Florida Gators faced a tough defeat, losing 23-17 in overtime to the No. 9 Tennessee Volunteers in a game marked by missed chances.
Florida’s freshman quarterback, DJ Lagway, connected with wide receiver Chimere Dike for a 27-yard touchdown that pushed the game into overtime with just 27 seconds remaining. Though the Gators considered a two-point conversion to clinch the win, they opted for a Trey Smack extra point to tie the game at 17 after forcing Tennessee to use a timeout.
During the overtime period, Florida struggled, moving back 4 yards from the 25-yard line, and Smack’s attempt at a 46-yard field goal went wide right. Tennessee capitalized, advancing 25 yards on their possession and winning the game with a one-yard run by Dylan Sampson.
Graham Mertz, Florida’s starting quarterback, left the game with a leg injury after throwing a 13-yard touchdown pass to tight end Arlis Boardingham in the early part of the third quarter, leaving the Gators with a 10-0 advantage at the time. Following Mertz’s exit, Tennessee surged, scoring 17 consecutive points, including a 23-yard touchdown run from Sampson that gave them a 17-10 lead with under ten minutes remaining.
Sampson finished the game for the Volunteers with 101 yards and three touchdowns.
In the first half, Florida struggled in the red zone, converting only 1 of 4 opportunities and going into halftime with a slim 3-0 lead.
Key moments included DJ Lagway’s interception leading to a Tennessee field goal that tied the game at 10-10. Later, Tennessee scored its initial touchdown with a six-yard run from Sampson, bringing the score to 10-7.
The Gators managed to score first with a 42-yard field goal by Trey Smack, taking a 3-0 lead, but missed further scoring chances plagued them throughout the game.
The final score reflected a hard-fought matchup, but stalled opportunities and untimely errors ultimately cost Florida the game.