The No. 13 Florida Gators (1-0) are set to face off against the South Florida Bulls (1-0). Florida is fresh off a 55-0 victory over Long Island, while South Florida defeated then-No. 25 Boise State 34-7 last week. Follow along for updates throughout the contest.
FINAL: South Florida 18, Florida 16.
Q4 | 0:00: Gramatica hits his field goal attempt from 20-yards out. The Bulls shock the Gators in an astonishing upset.
Q4 | 0:22: Timeout, Florida. The Bulls have a 1st and goal at the 8-yard line and will likely run the clock for a game-winning field goal attempt.
Q4 | 1:48: Brown hits Joshua Porter for a 12-yard gain. USF is up to the Florida 20-yard line.
Q4 | 1:54: Brown finds a wide open Isaac, who darts for 29-yards and puts USF well within scoring territory at the UF 32-yard line.
Q4 | 2:04: A flagrant unsportsmanlike conduct penalty goes against Brendan Bett for spitting on a USF player. Bett was ejected from the game. USF moves up to the 39-yard line.
Q4 | 2:16: A huge pass interference call goes against Dijon Johnson, giving USF an automatic first down at its own 24-yard line.
Q4 | 2:26: Doman's punt is downed on the USF 11-yard line. The Bulls have one timeout remaining.
Q4 | 2:39: Lagway airs it out deep to Brown III on third down, but ball goes right through the freshman's hands. Florida will punt.
Q4 | 2:44: Baugh gains two yards on a second down carry. USF calls its second timeout of the half.
Q4 | 2:49: Florida opens up its drive with an incomplete pass by Lagway, who was looking for Sturdivant on a speed out.
MISSED KICK: Q4 | 2:52: Gramatica comes up short from 58 yards out, and the Gators take over on their own 40-yard line with a chance to ice the game. USF has two remaining timeouts and the two minute timeout as its opportunities to stop the clock. Credit Tyreak Sapp for a huge sack that backed up the Bulls on second down.
Q4 | 3:11: On a massive 3rd and 10, Bryce Thornton brings down Nimrod well short of the line. 4th and 7 now for the Bulls, who send out their kicking unit.
Q4 | 5:00: Back-to-back big completions by Brown, finding Neptune and Nimrod for 15 and 16 yards, respectively. South Florida is in Gators territory.
Q4 | 5:52: Lagway hands it to Jackson on 3rd and 3, but the run is stuffed behind the line. Doman is sent out to punt, but his kick flies into the end zone for a touchback. USF takes over at its own 20-yard line.
Q4 | 8:28: Big run by Ja'Kobi Jackson, who evades a defender with an expertly-timed spin move. Florida has a first down at its own 47-yard line now.
Q4 | 8:36: Lagway overshoots a wide open Wilson III for what would have been a big gain.
Q4 | 9:26: Aidan Mizell with yet another big grab for the Gators, giving Florida a first down on his eight-yard reception.
Q4 | 11:09: Florida's defense with a huge three and out series. Jayden Woods gets Brown down on first down, Chiles bats down a throw on second down and Graham stops Wyatt Sullivan way beyond the line. Leon punts it to Brown III, who calls for a fair catch at the 20-yard line.
SCORING PLAY: Q4 | 12:29: Lagway finds a wide open Eugene Wilson III on a slant route as the Gators score their first touchdown of the game. Smack's extra point puts the Gators up 16-15.
Q4 | 14:22: Vernell Brown III makes magic once again, returning Leon's punt 40 yards to the USF 35-yard line. Following the play, a USF late hit brings the Gators to the 20-yard line to start their drive.
Q4 | 14:47: Powered by a loud Ben Hill Griffin Stadium crowd after "Won't Back Down", the Gators make a massive third down stop when Bryce Thornton knocks down a long Brown throw.
END OF THIRD QUARTER: South Florida 15, Florida 9.
SCORING PLAY: Q3 | 0:13: The snap on an attempted Doman punt sails over his head and rolls through the back of the end zone for a safety. South Florida now leads 15-9.
SCORING PLAY: Q3 | 2:03: Brown airs it out to Keshaun Singleton, who jumps and secures the catch over Dijon Johnson and a diving Sharif Denson to easily scurry into the end zone with a 66-yard touchdown grab. South Florida leads 13-9.
Q3 | 3:13: Lagway attempts to scramble on 3rd and 7, but is denied way behind the line to gain. Doman's punt is fair caught at the 14-yard line after a 31-yard punt.
Q3 | 5:50: Lagway finds a wide open Eugene Wilson III down the field for a 32-yard gain. Florida moves up to the 50-yard line.
Q3 | 7:28: Florida forces a punt, as Brown misfires on second and third down. Leon sends his kick 51 yards and it falls out of bounds at the 11-yard line.
TURNOVER: Q3 | 8:43: Lagway airs it out deep for Sturdivant, but he overshoots and the ball is seemingly intercepted by USF's James Chenault Jr. After review, the play is upheld, and South Florida takes over possession at its own 18 yard-line.
Q3 | 9:30: A crafty screen pass by the Gators results in a big gain, as Lagway finds Ja'Kobi Jackson for a 26-yard play.
Q3 | 10:11: On 3rd and 3, Brown goes nowhere on a scramble as he is brought down by Tyreak Sapp and Michai Boireau. Leon's punt goes for 53 yards and is fair caught at the 13-yard line by Brown III. Gators take over.
Q3 | 13:15: Florida begins the third quarter going three-and-out, as Mac Harris sacks Lagway on third down. Tommy Doman sends his punt 63 yards and USF commits a personal foul, backing them up to their own 10-yard line to start the drive.
Q3 | 15:00: The opening kickoff of the second half results in a touchback. UF will begin the drive on its own 25-yard line.
HALFTIME: Florida 9, South Florida 6.
MADE KICK: Q2 | 0:00: Gramatica hits the 25-yard chip shot to put the Bulls back within three as the first half expires.
Q2 | 0:02: Brown looked dead to rights in the backfield, but he makes magic, evading a sack attempt and bursting for a 20-yard scramble. The Bulls call their final timeout and will attempt a field goal to close the half.
Q2 | 1:04: USF's Tayte Crabel takes a carry 22 yards, bringing the Bulls to the Florida 29-yard line.
MADE KICK: Q2 | 1:50: Smack makes his third field goal of the first half, this time converting from 41-yards out. The Gators lead 9-3.
Q2 | 1:55: Baugh tries to convert on third down, but he's stopped behind the line for a loss of one. Florida brings the offense back out after the two-minute timeout, but fail to make the Bulls jump offside. The Gators will now attempt a field goal.
Q2 | 3:26: Vernell Brown III continues to shine. Lagway finds him quickly, and the freshman explodes for a 24-yard gain to bring the Gators to the USF 29-yard line.
Q2 | 4:31: A no-look completion by Lagway, who finds a wide-open Hansen down the sidelines for a 28-yard gain.
Q2 | 5:19: Three-and-out for the Bulls, as Brown is forced out of bounds by Aaron Chiles short of the line to gain. USF's Leon sends his punt 47 yards and Brown III calls for a fair catch. The Gators will begin their drive at their own 13-yard line.
MADE KICK: Q2 | 7:13: Smack hits a 36 yard field goal. Gators now lead 6-3.
Q2 | 8:45: For the second time this drive, a Gator touchdown is called back for a penalty. Hayden Hansen is dinged for offensive pass interference, which wipes a Tony Livingston touchdown catch.
Q2 | 8:58: An illegal hands to the face penalty on the Bulls brings the Gators half a distance to the goal. 1st and 10 at the USF 14-yard line.
Q2 | 9:48: Ja'Kobi Jackson runs into the end zone, but the play is called back on a Kamryn Waites holding penalty. 1st and 20 for the Gators at the USF 30-yard line now.
Q2 | 10:36: On third down, Lagway looks to Mizell, who's first catch of the season is good for 10 yards and gives the Gators a first down.
Q2 | 12:43: Lagway flashes his chemistry with Vernell Brown III early on the Gators' second drive, finding him on two consecutive plays. Gators now on the USF 45-yard line.
MADE KICK: Q2 | 14:52: USF kicker Nico Gramatica hits a 38-yard field goal to even up the score at 3-apiece seconds into the second quarter.
Q2 | 14:57: Huge third down stop by the Gators, who force a Brown incompletion. USF sends out the kicking unit looking to even up the score.
END OF THE FIRST QUARTER: Florida 3, South Florida 0.
Q1 | 1:10: The Bulls go for it again on fourth down, but despite an incompletion, the Gators are flagged for a too many men penalty. First down USF at the Gators' 32-yard line.
Q1 | 1:34: Brown airs it out deep on second down, but Bryce Thornton breaks it up for the Gators.
Q1 | 2:33: Massive fourth down conversion by the Bulls, as Brown barely crosses the first down line on a scramble before being tackled by Myles Graham. The play was reviewed, but the call was upheld.
Q1 | 3:06: Brown looks to take off on third down, but stumbles behind the line. USF is set to go for it on fourth-and-one.
Q1 | 3:55: Big third down conversion for the Bulls, as Brown rolls out of the pocket and scrambles for 12 yards. USF now at their own 45 yard-line.
MADE KICK: Q1 | 5:39: Trey Smack hits from 28 yards out, giving Florida the first points of the matchup. After a 14 play, 81 yard drive, Florida leads 3-0.
Q1 | 7:03: What could have been a game opening touchdown for the Gators is not to be, as a pass from Lagway slips through the hands of tight end Tony Livingston.
Q1 | 9:04: DJ Lagway escapes pressure, finding open space to run while converting a first-down. His converstion puts the Gators in scoring range at the USF 25 yard-line.
Q1 | 11:18: UF running back Jadan Baugh starts Florida's drive with two electric runs, gaining 14 and 15 yards, respectively. Gators up to their own 39-yard line.
Q1 | 11:54: Brown looks for Neptune once again on third-down, but misfires. The Bulls are forced to punt. USF punter Chase Leon boots the kick 34 yards, and it is fair caught at the 10-yard line by Vernell Brown III. UF takes over deep in their own territory.
Q1 | 12:53: South Florida quarterback Byrum Brown finds wide receiver Christian Neptune for a third-down converstion, USF's second of the drive. They are now in Florida territory.
KICKOFF: Florida kicker Trey Smack sends the opening kickoff into the end zone. South Florida will start its drive on their own 25-yard line.
COIN FLIP: Florida has won the coin toss and elected to defer to the second half. The Gators will defend the south end zone.
PREGAME: Inactives for the Gators: Defensive lineman Caleb Banks, wide receiver Dallas Wilson, running back Treyaun Webb and defensive backs Michael Caraway Jr., Vincent Brown Jr., Teddy Foster and Jamroc Grimsley. Meanwhile, wide receiver Aidan Mizell, edge rusher LJ McCray and linebacker Grayson Howard will all make their season debuts.
The wind here at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is really picking up with just under an hour before kickoff. The forecast for possible storms at around 7 p.m. ET.
Senior defensive lineman Caleb Banks and freshman wide receiver Dallas Wilson, who both missed last week's game, did not participate in warmups. Wilson still is sporting a boot on his foot, while Banks is not.
More good news for the Gators: Sophomore wide receiver Aidan Mizell was running routes during warmups, while sophomore edge rusher LJ McCray was a full participant. Both are trending towards playing today.
Junior linebacker Grayson Howard, who missed last week's game against LIU with an ankle injury, was a full participant in pre-game warmups and looks on track to make his season debut this afternoon.
Max is the Summer 2025 sports editor. He is a third-year journalism sports & media major and in his fifth semester at The Alligator. He is a big South Florida sports fan and would die for Matthew Tkachuk.
