GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida’s season opener Saturday night at The Swamp against Long Island University was one of those games that a team ranked 15th in the country doesn’t actually entertain the thought of losing.

In a mismatch of this stature – the Southeastern Conference Gators against the FCS-level Northeast Conference Sharks— the team favored by more than 45 points has a checklist of goals.

First, of course, is to win handily. Second, escape relatively healthy. Third, play as many players as possible.

Following Florida’s 55-0 victory in front of an announced crowd of 89,451, head coach Billy Napier could pull out his pen and slash check, check, check to the list.

“In general, a lot of positive,” Napier said. “It’s been a long time since we’ve shut out an opponent at The Swamp. I thought we tackled well. We flew around. Obviously, a little bit of a slow start on offense, but once we kind of identified their defense and settled in, a lot of good stuff.

“It’s a happy locker room right now.”

Besides the time-tested checklist for heavily favored teams against a mismatched opponent, Napier had an additional item to keep a close eye on. Everyone else certainly was — how would sophomore quarterback DJ Lagway, after missing the majority of spring and fall camp with a variety of ailments, play in his first start in a season opener?

Napier and Lagway offered mixed reviews.

“It was good to see him get out there healthy, get a good half of football,” Napier said. “First of all, Long Island did a great job – showed up with a new scheme. Gave us a few variables early, maybe that weren’t on tape, caused some issues for us. I think you could kind of see that once we figured that out, we settled in pretty good. We got to play a little better around him. And then, I think, obviously, he can play better. Forced a few things.”

Lagway played the first half, and on Florida’s first offensive possession, he led the Gators on a six-play, 66-yard drive that ended with a 4-yard touchdown run by Jadan Baugh. The score put the Gators up, 14-0, less than six minutes into the game after safety Bryce Thornton recovered a fumble on Long Island’s opening drive and returned it 37 yards for the Gators’ first points of the season.

Lagway finished 15 of 18 for 120 yards and three touchdowns. He showed that the strained calf muscle that limited him in preseason camp was not an issue on his first snap when, working from the shotgun, he scrambled to avoid a heavy rush before being sacked for a 5-yard loss. Lagway threw touchdowns to Eugene Wilson III, Hayden Hansen and J. Michael Sturdivant before being replaced after halftime by true freshman Tramell Jones Jr.

How did Lagway think he played?

“It felt great to be back out there,” he said. “Feel like I definitely could play better. As a group, I feel like it was very sloppy. We weren’t playing our brand of football. We started off a little slow. But that’s part of it, Week 1, stuff to build on.”

While the offensive performance might not have been as crisp as the Gators would have liked, Lagway led the Gators to four touchdowns and a field goal on the seven drives he directed. On the other two, kicker Trey Smack, who made a career-best 56-yard field goal to give the Gators a 17-0 lead, missed kicks from 40 and 39 yards.

No one had mixed reviews on Florida’s defensive performance. The Gators limited LIU to a school-record two first downs and 86 total yards, the 10th-best showing by a UF defense in program history. The Sharks didn’t cross midfield until the fourth quarter.

Sophomore linebacker Myles Graham said Thornton’s scoop and score ignited the defense, and the Gators never let up.

“We just wanted to establish a standard today, and I think we did that coming out in the first half,” he said. “We came out strong, three-and-out, so establishing that standard was really important to us and no matter who we played, if it’s Long Island or whoever, we’re going to keep playing like that.”

In the second half, Tramell went 12-for-18 for 131 yards and tossed scoring throws to Tony Livingston and Taylor Spierto. Baugh led the Gators with 104 yards on nine carries, and freshman receiver Vernell Brown III, in his collegiate debut, had the highlight play of the night with a one-handed, falling-down 41-yard catch from Lagway.

Brown’s catch came late in the second quarter on a six-play, 75-yard drive capped by Lagway’s 9-yard touchdown pass to Sturdivant, playing his first game for the Gators after transferring from UCLA.

“People will be talking about that catch a long time,” Napier said.

Lagway had some thoughts about it.

“It was a great play by him. I’m glad he made a play because he was open and he made a heck of a grab,” Lagway said. “It’s nothing surprising. He’s been doing all fall camp and spring ball. I already knew he was going to do that. He’s a baller.”

There was some good, some so-so and some spectacular in Florida’s win, which snapped a two-game losing streak in season openers and boosted Napier’s record (20-19) above .500 for the first time since the loss to Arkansas in 2023.

The Gators will get back to work with USF coming to town for what should be more of a challenge.

“We’re going to be tested in the future,” Napier said. “It’s a good start, but obviously we’ve got work to do as a team. I’m going to hammer home about 15 plays that weren’t good enough.”