What Happened.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — What began as an offensive shootout between Florida and Texas A&M at Kyle Field turned into an all-too-familiar result for the Gators: another road loss.

The Gators remained winless on the road, losing 34-17 to the host Aggies on Saturday night. Florida dropped to 0-3 away from Ben Hill Griffin Stadium and 2-4 overall. The fifth-ranked Aggies iced their sixth consecutive victory with a 12-play, 53-yard drive in the fourth quarter to extend their lead to 31-17 with 4:39 remaining. Texas A&M running back Rueben Owens II capped the 8-plus-minute drive with a 2-yard touchdown run.

The Aggies gained possession after stopping the Gators on downs. With UF trailing 24-17 and facing a fourth-and-6 from the Aggies’ 49, Florida went for it. Quarterback DJ Lagway’s pass to Vernell Brown III dropped incomplete, and Texas A&M took over and proceeded to march down the field. Lagway finished 21 of 37 for 245 yards and two touchdowns.

“We were right there. We had our opportunities,” Florida head coach Billy Napier said. “We just have to make plays. We’ve got to stay the course, and we’re going to have opportunities to play better moving forward. Offensively, we started fast and then settled in on defense. In general, we didn’t sack their guy, and we struggled to protect DJ at times. Once we settled in on defense, I thought the effort was there. Our kids battled their ass off.”

Meanwhile, the teams traded punches early as Florida (157) and Texas A&M (196) combined for 353 yards in a back-and-forth first quarter, which ended in a 14-14 tie. Florida averaged 9.1 yards per play in the opening quarter, Texas A&M 13.1. The offensive fireworks flamed out over the next two quarters as team combined for 244 yards (Florida 101, Texas A&M 143).

Still, the game was within reach for the Gators when safety Jordan Castell picked off Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed in the end zone on the first play of the fourth quarter. Lagway hit J. Michael Sturdivant for 27 yards on the next play to move Florida near midfield. But soon afterward, the drive stalled and the Gators turned it over on downs, sparking a roar from the announced crowd of 105,086.

The teams traded field goals in the third quarter.

Texas A&M stretched the lead to 24-14 with 10:42 left in the third quarter on a 26-yard field goal by Randy Bond. The Aggies gained possession at UF’s 29-yard line when linebacker Daymion Sanford forced Brown III to fumble, which was recovered by Aggies linebacker Taurean York. Five plays later, Bond split the uprights for Texas A&M’s biggest lead of the game.

The Gators answered with a nine-play, 47-yard drive that ended with a 45-yard field goal by Trey Smack to make it 24-17. The field goal was the 44th of Smack’s career, moving him into fourth place in school history.

“We’re close, but close is not good enough,” linebacker Myles Graham said. “We’re right there, but we have to be better.”

 

What it Means

For now, another week on the seesaw for the Gators, who, after upsetting No. 9 Texas at home last week to snap a three-game losing streak, could not sustain the momentum of a feel-good victory. The Gators sit with four losses in six games at midseason after starting the campaign ranked No. 15 in the AP Top 25.

In the Spotlight

The return home for Lagway, who grew up about 65 miles away from Kyle Field in Willis, Texas, started fast and furious as he threw two touchdowns on Florida’s first three drives. However, the offense stalled as the Aggies turned up the pressure on Lagway. When he had time to throw, Lagway tossed a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Amir Jackson and a 6-yard score to receiver Dallas Wilson.

Staggering Statistic

The Gators played hard and responded to some early shots from the Aggies, but they could not overcome their inability to beat a ranked team on the road on Napier’s watch. Florida dropped to 0-14 in games away from Ben Hill Griffin Stadium against ranked opponents, including losses at LSU, Miami and Texas A&M this season.

Up Next

The Gators return home to face Mississippi State (4-2, 0-2) on Homecoming at The Swamp. The Bulldogs were off Saturday after losing a week ago to Texas A&M, 31-9, at Kyle Field. The good news for the Gators is that, unlike their last four opponents, the Bulldogs are not ranked in the top 10.

Email senior writer Scott Carter at scottc@gators.ufl.edu. Find his story archives here.