GAINESVILLE, Fla. — All week there has been talk about which quarterback Florida Gators Head Coach Billy Napier would start this week against the Texas A&M Aggies. Given the way the Gator defense plays, it wouldn’t matter who starts at quarterback.
Texas A&M scored on all four drives in the first half and totaled 302 yards, including 197 on the ground. The Aggies had 18 first downs and touchdown drives of 92 and 99 yards and took a 20-0 lead at halftime. Florida’s offense managed just 73 yards on 19 plays in the first 30 minutes.
Before heading to the locker room, Napier was stopped for an interview with ABC sideline reporter Katie George, who asked him what he could expect from his offense to get them into a rhythm.
“Well, we only had the ball on 15 plays in the first half. They had it on 50. We need to get some stops on defense,” Napier said. “We had several opportunities to get off the field. I think we need a little rhythm. I think we shot ourselves in the foot. There’s no question we need to play a little better up front so we can make some runs.”
The Gators had some defensive errors in the first half. The Aggies started with a backup quarterback Marcel Reed instead of the injured starter, Conner Weigman. The redshirt freshman didn’t look like a backup, leading the Aggies on a scoring drive on the game’s first possession. The drive included a 31-yard run on 2nd-and-21 and four third-down conversions. Reed was 4/4 for 54 yards on third down when Texas A&M got going and kicked a field goal to open the game. Reed finished the first half 10-15 for 105 yards and a touchdown while adding 49 rushing yards and another touchdown on the ground.
During Florida’s final offensive drive, which ended in an interception as Lagway attempted to throw a ball into the end zone as time expired, fans began chanting “Fire Billy.”
Billy Napier was booed even more loudly when he left his interview with George to go to the locker room with his team trailing 20-0.
