“Lagway Is The Biggest Reason For So Much Optimism”: Florida Gators Football Could Shockingly Enter Top 15 In Top 25 Polls Entering the 2025 College Football Season

The Florida Gators football program is looking to make massive noise during the 2025 college football season. Florida showed massive improvements toward the end of the 2024 college football season.

The Gators finished with a 7-5 overall record. Florida decided to keep head coach Billy Napier around for another season and this felt surprising for the Gators fanbase, but there is a reason why Napier was kept for a fourth season. They are banking on quarterback D.J. Lagway to be one of the top quarterbacks in the SEC Conference during the 2025 college football season.

The Athletic Ranks the Florida Gators At Number 12 In Latest Top 25 College Football Rankings

There is no doubt that there will be at least 7-8 SEC teams who will be ranked in the Top 25 entering the 2025 college football season. The LSU Tigers, the Alabama Crimson Tide, the Texas Longhorns, and the Georgia Bulldogs are expected to be ranked from the conference. However, there could be one major surprise in the SEC Conference before the start of the 2025 season.

The Florida Gators may not only be a Top 25 team before entering the 2025 season, but they could potentially be a Top 15 team in the country as well. Stewart Mandel of the Athletic in his latest 25 college football rankings before the 2025 season, he has Florida ranked as the 12th best team in college football. Mandel said,

“Familiar faces: QB DJ Lagway, RB Jadan Baugh, C Jake Slaughter, DE Tyreak Sapp, DT Caleb Banks

Notable spring additions: None

Billy Napier only took five transfers between the winter and spring windows and expects major contributions from his freshman class. Early enrollee WR Dallas Wilson set a Florida spring game record with 10 catches for 195 yards. While the talented Lagway is the biggest reason for so much optimism around the Gators, they’ll also be strong in the trenches. Slaughter, OT Austin Barber, Sapp and Banks are all garnering early first-round NFL Draft buzz.”

Lagway during his freshman season with Florida only completed 59.5% of his passes for 1,915 yards, 12 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He also rushed for 101 yards on 50 carries and zero touchdowns, along with averaging 2.0 yards per rush. Lagway showed signs of potential for Florida during the 2024 college football season. There were fans who were looking for Lagway to play more before quarterback Graham Mertz got injured.

This is going to be a big year for Florida’s football program. If Napier doesn’t go at least 9-3 this season, there is a chance that the Gators could be moving on from him after this season. There is a chance that the matchup against the Bulldogs later in the 2025 college football season could be a potential statement game for the football program.

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