Florida and Tennessee meet for the 55th time on Saturday night at The Swamp. (Photo: Maddie Washburn/UAA Communications)
Game Day: Gators, Vols Tangle At The Swamp (7:30 p.m., ABC)
Saturday, November 22, 2025 | Football, Scott Carter
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By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer
Editor's note: You can read our comprehensive "Opening Kickoff" here.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — In the aftermath of last week's loss at Ole Miss, a defeat that knocked the Gators from bowl contention and guaranteed a losing record, starting quarterback DJ Lagway struggled to hide his emotions.
While Lagway has had a rocky sophomore season, the cordial Texan has been rock steady in dealing with tough questions. He has vowed to play better, keep the team engaged, and become a more confident leader.
Lagway's disappointment following the Ole Miss loss left him in a state of dejection we hadn't seen.
"It's hard when you don't have success,'' he said. "That's what you play the game for. This has just been emotionally draining this whole year, to be honest, since all the way back in January."
The challenge for Lagway and his teammates on Saturday night is to get back up and try again for a victory. Florida (3-7, 2-5) hosts No. 20-ranked Tennessee (7-3, 3-3) in a Southeastern Conference clash at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (7:30 p.m. on ABC).
The Gators have lost three in a row since interim head coach Billy Gonzales took over, but they have been a different team at home than away from The Swamp. Florida is 3-1 at home, including an upset then-No. 9 Texas and a homecoming win over Mississippi State on Oct. 18, the last time UF was at home.
DJ Lagway escapes from pressure in last week's loss at Ole Miss. He will try to lead the Gators to an 11th consecutive home win over Tennessee on Saturday night at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. (Photo: Hannah White/UAA Communications)
Meanwhile, the Vols haven't won in Gainesville since before Facebook launched in 2004. That was a 24-10 win in 2003. Florida has dominated the rivalry over the past two decades, including 10 consecutive wins at Florida Field.
Still, this has been a tumultuous season for a Florida team that opened the season ranked 15th in the AP Top 25, nine spots ahead of the Vols. Florida's only home loss, to USF in the second game of the season, set the tone. Florida parted ways with head coach Billy Napier after the homecoming win over the Bulldogs and has yet to taste victory with Gonzales in charge, despite close calls against No. 5 Georgia and No. 6 Ole Miss.
To break through against the Vols, Florida's defense must tighten up when Vols quarterback Joey Aguilar looks to pass. Aguilar has passed for 2,941 yards, 22 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He directs a Vols offense that averages 495 yards per game, first in the SEC and second nationally among FBS programs. Receivers Braylon Staley (57 catches, 761 yards, 6 TDs), Chris Brazzell (52-873-8) and Mike Matthews (41-667-4) form a dangerous trio of targets, and running back DeSean Bishop (770 yards, 10 TDs) has a nose for tough yards and the end zone.
Defensively, Tennessee ranks 15th in the SEC by surrendering 390.3 yards per game. The Vols' up-tempo offense typically strikes fast, forcing the defense to log extra snaps. Tennessee ranks fourth in the country with 33 sacks, topped by 5.5 from Dominic Bailey. Lagway, who returned to the starter's role at Ole Miss following a second-half benching at Kentucky, was 16 of 31 for 218 yards, one touchdown and one interception against the Rebels.
Florida led 24-20 at halftime and had 223 yards, but in the second half, the Gators stalled on their five drives, managing only 103 yards. The Gators' offense needs a complete game to challenge the high-powered Vols, who average 43.4 points per game. The Gators average 340.7 yards per game (15th in the SEC) and 20.8 points (15th).
Lagway, asked about his only interception at Ole Miss — a pass inside Rebels territory that was tipped as Lagway rolled to his left — revealed his mood heading into the final two regular-season games.
After facing the Vols, Florida hosts Florida State next weekend.
"I scrambled out, had Aiden [Mizell], he beat his defender. The guy in front of him just made a good play and tipped it," Lagway sighed. "At the end of the day, it's just that we got to keep going."
Coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. on ABC with Chris Fowler on play-by-play, Kirk Herbstreit providing analysis and reporter Holly Rowe working the sidelines. The Gators Sports Network from Learfield broadcast will air with pregame coverage hosted by Jeff Cardozo beginning at 4:30 p.m. and eventually give way to the team of Sean Kelley, Shane Matthews and Tate Casey on the call. For GSN stations, click here.
The game will re-air on an ESPN network on Monday, Nov. 24, from 3:30 a.m. to 6:30 a.m., and on Wednesday, Nov. 26, from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m.
Finally, follow senior writer Scott Carter (@GatorsScott) on X for commentary and analysis throughout the game. FloridaGators.com will have complete post-game coverage from the game late Saturday night.
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