Waiting Forever For Gator Football To Start ... And Then
Almost Getting Screwed By ESPN, But Gators Prevail 55-0.
I kicked off my Saturday by devouring 14 hours of CFB, the greatest game on the planet, awaiting the debut of the Florida-LIU game that I would never see on my home TV.
It was a long time coming, the continuance of that splendid Gator Football turnaround season and we couldn’t wait to find out if it was real or not. Would DJ Lagway be fit enough to build on his fabulous rookie season? Would Billy Napier lose many players to a sweeter deal, as he did when Jack Pyburn went to LSU? Could this become the core of a championship contender?
It was finally football season 2025 and I didn’t want to miss a minute. But we’d have to wait a bit because I needed a place to see it. After a Thursday-Friday debut of what looked like a stout South Florida team and an emerging Auburn club, I flipped on the Saturday Showcase. While patiently awaiting the most anticipated Gator football season in maybe a decade, here’s how my day began at 9 a.m., Saturday.
Breakfast with Lee Corso and Game Day, as he was justifiably canonized, making his final headgear pick. Honestly it was a three-hour vigil that felt almost spiritual enough to warrant three puffs of white smoke from the Vatican.
I kicked off my Saturday by devouring every morsel of CFB, the greatest game on the planet, awaiting the debut of the Florida-LIU game that I would never see on my home TV — despite 10 phone calls, six hours of trying to explain why suddenly I could not receive it anymore on ESPN despite three different subscriptions. Surely there would be a way.
I was determined not to get bummed about tech issues — so I focused on what I could see, delighting in things like the Ohio State student winning the $250,000 from Pat McAfee for kicking a field goal. And Lee Corso ceremoniously making his 431st and final selection. His first one ever was Ohio State in 1996 and I figured Ohio State would be his 431st. I was correct.
“Gimme my first love,” Corso commanded, and they served him up the head of Brutus for the 45th time. He got it right.
And the Ohio Band spelled out “CORSO!”
ESPN says, “Corso has worn 69 different schools’ mascot headgear and has dressed up as Notre Dame’s Fighting Irish leprechaun, the Stanford tree, and historic figures James Madison and Benjamin Franklin.”
However, Brutus remains Corso’s first love, having worn his headgear 45 times.
I became deeply ensconced in “the greatest opening game ever” as The Golden Boy Arch Manning struggled in his first takeover start, muffled by the Buckeye defense. At the half he was 5x10 for just 26 yards, could not punch in the score and wound up throwing a costly pick which led to a 14-0 fourth quarter lead before finally putting a touchdown on the board. Then almost another interception in the final period, until it was reversed by replay.
In particular, the 14-7 loss by Texas stung for all those proud SEC fans who vowed the Big Ten’s back-to-back natties were an anomaly about to come to a halt.
Oh well, we’ll see the Longhorns when they come to The Swamp in October.
On to a more important game on Steve Spurrier Field: LIU Saturday night. And in the process watching FSU and it’s newly rejuvenated Gus Malzahn offense.
As opposed to traveling 700 miles round trip, I chose to stay home in Panama City to enjoy a great TV Armchair Feast Saturday, including the big games before Florida’s opener. Not a good choice — especially when I found out ESPN could not deliver the LIU game to my condo due to its format change. I finally gave up.
So I joined my friends from The Panhandle Gator Club in Panama City at their Rock!It Lanes watch party — fun times except for having to endure for the last half of FSU’s 31-17 win over Alabama and the suddenly loud/obnoxious Nole fans. But isn’t that why God made earphones and gave us the GatorRadio Network?
Meanwhile the first word I received was from social media: “LIU head coach Ron Cooper is absolutely furious that some players on his team stepped on the Florida Gators logo before the game. But nobody able to get video of it.Tight end Jaiden Dozier was one of them.”
He said: “Get off the logo. You idiots.” That’s the Sharks’ lone moment in the spotlight.
Not that it was a spectacular opening night for Florida. Lagway looked a bit rusty and clearly the decreased reps have taken their toll. I was a little surprised the running game started sluggishly and at the offensive line’s lack of dominance , but as Lagway began to find his targets in the second quarter, the running game picked up, too.
Jadan Baugh had his 100 yards (104) in two quarters. DJ played just a half but pitched three touchdown passes, one each to WR Trey Wilson, newcomer WR J. Michael Sturdivant and TE Hayden Hansen. The real star of the first half was on defense. Veteran DB Bryce Thornton recovered two fumbles, one of them a scoop and score.
One of the brightest newcomers was Vernell Brown III, whose brisk punt returns, touchdown catch and his spectacular one-handed grab were impressive. The 15x18 from Lagway with three TD passes, two turnovers and 38-0 halftime lead didn’t get Billy Napier excited. He felt the offense was sluggish. And of the two turnovers, he pointed out “we said we were going to try and get five,” but with two quarters yet to go. I also saw some things I liked by quarterback Trammel Jones, including his touchdown to TE Tony Livingston.
Obviously there’s plenty of coaching still needed for this team, including for Saturday’s South Florida game, because the Bulls are clearly much better and their up-tempo offense can cause problems. For the night, this can be labeled a moderate success because we got to see some of the new talent and there were no apparent new injuries and in view of the tasks ahead and the mean streets of this schedule, Gator fans would do well to take this fifth straight win, tuck it away and hang on for the ride. It was the first shutout in 45 games for the UF defense 55-0 will do just fine dor a day's work.
Sorry you couldn’t get the game from ESPN at home, Buddy, though being in the Central Time Zone you were able to wrap it up an hour earlier than many of us. It was a good win for the Gators who now can polish up before USF arrives. As Todd Golden told Franz about his 2024-25 basketball team a summer ago, “We got some dudes.” Yes, we certainly do!