GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Saturday afternoon was guaranteed to be jovial inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium regardless of how the football team looked during the annual Orange & Blue Game.
The Gators celebrated the UF men’s basketball team’s national championship in front of more than 56,000 fans. Those in attendance gave March Madness hero Walter Clayton Jr. a roaring applause when introduced at the halftime ceremony. Florida fans would have cheered Clayton Jr. if he had thrown three interceptions in the first half.
Of course, quarterbacks Harrison Bailey (Orange) and Aidan Warner (Blue) had no such luxury, with starter DJ Lagway limited in Saturday’s game. Lagway continues to nurse a sore shoulder and lower-body injury that restrained him in spring camp. He did take the first snap of the game and handed it off to Ja’Kobi Jackson. But for the most part, Lagway was a spectator other than a few random handoffs.
Meanwhile, Bailey and Warner got an opportunity to show they are skilled enough to take over for Lagway should they be needed in the fall.
“You guys watched the scrimmage,” Gators head coach Billy Napier said. “I think those guys were very capable, and I thought Aidan did a good job running his team, and I think Harrison [had] maybe a little bit of a slow start, the players around him [had] some drops. I think the protection at times could have been a little better, but in general, I was pleased.”
BLUE STRIKES FIRST x toss to the tight end 👀
Blue 7 | Orange 3 pic.twitter.com/efVwm4cFzL
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) April 12, 2025
For those keeping score, the Blue team beat the Orange team. And for those wondering, Napier provided an update on Lagway after the game.
As we cap another Orange & Blue Game, here are a few observations from my seat in the press box Saturday:
THE BACKUP SLINGERS
Warner got off to a faster start and finished 10 of 23 for 157 yards and two touchdowns. He did appear more comfortable than anything we saw last season when he replaced the injured Lagway in the losses to Georgia and Texas. The 6-foot-3, 202-pound Warner is the third option and did nothing to hurt himself on Saturday. “It’s an opportunity I’m super grateful for because [last year] didn’t exactly go how we wanted it to,” he said. “But this is an opportunity to get back on my feet, compete, and get better.” While Warner has limited experience, Bailey stepped onto Florida Field as a starting quarterback for the second time Saturday. The first…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Florida Gators…