Gators Suffer Tough Loss to Tennessee
The Florida Gators’ 23-17 overtime loss to the Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday night was a tough pill to swallow, especially with the injury to quarterback Graham Mertz. Mertz, a redshirt senior, suffered a lower-left leg injury in the third quarter and was unable to return to the game.
Mertz’s Injury a Concern
Florida coach Billy Napier said Mertz would undergo further tests to determine the severity of the injury and his status for the remainder of the season. This is not the first time Mertz has been sidelined this season; he missed the Week 2 win over Samford with a concussion. Despite his injury, Mertz had a stellar performance, throwing a 13-yard touchdown pass to Arlis Boardingham before exiting the game.
A Noncontact Injury
The injury occurred when Mertz landed awkwardly after releasing the pass, causing him to grab his leg and limp off to the sideline. After being evaluated in the injury tent, Mertz watched the fourth quarter on crutches with a brace on his left knee. Freshman DJ Lagway replaced Mertz but threw an interception on his first attempt, leading to a game-tying field goal by Tennessee.
Napier Praises Mertz’s Performance
“Obviously, Graham played phenomenal in the game,” Napier said. “He really prepared well and came to play. He does have an injury, a lower-body injury… It was significant enough that he couldn’t complete the game.” Napier also praised the team’s effort, saying, “I think that we played extremely hard, played with passion, all three parts of our team.”
Missed Opportunities Haunt the Gators
Despite having the ball inside the Tennessee 20-yard line four times in the first half, the Gators managed just a single field goal and led 3-0 at the half. The Vols, who have yet to give up more than 19 points in all six of their games this season, won for just the third time in the last 20 meetings between the schools.
Tennessee’s Victory a Rare Feat
It’s the first time since 1990 and 1992 that Tennessee has won back-to-back games over Florida in Knoxville. The Vols won 38-33 in 2022. The Gators also played much of the second half without their top running back, Montrell Johnson, who suffered a lower-body injury on the same drive Mertz threw the touchdown pass. Freshman Jadan Baugh replaced Johnson.
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