Florida quarterback DJ Lagway was carried to a waiting cart after suffering an apparent left hamstring injury in the second quarter of the Gators’ game against No. 2 Georgia on Saturday.
The injury occurred when Lagway scrambled and fell forward. As soon as he hit the ground, Lagway grabbed the back of his left thigh. After trainers attended to him, Lagway was carried to the cart and did not put any weight on his leg.
Lagway, a freshman, opened the season as Florida’s No. 2 QB behind Graham Mertz. But Mertz suffered a concussion in the first game of the season. After returning, he suffered a torn ACL in Florida’s overtime loss to Tennessee on October 14, ending his season.
Lagway signed with Florida this offseason as a five-star recruit and the No. 1 dual-threat quarterback in the country, according to Rivals.
Florida led 10-3 at the time of Laway’s injury. He was replaced by Yale transfer Aidan Warner. The Florida native redshirted with the Bulldogs in 2023 before transferring from Florida and joining the team as a walk-on.
If Lagway’s injury is serious — and it certainly seemed like it could be — Florida’s chances of playing in a bowl game will be seriously hampered. Georgia is the first of four straight opponents the Gators (4-3) will face in November. After Georgia, No. 6 Florida visits Texas and plays No. 16 LSU and No. 19 Ole Miss. Even if Florida beats Florida State to end the season, the Gators will need a win over one of those four teams to get to a bowl game. .
A postseason berth would be big for coach Billy Napier. His job status was in question as Florida started the season 1-2. The Gators have lost seven games in each of his first two seasons in Gainesville after he was hired from Louisiana after the 2021 season.
