After an upset loss to an unranked, underwhelming Oklahoma team at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Florida falls to 5-4, effectively ending its playoff hopes for this season. While Gator fans won’t get to rejoice in a potential playoff run, On3 insider Brett McMurphy’s CFB bowl projections offer the potential for a reunion that would make for a compelling bowl season story.
DJ Lagway, the former Florida quarterback who could never find his footing in the orange and blue, is currently the quarterback of the team Florida is projected to play, the Baylor Bears.
The Lagway Bowl https://t.co/ecbhiAmHAP
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) November 10, 2026
Florida could face Baylor and DJ Lagway in a potential bowl game
Lagway was a five-star prospect on 247Sports coming out of Willis, Texas. He was the No. 3 player in the country and was the highest-rated quarterback to come to Florida since Jeff Driskel.
In his debut as a starter, he passed for 456 yards and threw three touchdowns against Samford. When Graham Mertz went down for the season after tearing his ACL against Tennessee, Lagway took over and, the following week, led Florida to a win against Kentucky. He closed his freshman year with four straight wins, including victories against No. 22 LSU and No. 9 Ole Miss.
When bowl season came, Lagway passed his bowl season test, helping lead the Gators to a 33-8 win against Tulane, then coached by current Florida coach Jon Sumrall.
The next year, it was time to show that Lagway belonged among the SEC’s best quarterbacks. There was no quarterback battle, but there was plenty of offseason drama. A shoulder injury defined the 2025 offseason, and it was clear once the season itself began that Lagway was a shell of himself.
The Gators were ranked No. 13 before attempting to defend the Swamp against South Florida, only to lose 18-16 on a late field goal by Nico Gramatica.
Florida’s loss began a ripple effect as Lagway couldn’t find a stable rhythm. When he played at his best, the potential was there. He had a big arm and the size, but at his worst, he would throw five interceptions against LSU. The Gators ended the year 4-8, and the coach who believed in Lagway, Napier, was no longer Florida’s coach.
When Sumrall stepped into the role as Florida’s coach, Lagway walked, trading orange and blue for green and gold and signing with the same school his father, Derek Lagway Sr., attended.
Lagway has had an up-and-down season with Baylor. They started the year with a loss to Auburn, in which Lagway injured his ankle and did not play well. Things continued to go south to the point where Baylor coach Dave Aranda was fired midseason. Currently, Baylor is 6-3 after a 42-31 win against Iowa State.
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