Gasparilla Bowl Live Updates: Florida v. Tulane

The Florida Gators (7-5, 4-4 SEC) are at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa this afternoon for the 2024 Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl, where they will take on the Tulane Green Wave (9-4, 7-1 AAC). Kickoff time is set for 3:30 p.m. Follow along here for live game updates.

FINAL: Florida 33, Green Wave 8 – Between a staunch defensive performance from UF that saw Tulane finish with 194 yards, and a second half offensive explosion, the Florida Gators cruised to the finish line in a feel-good win to claim victory in the 2024 Gasparilla Bowl. Freshman quarterback DJ Lagway secures Gasparilla Bowl MVP honors, finishing the day going 22-of-35 for 305 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Lagway’s 305 passing yards set a new Gasparilla Bowl record, while UF kicker Trey Smack set a record of his own with four made field goals, the most in a single Gasparilla Bowl contest. Florida now finishes the 2024 campaign 8-5 (4-4 SEC).

Q4 | SCORE: Gators 33, Green Wave 8. Tulane gets a buzzer-beater touchdown and two-point conversion, but to no avail. The clock is still winding down as this one looks to be all but over.

Q4 | SCORE: Gators 33, Green Wave 0. Warner led Florida down to Tulane’s nine-yard line before UF running back Anthony Rubio carried the ball into the end zone from nine yards out for his first touchdown of the season as the Gators seemingly have the game sealed with less than one minute remaining.

Q4 | 5:54 – Florida true freshman inside linebacker Myles Graham just intercepted Ty Thompson at midfield. That was the fifth interception of the game combined. Another Gasparilla Bowl record.

Q4 | SCORE: Lagway lined up under center on 4th-and-1 but the snap was fumbled between his legs before being picked up by UF running back KD Daniels for a 27-yard scoop and score as the Gators are pulling away 26-0 over the Green Wave with 5:54 remaining in regulation.

Q4 | 9:53 – Not much going for Lagway and company on their ensuring drive. The Gators went three-and-out before Crawshaw took the field and sent a 43-yard punt to the Green Wave’s 20-yard line where they will begin the drive.

Q4 | 11:33 – Gators defense came up with a stop after they let the Green Wave’s offense get no further than their 49-yard line. Tulane punter Will Karoll’s punt was fair caught at Florida’s 14-yard line but a penalty allowed the Gators to begin their drive at their 29-yard line.

Q4 | 13:03 – SCORE: UF could have scored its second touchdown of the game on a six-yard carry by Baugh on 3rd-and-goal but Hansen was flagged for a holding penalty resulting in a 30-yard field goal attempt by Smack that went through the uprights. That’s Smack’s fourth field goal of the game. A Gasparilla Bowl record.

END OF Q3 – Florida 16, Tulane 0. The Green Wave were in a 4th-and-1 situation at midfield and Thompson attempted to carry the ball for a first down but UF defensive back Dijon Johnson stuffed Tulane’s quarterback for a loss of two yards. However, the Gators are already facing 3rd-and-2 to open the fourth quarter, a down that hasn’t been friendly to them (3-for-10).

Q3 | 4:03 – SCORE: Florida drove the ball down to Tulane’s 36-yard line before Baugh bursted through the left side for a gain of 23 yards on the ground down the right sideline. Just two plays later on 2nd-and-goal, Lagway dropped back and found Tony Livingston for a seven-yard passing touchdown for the first of the day. Smack’s extra-point attempt was good. Gators lead the Green Wave 16-0.

Q3 | 7:25 – For the second time today, Ty Thompson has been picked off. This time, by UF junior defensive back Alfonzo Allen Jr. after Thompson’s pass tipped off the hands of the intended receiver. Allen Jr. was ruled down at UF’s 40-yard line for no gain. 1st-and-10 for the Gators.

Q3 | 9:52 – Timeout Florida. The Gators are deep inside Tulane’s territory following back-to-back completions from Lagway to Hayden Hansen and Dik down to the Green Wave’s 3-yard line. Lagway’s 38-yard completion to Dike may have been his most accurate and precise pass he’s thrown all game.

Q3 | 9:11 – Gators were again unable to find the end zone for the first time in the game following a 10-play 58-yard drive that got to the Green Wave’s 3-yard line. Lagway was pressured heavily on 3rd-and-goal and had to throw it away out of the back-left corner of the end zone. Smack’s 24-yard field goal attempt was good.

Q3 | 12:14 – The previous play of a nine-yard completion from Lagway to Dike on 2nd-and-7 was reviewed, and confirmed. 1st-and-10 for the Gators at midfield.

Q3 | 13:51 – Tulane was forced into a 3rd-and-1 after a kick return to its 21-yard line to open the second half. The Gators got the stop on third down and Tulane sent a punt down to UF’s 35-yard line where Dike called a fair catch. 1st-and-10 for Lagway and Florida’s offense.

HALFTIME: Florida 6, Tulane 0 – The Gators have officially made history with an impressive defensive performance through the first two quarters in this one. Today’s contest marks the first time Florida has shut out an opponent through the entire first half in a bowl game since the 1992 Gator Bowl. Additionally, today marks the lowest scoring first half in Gasparilla Bowl history. Florida has had its opportunities in this one, tallying 269 total yards to Tulane’s 62, but a pair of interceptions from UF freshman quarterback DJ Lagway have kept the Gators out of the end zone so far in this one. Beyond his two picks, Lagway has thrown for 190 yards so far in this one while completing 14 of his 22 passes in the first half. Meanwhile, Tulane quarterback Ty Thompson has gone just 3-of-12 for 28 yards and an interception so far today.

Q2 | 0:06 (TULANE TURNOVER ON DOWNS)– Myles Graham and Sharif Denson combined for a -2 yard tackle for loss to keep the Green Wave out of field goal range and force a punt to effectively end the half. Tulane goes for it on fourth down, as Ty Thompson airs a ball out into the back of the end zone to give Florida possession.

Q2 | 1:21 – Florida’s offense goes nowhere following a blown up carry by Baugh and a pair of incompletions by Lagway. Tulane will take back over at its own 42 with less than 90 seconds to go in the first half.

Q2 | 1:54 – Tulane quickly goes three-and-out once again, as the Gators will take back over at their own 30-yard line. Considering that the Green Wave will start the second half with possession, Florida will look to move quickly down the field in what could be their final drive of the first 30 minutes.

Q2 | 3:25 (FLORIDA TURNOVER) – Lagway throws his second interception of the afternoon, this time right as Florida looked to be in prime position for its first touchdown of the afternoon. Lagway’s pass up the middle intended for Aidan Mizell is picked off by Tulane linebacker Dickson Agu, who subsequently fell down in the end zone for a touchback. 

Q2 | 4:54 – DJ Lagway comes through with yet another highlight-worthy play for the Gators. The Florida freshman signal caller swerved through the Green Wave pass rush before finding wide receiver TJ Abrams for a 31-yard dot down the left side of the field to give the Gators a 1st-and-goal at the Tulane 10-yard line.

Q2 | 5:19 – Florida is back in Green Wave territory following another Lagway deep ball. This time, it’s tight end Tony Livingston who comes up with the 21-yard reception to put the Gators at the Tulane 41-yard line for a fresh set of downs.

Q2 | 8:03 – Tulane’s offense goes three-and-out once more, as the Green Wave are forced to punt for the second time this afternoon. UF will take over at its own 25 to start the next drive. Tulane quarterback Ty Thompson, making his first start of the season for the Green Wave following Darian Mensah’s transfer to Duke earlier this month, has gone 2-for-8 for 21 yards and one interception so far today.

Q2 | 9:12 (FLORIDA FIELD GOAL) – Florida has a pair of penalties nullify back-to-back completions from Lagway, which in turn backed the offense up from the 29-yard line to the 48-yard line. Lagway managed to get most of those yards back on an 18-yard completion down the middle of the field to Dike, which in turn set up a 44-yard field goal from Trey Smack. Florida 6, Tulane 0

Q2 | 13:24 – Despite Lagway’s interception late in the first quarter, the Gators’ offense still looks relatively unshaken as they march the ball right back down the field. Following a pair of carries from running back Ja’Kobi Jackson for a combined 23 yards, Lagway finds wideout Chimere Dike on a 17-yard strike down the left side of the field to put Florida back in opposing territory. The Gators will now line up at the Tulane 40-yard line for a fresh set of downs.

Q2 | 14:53 – Tulane’s prime scoring chance goes down the drain following a missed 35-yard field goal attempt from kicker Patrick Durkin. After the Green Wave offense stalled out on the edge of the red zone, Durkin’s subsequent attempt went wide left. Florida will take back over as its own 20-yard line as Tulane remains scoreless in this one.

END OF FIRST QUARTER: Florida 3, Tulane 0 – What had been a mostly strong first quarter for Florida was quickly turned on its head following a late interception from DJ Lagway to put Tulane in prime scoring position. The Gators’ defense has held stout through 15 minutes so far in this one, allowing just 39 total yards through one quarter so far today, but the Green Wave are now knocking on the door of the red zone and could have an opportunity to get on the board as we prepare to start the second quarter.

Q1 | 0:47 (FLORIDA TURNOVER) – After a first-down carry by UF running back Jadan Baugh is negated by a false start penalty, DJ Lagway’s third down pass up the middle is quickly picked off by Tulane defensive back Kevin Adams III. The Green Wave will now take back over with excellent field position at the UF 24-yard line.

Q1 | 3:03 – Following the injury timeout for right guard Josh Remetich, Tulane’s offense stalls out with three consecutive plays that end up going nowhere. The Green Wave are subsequently forced to punt it away back to the UF 10-yard line.

Q1 | 4:01– The Green Wave for it on 4th-and-1 near the middle of the field and picks up the first down on a two-yard carry from running back Arnold Barnes III. However, Tulane right guard Josh Remetich went down and had to be attended to on the field after suffering an apparent injury on the play. Remetich was surrounded by his teammates in a show of support before he was carted off the field.

Q1 | 7:48 (FLORIDA FIELD GOAL) – Florida’s offense stalls out after Lagway is sacked for a nine-yard loss, forcing the Gators to settle for a field goal. UF kicker Trey Smack sails his 34-yard attempt through the uprights with ease, and the Gators are officially on the board first in this one. Florida 3, Tulane 0

Q1 | 10:14 – Florida crosses over into the red zone following a quick pass up the middle to wide receiver Aidan Mizell that goes for 29 yards. The Gators will now line up for 1st-and-10 at the Tulane 19-yard line.

Q1 | 12:43 (TULANE TURNOVER) – Tulane’s first offensive play of the afternoon results in a wobbly pass from quarterback Ty Thompson and an easy interception for UF cornerback Trikweze Bridges. The Gators will now take right back over at their own 24-yard line. 

Q1 | 12:51 – DJ Lagway can’t get anything cooking on 3rd-and-5 near the midfield logo, prompting a 42-yard punt from Jeremy Crawshaw. Tulane returner Dontae Fleming took the subsequent return back 23 yards, as Green Wave will now take over at their own 40-yard line for their first drive of the afternoon.

Q1 | 15:00 (KICKOFF) – Tulane wins the opening coin toss and elects to defer possession to the second half. Following a touchback on the opening kick-off, Florida will start this ball game off on its own 25-yard line.