Florida Gators basketball captured its third national championship with a victory over Houston in the NCAA Tournament, sparking hope among fans that success might transfer to the football program.
The basketball title is Florida’s first since 2007, which coincided with a period when the football team won two national championships under Urban Meyer in 2006 and 2007.
Florida football hasn’t contended for a national title since Meyer’s departure after the 2010 season.
Meyer’s success was built around quarterback Tim Tebow, one of college football’s all-time greats. The program has struggled to find a comparable quarterback since.
CBS Sports’ Tom Fornelli believes D.J. Lagway could be that quarterback, listing him among the top returning quarterbacks for 2025.
“Listen, if Lagway is healthy and lives up to his potential coming out of high school, he could blow every other QB on (and off) this list out of the water,” Fornelli wrote. “I said Sellers has one of the highest ceilings in the country, but Lagway’s is the highest. The problem is he was banged up last year, and he’s still banged up this spring. His health and development will determine Florida’s fate in 2025. I’m serious when I say that if Lagway plays to his potential, it’s not crazy to think Florida could follow up its basketball natty with a football one.”
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The Gators haven’t made the College Football Playoff since its 2014 creation.
They’ve managed just three seasons with 10+ wins and two AP top-10 finishes during that span.
Lagway’s health remains the primary concern. According to USA Today’s Matt Hayes, the quarterback hasn’t thrown during spring practice.
He’s reportedly dealing with both a significant shoulder injury and a core-related lower-body issue.
While expectations for Lagway continue to build toward the 2025 season, his ability to stay healthy will likely determine whether the football program can match the basketball team’s recent success.
MORE FLORIDA GATORS: Florida-Houston game tabbed as one of ‘dumbest endings’ ever in national championship history
