The Florida State Seminoles walked into The Swamp on Saturday with bowl hopes on the line - and walked out with more questions than answers. A 40-21 loss to rival Florida not only ended FSU’s season but also marked the second straight year the Seminoles failed to reach bowl eligibility. And just like in 2021, it was an interim Gators coach standing on the opposite sideline when the curtain came down on Florida State’s year.
This time, it’s year six under Mike Norvell, and the echoes of that earlier disappointment are getting harder to ignore.
The game itself? A showcase for Florida sophomore running back Jadan Baugh, who turned in a performance that Seminole defenders won’t forget anytime soon.
Baugh racked up a staggering 266 yards on 38 carries, finding the end zone twice and accounting for nearly every inch of Florida’s 272 rushing yards. He was the engine, the hammer, and the closer - especially on the final drive, when the Gators, already up by 13, were poised to ice the clock.
Instead, Baugh punched in one more touchdown, despite interim head coach Billy Gonzales instructing him to go down in bounds. After the game, Baugh didn’t hold back.
“Shoot, coach told me don't score. He told me to slot,” Baugh said.
“I'm like, Coach, don't do me like that. We don't like them guys.
I feel like it was good for our team to just score at the end of the game.”
And for Baugh, it was more than just a rivalry moment - it was a milestone. He crossed the 1,000-yard mark during the game, the most ever by a Gator in this storied rivalry.
That final touchdown may have been symbolic more than strategic, but it underscored what this game meant to both sides. Rivalry wins carry weight in college football, and in Gainesville, on Senior Night, the Gators weren’t about to let up - not even in the final seconds.
Quarterback DJ Lagway added his own stamp on the night, going 15-of-24 for 168 yards and three touchdowns. His connection with the program was evident in his postgame comments.
“Yeah, for sure, man, that’s all I care about,” Lagway said when asked about the rivalry win. “I care about the logo, the brand.
University of Florida has done so much for me and my family. I’m truly thankful.
I’m just honored to be a part of just great culture here, great fan base, everybody that’s around. I’m blessed to be here.”
As for Gonzales, the interim head coach who stepped in and helped guide the Gators to a season-ending win, the moment wasn’t about him - at least not entirely.
“It means everything in the world that we won. Is it for me?
Absolutely,” Gonzales said. “But no, to me it’s more important that the players have a chance to get a victory ’cause they’re the ones that put so much time and effort into this place, blood, sweat, and tears on the football field.”
For Florida State, it’s another bitter pill to swallow in a rivalry that has started to swing back toward the Gators. The Seminoles have now dropped two straight in the series and haven’t beaten Florida since their last trip to Gainesville two years ago.
Their next shot at redemption won’t come until next fall - and it won’t get any easier. Florida State opens the 2026 season on the road against Alabama. The offseason in Tallahassee just got a lot longer.