Florida QB Graham Mertz’s season and college career are over due to a knee injury

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) – Florida quarterback Graham Mertz will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury, coach Billy Napier said Monday.

Mertz, a sixth-year senior from Overland, Kansas, tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during a 23-17 overtime loss at Tennessee on Saturday Napier says Mertz will have surgery next week.

Mertz clumsily caught the cue on the turf after throwing a 13-yard touchdown pass to Arlis Boardingham in the middle of the third trimester. Mertz hobbled into the locker room with a 10-0 lead and later returned to the sidelines in street clothes and knee pads.

Highly touted freshman DJ Lagway took over and gave the Gators (3-3, 1-2 Southeastern Conference) a chance with a 27-yard TD pass to Chimere Dike with 29 seconds left in the regulation Napier called for the extra point instead of attempting a 2-point conversion, and Florida lost in overtime.

Mertz completed 11-of-15 passes for 125 yards, including the touchdown pass and a goal-line fumble. He spent the last two years at Florida after transferring from Wisconsin, where he was a three-year starter.

Mertz started 11 games in 2023 before breaking his collarbone in one game at Missouri and four more this season. He completed 73.7% of his passes for 3,694 yards, with 26 touchdowns and five interceptions at Florida. He is projected to be a Day 3 pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

Napier will turn to Lagway starting Saturday’s return game against Kentucky. Lagway, who is from Willis, Texas, has completed 65.3 percent of his passes for 765 yards, with five touchdowns and four interceptions.

Lagway’s first start will come against a defense that ranks third in the SEC in yards allowed. The Wildcats have given up a total of 50 points in their last three conference games.

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