Billy Napier provides injury update on Graham Mertz collarbone
The Florida Gators not only suffered a dose of heartbreak on Saturday night in a hard-fought loss to the Missouri Tigers, but they lost star quarterback Graham Mertz to an injury in the third quarter. Mertz returned to the UF sideline with his left arm in a sling.
Following the 33-31 loss to the Tigers, Florida head coach Billy Napier provided an injury update to everyone on his quarterback’s status. He suffered a non-displaced fracture of the collarbone, likely finishing his season.
More information on Graham Mertz injury
It wasn’t a terribly long trip to the X-ray machines and locker room for Florida quarterback Graham Mertz. And that’s because the injury he sustained late in the third quarter against Missouri was enough to knock him out for the remainder of the contest.
Mertz reappeared on the Gators sideline midway through the fourth quarter, no longer in shoulder pads and instead wearing a blue windbreaker-type jacket. His left arm could be seen bulging under the jacket, kept elevated in a sling as the left sleeve on the jacket dangled idly.
“But that left arm is currently in a sling. They x-rayed him. As you guys saw, he was pointing to his collarbone when he was on the field. He has been, unfortunately, ruled out for the rest of the game as you guys can imagine,” ESPN sideline reporter Katie George relayed.
In lieu of Mertz, Florida turned to quarterback Max Brown under center. He entered the game with Florida down, 23-21. But on the next Missouri possession, the Tigers took a 30-21 lead, putting more pressure on Brown on the road.
However, Brown and the Gators managed to march down the field and punch in a touchdown to trail, 30-28, with fewer than 10 minutes to play.
Missouri ultimately got the win
Missouri kicker Harrison Mevis certainly knows how to market himself, considering the hefty specialist is nicknamed ‘The Thiccer Kicker.’ And he might’ve just found a viral moment for himself after driving home a game-winning field goal for Missouri in the final seconds on Senior Night.
After giving Missouri a 33-31 lead over Florida with fewer than :10 to play, Mevis celebrated with a few teammates before going back to the bench. And as he did, he made sure to rub the Gators’ noses in it.
Mevis started to do the Gator Chomp, the famous vertical clap that Florida fans do to mimic an alligators lethal mandibles.
After a Florida pass attempt fell incomplete in the dying seconds, both teams took to the field to shake hands and walk off. Both head coaches, Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz and Florida’s Billy Napier, had shaken hands at midfield, and Drinkwitz got settled in to an interview with ESPN’s Katie George.
Then the officials made an unusual announcement: There was actually one second left on the clock.
We proved the belief in each other. We proved our quarterback’s a stud. We proved throw the ball to Luther Burden,” Drinkwitz said, before pausing.
“One second left. Hey!” he said, beginning to get his team recollected after hearing the stadium public address announcer explain there would be another play.
So, after both teams were regathered on their collective sidelines, Florida tried a hook and lateral with :01 left that didn’t convert, Drinkwitz, Mevis and the rest of the Tigers could finally bask in a Senior Night win, one that came amid hours of back-and-forth play and exchanged leads.
On3’s Andrew Graham also contributed to this article.