The rehabilitation of the Florida Gators football season lasted one week.

For the third time in four games, head coach and offensive coordinator Billy Napier seemingly ran out of ideas for how to attack a Top 10 opponent.

After scoring touchdowns on two of the first three drives Saturday night, Florida managed three points in the next three-plus quarters — another numbing performance for a national television audience. No. 5 Texas A&M 34, UF 17.

The unbeaten Aggies (6-0) will climb at least one rung, possibly two, in Sunday's new Top 25 rankings.

As for Napier and the Gators, the Noise is back. The dissatisfaction with his body of work — search "Napier" on X — will return this week with a loud vengeance. He is the first non-interim Florida football with a losing record in nearly 80 years. Beating Texas a week ago is a distant memory. Three more games against Top 25 teams await on the nation's hardest schedule.

"Well, I think we've played some of the better teams in the country. Our team has been in the game. I think that you can see that (quarterback) DJ (Lagway) is getting better as he gets more reps and more opportunities," Napier said. "We're gonna have opportunities to play better going forward. We got a chance to be back at home next week, and we'll have to hit the reset button and get to work quickly on that plan. So, there's no quick fix here. The best thing to do is go win. We saw that last week. In general, we got to stay the course to keep going here. ... 
We're close. I think we're getting better on offense, and I think the defense has played really tough and hard the entire way."

Lagway made his feelings loud and clear: "I'm not comfortable with this losing stuff. It's not acceptable and I'm tired of it, and I can't go on like this."

Here are the brief highlights and significant lowlights from Saturday night in College Station, Texas.

Gators Offense Starts Fast, Then Fizzles

For the game's first 12 minutes, the Gators matched the Aggies punch for punch.

Facing press coverage from A&M's cornerbacks, Napier dialed up pass plays that capitalized on 1-on-1 advantages for Florida receivers Michael Sturdivant, Vernell Brown III, and Dallas Wilson.

Quarterback DJ Lagway, coming off perhaps his most efficient game against Texas, was brilliant. He completed nine of 10 passes for 121 yards, connecting with five different receivers. 

A second touchdown throw, to freshman star Dallas Wilson, tied the score at 14. Between the first and second quarters, Napier told the ESPN sideline reporter that if A&M continued to line up tight on his receivers, the Gators would continue to attack them.

Then A&M adjusted, dropping their defensive backs into coverage, giving Lagway different looks and forcing him to go through his progressions to find an open man. All of which takes time and leads to pressure in the pocket. 

The next five drives managed 13 yards and three first downs. Making matters worse for Lagway, the running game stalled, gaining only 45 yards in the final three quarters.

"Once we proved that we could win outside, I think they settled down and played a little bit more post safety zone," Napier said. "In general, we got to be cleaner in the run game when we're handing it off in the boxes that are light. And we threw some great RPOs (run-pass options), I thought DJ did a good job in that regard. Our guys made plays outside but not just enough consistency to move it once we got into the scoring area. We got to finish those possessions."

The Gators would convert on one third down in 10 tries, as quarterback sacks and penalties buried the offense. Wide receiver screens and draw plays did nothing to fool the Aggies defense.

"Man, this is gut-wrenching," Lagway said. "This is not how I expected this night to go. My biggest thing is start fast, stay consistent, and finish strong.

"Started fast, we weren't consistent, and we didn't finish strong. Like, we got to stay on the field on third down.

"We got to fix it. And it starts with me. ... We got to get to work, got to have hard conversations, and we got to fix some things."

Out on an Island: Pass-blocker's Worst Nightmare

Austin Barber, Florida's left offensive tackle, has a critical responsibility: Protect the blind side of his quarterback.

His second half against Texas A&M's pass rushers may haunt him for a while.

On the Gators' first possession of the third quarter, Aggies defensive end Cashius Howell, one of college football's leaders in quarterback sacks, ducked under Barber's reach and buried Lagway for an 8-yard loss. 

Later in the same quarter, Barber was flagged for holding and was beaten again by Howell, who hit Lagway's throwing arm and forced an incompletion.

Finally, with the Gators trailing 31-17 and in desperation mode, Barber allowed a strip sack. A&M recovered the fumble.

Gators Defense Struggles, Then Stiffens, Then Folds

Florida's offense took the opening kickoff and marched 75 yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead. Then A&M punched the Gators defense in the mouth. Three times.

On their opening possession, the Aggies took two plays and 54 seconds to tie the game.

Receiver Mario Craver ran past a Florida defensive back and safety for a 67-yard catch and run. Quarterback Marcel Reed  then walked in from eight yards out.

A&M was slightly less efficient but just as successful on its next two drives:

• Six plays and 81 yards in 2 minutes 31 seconds; and
• Eleven plays and 75 yards in 5:34.

Early in the second quarter, Reed had completed eight of nine passes for 160 yards and the Aggies were averaging 12 yards a play. The score was 21-14 A&M and neither offense showed any sign of letting up.

From here until midway through the fourth quarter, Florida's defense showed the mettle that has kept the Gators competitive, forcing four punts and intercepting Reed in the end zone.

The deficit was 24-17 when Florida turned the ball over on downs at midfield. The Gators defense was unable to make one last stand.

The Aggies converted three third downs on a 13-play touchdown drive that consumed more than eight minutes and effectively killed off the game.