Finally, the Florida football team has some good news on the injury front. Head coach Billy Napier announced that highly-touted true freshman receiver Dallas Wilson could make his debut against No. 9 Texas this weekend.
The news is a big boost for a struggling unit, as sophomore quarterback DJ Lagway and the UF offense have failed to score more than 16 points in any of their last three games.
Wilson was one of the prize signings of the 2025 class, standing 6-foot-3 and listed at 213 pounds. He was a consensus five-star prospect and rated by 247 Sports as the No. 4 wide receiver in the country in his class.
While Saturday would be his debut in a real game, Wilson has already wowed fans in a Gator uniform. As an early enrollee, he had 10 catches for 195 yards in UF's spring game earlier this year.
Napier told reporters on Monday that Wilson got "three good days of work" in practice last week during Florida's Off Week, with full participation expected this week, as well. Napier said Wilson's availability is "a big deal" for the Gators, providing Lagway with a deep threat to target.
For all of his struggles with accuracy, Lagway has consistently shown that he has a strong arm. Wilson, meanwhile, averaged an impressive 18.9 yards per catch in high school, which he paired with 24 receiving touchdowns.
"Having him out there is going to be amazing for us," Lagway told reporters this week. "His ability to go deep and his ability to make plays underneath and be able to make miraculous plays with the ball in his hands. It's going to be great to have him back."
Wilson, Lagway and the rest of the Gators offense will have their work cut out for them this weekend. The Longhorns have the second best scoring defense in the country, allowing only 7.8 points per game.
UT allowed a combined 17 total points in three games against UTEP, Sam Houston, and San Jose State. No. 1 Ohio State beat Texas 17-14 in Week One.
Saturday will be a battle of strength against weakness, as the Gators have only crossed the goal line once per game in consecutive losses to South Florida, LSU and Miami.
The same will be true on the other side of the ball, as UF's defense has largely been impressive and UT's Arch Manning-led offense performed poorly against the one Power Four team the Longhorns have played.
Florida and Texas kick off at 3:30 p.m. on CBS this Saturday, Oct. 4.
Related Florida Stories
TALKIN' BOUT PRACTICE: With Lagway missing most of the preseason due to injury, Napier used the Off Week to give his quarterback more live reps against the defense. CLICK HERE
LAGWAY HEALTHY: Speaking of Lagway - the sight of the sophomore quarterback in a walking boot scared Gator fans. Napier says he is '100 percent.' CLICK HERE