GAINESVILLE, Fla. - The Long Island University football team opened its 2025 season with a 55-0 loss to 15
th-ranked University of Florida.
It was the first-ever meeting between the Sharks (0-1) and the Gators (1-0), who hail from the powerhouse Southeastern Conference.
The game was played before a capacity crowd of 89,451 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Steve Spurrier-Florida Field which is the largest crowd that the LIU program has ever competed in front of.
Offensively, wide receiver
Deion Richardson was a bright spot for LIU, hauling in two receptions for 37 yards.
Richardson turned in the biggest offensive play of the night for the Sharks as he hauled in a 28-yard fourth-quarter pass from junior quarterback
Luca Stanzani, who was one of three quarterbacks called upon by LIU head coach
Ron Cooper.
Defensively, senior linebacker
Rafael Fasolino led LIU with nine tackles, including four tackles for loss. Junior linebacker
Elijah Casey followed with eight tackles, including the Sharks only sack of the game.
One other bright spot for LIU was the performance of senior punter
Will Lynch, who averaged 42.6 yards on nine punts, including a long of 58 yards and one inside the 20-yard line.
LIU will be in action again next Saturday as the Sharks travel to Ypsilanti, Michigan to take on Eastern Michigan University of the Mid-American Conference.
Kickoff at Rynearson Stadium is slated for 7 p.m. on ESPN+ and can be heard on LIU Sharks Audio Network beginning at 6:30 p.m.
