Florida erases double-digit deficit, stuns Arch Manning and No. 7 Texas
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
After following up a 4-0 start with back-to-back losses, Florida looked in danger of losing three in a row.
Instead, it dealt a massive blow to Texas‘s College Football Playoff hopes.
The Gators climbed out of a double-digit second-quarter hole to take the lead behind 24 unanswered points, then came up with a game-sealing turnover late in the fourth quarter to defeat Arch Manning and the No. 7 Longhorns 27-24 in Austin on Saturday.
The Gators, who trailed 17-3 at one point, surged back to go ahead 21-17 in the fourth quarter. Then, with the Longhorns within 27-24 with just over two minutes remaining, Manning fumbled the ball on the Gators’ fifth sack of the day, and Florida pounced on it to secure the upset.
After Ryan Niblett’s 63-yard punt return made it a 17-3 Texas lead three-and-a-half minutes into the second quarter, the Longhorns appeared set to return to the win column after a disappointing Red River Rivalry loss to Oklahoma a week ago.
But the Gators took over.
Trammell Jones Jr., making his first career start in place of an injured Aaron Philo, engineered a nine-play, 49-yard drive on Florida’s ensuing possession, ending with his pass to Lacota Dipree that pulled the Gators within 17-10 with 18 seconds remaining before halftime.
That spark carried on to the second half. Florida tied it at 17-a-piece with 6:50 to go in the third quarter as Jones connected with Dippre for his second touchdown of the game. Later, Patrick Durkin’s 28-yard field goal put the Gators up 20-17 with 10:40 to play in the fourth. That lead grew to 27-17 as Jadan Baugh took it in from 11 yards out on Florida’s next time with the ball.
Texas responded with a quick touchdown before forcing a three-and-out. But Manning’s fumble and Florida’s recovery closed the book on the Longhorns’ comeback hopes.
Jones passed for 22-of-35 for 155 yards and two touchdowns. He added 41 yards on 10 carries. Baugh, who left the game due to injury but returned shortly after, finished with 91 yards on 25 attempts.
For Texas, Manning ended the day 14-of-20 for 173 yards. The Longhorns, who were held to just 272 yards of total offense, were a paltry 2-of-10 on third down.
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
