Florida running back Jadan Baugh hurdles Texas defensive back Graceson Littleton (29) as the Florida Gators face the Texas Longhorns on Saturday, at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. (Matthew Lewis/WRUF)

Gators Shock No. 9 Texas in Season-Saving Upset

With its back against the wall and season on the line, the Florida Gators upset No. 9 Texas 29-21. Everything that had plagued Florida this season was washed away. The Gators were balanced on offense, relentless on defense, and the crowd played a huge factor.

For most of the season, the critique on this offense was that they do not run the ball enough with talented running back Jadan Baugh, who came into this one averaging 12 rushes a game, despite averaging 5.9 yards per carry. But Saturday, Baugh carried the ball 27 times for 114 yards and one touchdown. Florida (2-3) was down its second and third-string backs, which thrust freshman Duke Clark into the backup role. Clark stepped up with nine carries for 38 yards and averaged four yards per carry.

In the passing game, Florida played its first game where all of its projected starting receivers coming into the season played together. One of those was freshman Dallas Wilson, who made his first-career start Saturday and did not disappoint. Wilson had six catches for 111 yards and two touchdowns, one of which was a 55-yard score. Wilson broke three program records — most receptions in his first career start, most yards in his first career start and most touchdowns in his first career start.

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Following the Miami game, Gators quarterback DJ Lagway vowed not to stop improving until his and the team’s play got things turned around. Lagway showed promising steps with arguably his best game of his career. Against a tough Texas (3-2) pass defense, Lagway went 21 of 28 for 298 yards, two touchdowns, one interception and a 180.8 passer rating. A big part of his success was due to how well the offensive line was. A unit that was hyped up this offseason with all the returning talent has not played up to standard. The group now allowed no sacks and gave Lagway chances to stretch the ball down the field.

“Just watching Texas’s film, they give a lot of underneath stuff, so early on just taking what they’re giving us,” Lagway said. “Getting some early completions to get our confidence going, and then eventually they’ll start creeping up, and they did a little bit, and we got over the top of them.”

The defense has been good this year and given Florida chances to win every game with how well the unit keeps this team in games. As good as they have been, getting consistent pressure has been an issue. Florida came into this game with three sacks on the year -well, they had six sacks, seven-tackles-for loss and eight quarterback hurries. They also created two turnovers in the second half and held Texas to 341 total yards, 52 yards rushing (2 yards per carry), three-of-11 on third down, with the average down in distance being 11 yards.

Earlier this week, Gators coach Billy Napier challenged the fanbase to show up early on and make an impact. The environment Texas walked into Saturday was far worse than its Week 1 game against Ohio State. Texas had six pre-snap penalties and only got louder each time another mistake was made by the Longhorns. It is a credit to this fanbase for sticking things out with this team when they could have abandoned ship following a 1-3 start.

“I’m going to tell you what, our fans showed up tonight, or today I should say,” Napier said. “They showed up and showed out. They were a huge factor in the game. We’re thankful for that.”

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Florida faced not just the Texas defense, but also Mother Nature on its opening drive Saturday. The first play of the game was a near-disaster as Wilson hauled in his first-career reception, then proceeded to fumble before recovering it. Florida then went on an impressive 13-play, 84-yard drive that was capped off with a Baugh five-yard touchdown run.

Baugh carried the ball eight times for 39 yards and the touchdown. Lagway looked sharp early on too. Lagway completed all four of his passes for 31 yards. As the drive progressed, so did the rain. Just after Florida called a timeout ahead of a third-and-one at the Texas five-yard line, the Gainesville sky opened up. As if it was challenging Florida to beat it, the rain stopped just after they scored.

Florida would drive right back down the field before stalling at the Texas 16-yard line and settling for a Trey Smack 29-yard field goal that made it 10-0 to wrap up the first quarter.

Texas could not get anything going offensively; its first two drives ended in punts and were having a hard time keeping up with the Florida pass rush. The Gators had just gotten the ball back and were driving to potentially make it a three-score ball game. But a Hayden Hansen fumble recovered by Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. and returned to the Florida 45-yard line was the spark the Longhorns needed.

After a spectacular 33-yard completion to Parker Livingstone that set Texas up at the UF 14, Arch Manning found running back Quintrevion Wisner for a six-yard touchdown pass to make it 10-7.

On the ensuing drive, the Gators march right back down the field in 10 plays, 77 yards that took just under five minutes. Lagway completed four passes of 10 yards or more, that included an 18-yard pick up to Wilson down the right sideline that put Florida at the Texas 13-yard line. Two plays later, Wilson hauled in his first-career touchdown reception to make it 17-7.

Outside of the one touchdown drive that was set up by the turnover, the Gators’ strangle hold on this Texas offense continued. Following another three-and-out, the Gators blocked the punt and watched the ball roll into the back of the end zone for a safety that pushed the lead to 19-7.

The dominant first half was capped off by a Brien Taylor Jr. sack. It was the best half of football all year by Florida, out gained Texas 263-87 in total yards, was five-of-seven on third down and averaged nearly seven yards a play.

The second half began just as the first half ended, with a sack. On third down, Manning tried to escape the pocket but was dragged down for a three-yard gain to end the drive. Texas pulled a trick play on its second drive that got Florida to bite, but the pass was too long for its intended target.

Florida got the ball right back and wasted no time getting back down the field. Lagway found Vernell Brown III for a 60-yard reception that put Florida deep into Texas territory. However, the drive stalled and UF settled for three more to make it 22-7.

Late in the third quarter and needing a score, Manning found his man, Ryan Wingo, for a 38-yard touchdown pass that cut the Gators’ lead down to 22-14. But just as they had all day, Florida responded with a score of their own. Lagway launched one down the right sideline that was reeled in by Wilson, who tightroped and drug a Texas defender into the end zone for a 55-yard score that pushed the lead back to 29-14.

“That was a crazy play actually. I won off the line, off my release with the corner. Corner had fell to the floor,” Wilson said. “Lag(way) it threw the ball up to me, caught it, and after that I just let my talent take over. It was just boom from there.”

In the fourth, Texas put itself in a good spot to answer the Gators’ score. Manning had just broken off a 36-yard run to put the Longhorns at the UF 30. But back-to-back false starts and Manning’s pass intercepted by Jordan Castell cut the drive short. On the next drive, Manning through another pick, this time to Devin Moore. The Gators handed the ball right back to Texas after Lagway was picked off by UT safety Michael Taafe.

Texas got a key stop on defense to give its struggling offense a chance, and they did take advantage. Manning completed a 42-yard pass to DeAndre Moore Jr. to set up a one-yard touchdown run for Wisner, making it a 29-21 game.

But with no timeouts, Texas had to get one more stop – and they did. Texas got the ball all the way down to the UF 40-yard line before Manning was sacked for the sixth time, and with no timeouts, the Longhorns hurried to the line to spike it, but did not get off in time, marking the end of the game.

This is the first time in program history that Florida beat Texas, previously 0-3-1. Now 1-1 in conference play, the Gators are right back in the mix for the SEC.

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