Florida at No. 7 Texas: Five Storylines to Watch
Florida is set to face one of its more formidable opponents of the season Saturday as it travels to Austin to take on No. 7 Texas. In their 4-2 overall and 2-2 SEC start, the Gators have struggled to find consistency since their 52-28 win over then No. 4 Ole Miss.
Back-to-back lopsided losses to Missouri and South Carolina exposed weaknesses on both sides of the ball, leaving Florida with little margin for error against a Longhorn team looking to rebound from their first loss of the season.
Here are the top storylines to watch Saturday.
Florida’s quarterback question looms
Florida could enter Saturday’s matchup with a different look on offense as injuries threaten to sideline several key contributors. Quarterback Aaron Philo is listed as questionable with a shoulder injury suffered late in the Gators’ 38-19 loss to South Carolina. Wide receivers Vernell Brown III and Bailey Stockton are also questionable, while running back Duke Clark has been ruled out with an ankle injury.
Philo’s availability remains the biggest question mark. The Georgia Tech transfer has completed 70.5% of his passes for 1,341 yards and nine touchdowns this season, leading Florida to a 4-0 start before consecutive losses to Missouri and South Carolina.
If Philo cannot play, sophomore Tramell Jones Jr. is likely to fill in. Jones battled Philo for the starting job throughout the offseason and has appeared in relief four times this season. In his time on field, Jones has completed 23 of 29 pass attempts for 252 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Coach Jon Sumrall expressed confidence in the backup earlier in the season.
“I’ve said this publicly – I think Tramell can be our starting quarterback here, and we can win football games,” Sumrall said. “I think Tramell can win football games, too. I believe in Tramell.”
With Texas’ defense already presenting a difficult matchup, Florida’s injury situation could force the Gators to adjust their offensive approach. The status of Brown and Stockton will also be worth monitoring, particularly if Jones gets the start.
Can Florida’s battered offense handle Texas’ defensive front?
Amid injury issues, Florida’s offense faces a significant challenge against a Texas defense ranked No. 13 in the nation. The Longhorns defensive unit is notably led by Will Muschamp, who was the Gators’ head coach from 2011 to 2014. The Longhorns (4-1, 1-1) rank No. 19 in the FBS against the run and have been particularly effective at keeping opponents out of the end zone. Their red-zone defense ranks No. 29 nationally, the highest ranking of any defense Florida has faced this season.
Texas’ stout defense could spell trouble for a Gators offense that has struggled to finish drives in its last two games. Without key receivers, Florida’s may depend on their star rusher, Jadan Baugh, to shoulder the workload. However, the running back has struggled to find his early-season success. Through Florida’s first six games, Baugh has notched 672 yards on 110 carries, and sits as the only FBS running-back with 10-plus rushing touchdowns and over 600 rushing yards this season. However, in the last two games, he’s recorded just 13 yards against Missouri and 59 against South Carolina.
The Longhorns’ defensive front is led by edge rusher Colin Simmons, who has recorded 9.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss through five games. Simmons added two sacks, three tackles for loss and a forced fumble against Oklahoma last weekend.
“He’s ‘wow’ good,” Sumrall said Monday. “I really started to watch the tape last night. I’m like, ‘All right, I’m just going to turn this off. I don’t even want to watch this guy anymore right now.’”
Longhorn’s offensive woes
Despite its offensive rankings, Texas has struggled to establish consistency, ranking 59th in scoring nationally and 79th in total offense. Their run game, specifically, hasn’t lived up to expectations. The Longhorns enter Saturday with one of the SEC’s weakest rushing offenses, ranking 88th in the FBS for overall rushing offense and 117th in yards per rush. The room is led by running backs Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown.
Their weakness in the run could give Florida an opportunity to slow the game down and limit Texas’ scoring chances. Showing improvement defensively will be important against a Texas offense that can turn a small opening into an explosive play.
That said, quarterback Arch Manning still remains a threat. The sophomore has completed 92 of 146 passes for 1,122 yards, 10 touchdowns and five interceptions, holding a quarterback rating of 65.8. He also has 102 rushing yards on 39 attempts, giving Texas another option when passing lanes close.
“The thing that’s unique about Arch, he’s Manning, which means he’s a quarterback that throws the football and understands the game at a high level, but I think the thing that people forget … he’s an unbelievable runner,” Sumrall said.
Florida must contain Manning in the pocket while preventing the Longhorns from finding rhythm on the ground. If the Gators can force Texas into predictable passing situations, they could create opportunities for their defense to make plays.
Consistency, yet again, for Florida Defense
Florida’s defense has shown flashes of potential but has struggled to put together four complete quarters. Throughout the season, they’ve allowed the fifth-most passing yards (1,497)in the FBS at have given up an average of 29 points per game, ranked second-to-last place in the SEC. The secondary faces another difficult test against a Texas receiving group that defensive coordinator Brad White called one of the most skilled in the country. Heading into this weekend, their biggest priority is consistency.
“We’ve got to play cleaner, we’ve got to communicate cleaner, we’ve got to play technically cleaner,” White said.
Florida will need better execution to avoid giving Manning easy completions and opportunities for explosive plays. The Gators must also improve on third down after South Carolina converted 10 of its final 14 attempts, extending drives and keeping Florida’s defense on the field.
Texas has struggled in that area, converting just six of 26 third-down attempts across its last two games. The goal for Florida is to take advantage of those opportunities, get off the field and give its offense more chances to respond.
An uphill battle for the Gators
Florida’s next few weeks will test how quickly it can respond to adversity. The Gators enter Austin on a two-game losing streak to face a Texas team that began the season with a win over then-No. 1 Ohio State before falling to Oklahoma, 27-24, last Saturday.
Texas will be motivated to rebound, while Florida is searching for answers before its schedule gets even more difficult. After Saturday, the Gators face No. 1 Georgia in Atlanta on Oct. 31, leaving some time to correct the mistakes that contributed to their recent losses.
Sumrall said Monday that understanding the mindset of both teams matters as much as evaluating their performance on film.
“The human psyche part of, what are you dealing with, what’s the other side dealing with, it’s a real part of the game,” Sumrall said. “Anytime you’re coming off of a defeat, you have a bad taste in your mouth, and that’s all of us.”
Kickoff Saturday is set for noon on ABC, with coverage beginning at 9 a.m. on WRUF 98.1-FM/850-AM/103.7 HD2.
Category: Feature Sports News, Gator Sports, Gators Football
