Florida vs. Texas by the Numbers: The Great, Good and Bad
The Gators spoiled Texas’ College Football Playoff hopes for the second consecutive season Saturday, defeating the then-No. 7 Longhorns 27-24. Florida left the Lone Star State with its first victory in Austin.
Tramell Jones Jr. started at quarterback after Aaron Philo dealt with a shoulder injury throughout the week. Jones became the first SEC quarterback since 2020 to win his first start on the road against an Associated Press top-10 opponent. The last was LSU’s Max Johnson, who defeated No. 6 Florida in what became known as the “Shoe Game.”
Six years later, history came full circle for the Gators (5-2, 3-2 SEC), who moved back into the AP rankings at No. 20 on Sunday.
Let’s take a look at the numbers and see what stood out in Florida’s first road win against an AP top-10 team since 2012, when the Gators defeated No. 10 Florida State.
The Great: Containing Arch Manning
Florida’s defense responded Saturday after allowing an average of 42.5 points and 309.5 passing yards in its previous two games.
The Gators held Texas quarterback Arch Manning to 173 passing yards, the fewest Florida has allowed against an FBS opponent in nine games, dating to Kentucky last season.
“They executed with more detail, more urgency, more violence, more strain,” coach Jon Sumrall said of his defense. “They finally took it upon themselves to play with the mentality.”
The defensive line pressured Manning into short throws. Entering the game, Florida surrendered more than 1,497 passing air yards this season, the fifth-most in the FBS. Manning averaged minus-0.7 air yards per completion entering the fourth quarter (ESPN).
The defensive pressure helped Florida record 11 tackles for loss, including five sacks. It was the most TFLs the Gators registered against an AP top-10 opponent since facing Tennessee in 2024.
The secondary also tightened its coverage, limiting Manning to 14 completions. Florida held an FBS opponent to its fewest pass completions since 2024, when the Gators faced Sumrall’s Tulane team in the Gasparilla Bowl.
The Good: Winning the Middle Eight
Florida was outscored 51-13 in the second and third quarters in its previous two games against South Carolina and Missouri. At Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, the Gators flipped the script, outscoring Texas 17-7 in the same span.
Trailing 17-3 late in the first half, Florida had an opportunity to shift momentum with a two-minute drill at the end of the first half and the possession to open the second half. The Gators capitalized, scoring 14 unanswered points to close the first half and open the second.
Jones Jr. led Florida on a 15-play, 8:03 drive to open the third quarter, its longest since the second quarter against Auburn. The series ended with a game-tying score, silencing the Texas crowd.
“The flow of the middle eight, we needed that momentum because we had not played very clean early,” Sumrall said. “With the way the game started, that was pretty vital.”
Florida also buckled down defensively, having allowed a touchdown on its opponent’s opening possession of the second half in three consecutive games. Texas (4-2, 1-2) managed just eight yards on six plays across two third-quarter drives, both ending in punts.
The Bad: Punt Return Coverage
Special teams had been Florida’s best unit this season until Saturday. Patrick Durkin had missed just one field goal this season, Vernell Brown III returned two punts for touchdowns against Campbell and London Montgomery has been phenomenal on kickoff returns.
Florida had allowed just 16 punt return yards before Saturday; however, Ryan Niblett broke through in the second quarter. Niblett returned a punt 63 yards for a touchdown, giving the Longhorns a 17-3 lead. The score was a big blow considering the offense had not played well up to that point.
It was the first punt return touchdown Florida has given up since facing Alabama in the 2016 SEC Championship Game.
Florida also made a costly special teams mistake in the first quarter. Alec Clark’s 74-yard punt landed at the Texas 1-yard line before Kanye Clark touched the ball while his foot was in the end zone, resulting in a touchback.
Niblett later returned a punt 17 yards on the Longhorns’ final offensive possession, setting up Texas in great field position at its own 46-yard line, trailing by just a field goal. This time, the punt coverage breakdown wasn’t costly. Two plays later, Myles Graham forced a fumble to allow the Gators to prevail.
Category: Feature Sports News, Gator Sports, Gators Football
