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(Gerald Goodridge) Florida 29, No. 9 Texas 21: Three things we learned

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The No. 9 Texas Longhorns looked outclassed in all facets of the game, dropping an embarrassing road game to a struggling Florida Gators team. While the Longhorns looked like they found some of their rhythm, they head into Red River reeling on one of the worst performances we’ve seen from Texas since Steve Sarkisian’s first year at the helm.

The offensive line has to improve

More than anything, this game served as a referendum on Kyle Flood’s unit. After refusing to dip into the portal to supplement an inexperienced offensive line, the unit stood pat and looked outmatched in its first conference game. The Texas running backs rushed for just 11 yards on nine carries, 1.2 yards per carry. Texas had 33 percent of its runs stuffed and seemingly abandoned the run quickly. Perhaps even more embarrassing is the 0.7 yards per carry on first down.

It wasn’t just the ground game — quarterback Arch Manning was never able to get fully comfortable in the pocket, getting sacked six times and hurried eight more times. His legs saved Texas from allowing even more sacks, bailing the line out when they missed assignments and got bullied. In addition to the struggles with their play, the offensive line was responsible for the Longhorns’ first six penalties of the game — four of which were pre-snap penalties.

Arch Manning has the tools, but can’t use them without help

We saw both the best and worst of Arch Manning in the game, finding open receivers for big plays, but also pressing and putting the ball in bad spots that led to turnovers. Manning had a run of 7-of-10 passing for 145 yards and two touchdowns, which was his best stretch of the game. He followed that with a string of bad balls, two of which Florida took the other way, letting them continue to bleed the clock.

He seemingly struggled with simulated pressures, with the Gators showing blitz and then bailing out, because of the Gators’ ability to generate pressure with minimal rushers. He failed to reach the six yards per dropback mark in the contest, and the Longhorns struggled to keep the ball moving in crucial situations.

The defense isn’t elite without good line play

Florida truly bullied Texas in the trenches, which put the defense at a disadvantage early and often. Florida averaged 5.7 yards per carry on first down, rushing the ball 15 times for 87 yards to set themselves up ahead of the chains early and often. Following that to its logical conclusion, five of Florida’s 13 third-down attempts came from four yards or closer, converting on four of those, rushing for an average of 4 yards per carry on third-down rushes. Texas was held without a sack yet again, managing just three tackles for loss and hurrying DJ Lagway just four times in the contest. They came up with a run stop in crunch time, getting Texas the ball back with a minute left to try and tie the game, but it was too little, too late.

Ralph Russo: Gators wreak havoc on Arch Manning to down No. 9 Longhorns 29-21

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With a five-star freshman receiver providing a lift to its super sophomore quarterback, Florida beat No. 9 Texas 29-21 on Saturday to change the trajectory of its season and hand the preseason No. 1 team its second loss. In a game matching two highly touted quarterbacks trying to put forgettable Septembers behind them, Florida’s DJ Lagway looked like the prospect that was promised.

The sophomore threw for 298 yards and two touchdowns to Dallas Wilson, including a spectacular 55-yarder to freshman Dallas Wilson, who ran through two Longhorns on the way to the end zone to make it 29-14 late in the third quarter. Wilson had six catches for 111 yards.

For Texas’ Arch Manning, it was more misery. The third-year quarterback passed for 263 yards and two touchdowns, ran for 37 yards, but was also picked off twice in the second half. The Longhorns came into the season off consecutive College Football Playoff semifinal appearances and as the preseason No. 1 in the AP poll for the first time in school history. An opening loss at defending champion Ohio State tamped down the hype for Texas and its famous new QB, the nephew of Super Bowl winners Peyton and Eli Manning.

The Longhorns cut the lead to eight, 29-21, with a 1-yard touchdown run by Quintrevion Wisner with 3:20 left in the fourth quarter. Florida had a chance to burn the clock down after the score, but some questionable clock management gave Texas and Manning one more chance with 54 seconds left at their own 31. The Longhorns managed to get past midfield, but Manning was dragged down with the clock winding and he couldn’t get to the line and spike it quickly enough to get Texas a chance for a Hail Mary.

“We’ve gotta play better and we just didn’t play good enough and that’s on me,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said. “This is where you find out about the culture that you have, and that’s what we just talked about as a team. We’ve gotta get tighter than we’ve ever been, we’re gonna have to quiet the noise because there will be plenty of noise coming out of this game.” Six weeks into the season, now just making the Playoff will be difficult for the Longhorns (3-2), who have yet to beat a Power 4 opponent.

An unrecognizable Florida offense

After throwing five interceptions against LSU and no touchdowns against Miami last month, Lagway looked confident and poised Saturday. The entire Florida offense was almost unrecognizable from the version that slogged through September. Heading into Saturday, Florida’s offense ranked No. 120th nationally of 136 FBS schools in yards per play (4.94) and hadn’t put up more than 20 points since Week 1 against Long Island.

But boy, did the Gators flip the script at The Swamp against a loaded Texas defense that was supposed to be the backbone of a national title contender. “That’s the football team I thought we had at the very beginning,” Florida coach Billy Napier said. Florida put up 457 total yards, with Jadan Baugh complementing Lagway and Wilson with 107 yards rushing on 27 carries. — Ralph Russo, college football writer

A disaster for Manning, Texas’ offense

Manning had two of the most impressive throws of his season late in the third quarter Saturday. The first came when he slipped past the pressure, stepped up and lasered a 38-yard touchdown to Ryan Wingo over the middle of the field. The second came with about 30 seconds left in the quarter when Manning faked the handoff, stayed disciplined with his feet and connected with DeAndre Moore Jr. for 19 yards as he was (again) falling to the turf after being drilled by a Florida defender.

Add into the mix a 36-yard run early in the fourth quarter, and it was clear Manning was doing everything possible to hang in, showing how dynamic he can be when he’s at his best and things are clicking. But then, with about 13 minutes to play, Manning threw a particularly bad interception, and any momentum Texas’ offense may have finally found was suddenly shattered. He threw another pick midway through the fourth quarter. Welcome to the Arch Manning experience?

Texas has plenty of talent, but holy smokes, it was a tough day to be Manning and the Texas offensive line after Florida’s defense wreaked havoc on them all day. Manning entered Saturday as the worst quarterback in the SEC for dropback success rate when blitzed, per TruMedia, and it was clear from the jump that Florida’s defensive plan was all about making life as miserable as possible for him. Mission accomplished.

Manning could never fully get comfortable as the Gators were in his face all day, using their speed and athleticism to eat Texas’ offensive line alive and wrap up No. 16 as quickly and physically as possible. The one time he had an open touchdown in the first half — on a big third-and-9 in the second quarter — he got the throw off cleanly with a Florida defender in his face, but missed a wide-open Emmett Mosley V.

The second half opened the same way the first half ended — with Manning being sacked for a loss of six yards on the second play of the half. The Gators somehow only finished with six sacks, despite it looking like Manning spent the whole afternoon on the turf. Saturday was far from being all Manning’s fault as Texas was exposed at the line of scrimmage (on both sides of the ball). And to his credit, he had some big-time throws and scrambles, particularly in the second half. But the reality is that after a season-opening loss to Ohio State, where he struggled with accuracy, we still haven’t seen Manning fully settle in and play a complete, consistent game.

It’s Week 6, and Manning still has no real identity at the quarterback position. So much of Saturday was an opportunity for him to show that he could keep things rolling after he dazzled against Sam Houston State following struggles against Ohio State and UTEP. But his first SEC win as the Longhorns’ full-time starter will have to wait, as Texas heads into another week trying to figure out what this offense is supposed to look like and what to expect from its quarterback. — Grace Raynor, college football writer

What now for Billy Napier?

Napier has been coaching for his job for most of the last two seasons. He was practically gone, it seemed, when the Gators started 3-3 last year, his third in Gainesville. It was after that Lagway became the starting quarterback as a freshman, and a strong finish with what looked like a solid roster convinced Florida administrators to run it back with Napier. Three straight losses in September had some wondering if Napier would make it to October. The reality was that Florida was not itching to make an early move on Napier, but still, the heat was rising.

A victory against the preseason No. 1 team in the country in front of a sellout crowd at The Swamp certainly makes the rest of the season look a lot different. Napier improved to 21-22 and, without question, had Gators fans fretting as Florida called an odd timeout late in the game when it should have been prioritizing killing the clock. That left Texas with a lot more time to pull off a comeback, but the Gators’ defense stepped up again.

The funny thing about facing a difficult schedule is that it gives a coach plenty of opportunity to change the trajectory of a season. Where Florida goes from here is anybody’s guess. The Gators have only lost one SEC game after being upset by USF and manhandled by Miami in nonconference play. The Gators go to No. 6 Texas A&M next week and then return home for Mississippi State. It might sound crazy, but there is no reason Florida can’t be a factor in what’s looking like a wide-open SEC race. — Russo

Texas’ postseason hopes dwindling

Texas opened the season as the No. 1 team in the country with legitimate national championship aspirations. The buzz around Austin was palpable with Manning stepping into the starting quarterback role and the Longhorns looking to build off last season’s CFP berth. But six weeks into the season, the Longhorns are most likely going to need to win out and/or get some major help around them if they’re going to have a shot at the Playoff. The Longhorns are sitting at 3-2 with almost no margin to spare… while not playing well, either.

After the Week 1 loss to Ohio State, the Longhorns weren’t in panic mode, given the Buckeyes’ status as the defending champs and one of the best teams in the country. But Texas needed to prove it could take care of business in the SEC, and melting down against a Florida team that just lost to USF at home last month didn’t exactly do the trick Saturday. The Longhorns have a manageable few weeks ahead against Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry (if OU quarterback John Mateer can’t play), at Kentucky on Oct. 18 and at Mississippi State on Oct. 25 to round out the month. But Texas goes to Georgia in mid-November and closes with a hot Texas A&M team.

For as hyped as this team was in the preseason, it’s hard to imagine this version of the Longhorns competing for it all come January. — Raynor

Manning is not a 2026 NFL Draft prospect

With below-average offensive line play and a quarterback who is trying to figure out his passing rhythm and anticipation in real time, the result is Texas’ offense. Young quarterbacks tend to be overly conservative, and we are reminded of Manning’s inexperience with every dropback. Against Florida, his lack of anticipation led to tardy decisions. And too often when he found the right read, he hurried his mechanics, which resulted in an inaccurate throw (or worse, an interception). It doesn’t help that the Gators consistently got pressure with only four rushers, and the Texas running game offered very little relief, which put an even heavier burden on the quarterback.

Manning’s best play of the day was his third-quarter touchdown toss. He was immediately forced off his spot (again, by a four-man rush), and he subtly shuffled to his left and found Wingo on the post for the touchdown pass. In the second half, Manning’s ability to keep plays alive with his legs was a major factor in Texas keeping it a one-possession game. While an inconsistent performance overall, there were several examples of progress to take away from Manning’s day.

Like with any college quarterback with single-digit career starts and an inconsistent supporting cast, any reaction to his play shouldn’t be an obituary. Is development guaranteed? Of course not. But how Manning looked in his first career SEC road start (Saturday against the Gators) will almost certainly look different when he makes his 20th career start. This is a quarterback figuring things out in the moment, which is why Manning shouldn’t be considered a 2026 NFL Draft prospect — he is a 2027 or 2028 NFL Draft prospect. — Dane Brugler, NFL Draft analyst

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Posted
Yeah, we aren't very good. Coaches botched the off-season thinking they had an all world QB for some reason.

And was arrogant not to portal in 2 experienced OL even from G6 schools. I’ve been saying that all offseason and I don’t make millions a year.
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Posted
Just now, David Dennison said:

Yeah, we aren't very good. Coaches botched the off-season thinking they had an all world QB for some reason.

And this shit isn’t that hard.  You lost two guys who ran 4.3 and scored TDs?  Well then you better fucking get two more like that.  You lost your two best playmakers in the secondary?  Maybe don’t rely on guys who rode the bench last year to fill those spots.

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Posted
1 minute ago, ClubWhatever said:

And this shit isn’t that hard.  You lost two guys who ran 4.3 and scored TDs?  Well then you better fucking get two more like that.  You lost your two best playmakers in the secondary?  Maybe don’t rely on guys who rode the bench last year to fill those spots.

I guess they figured next man up and stuff. Saban style. 

Oops.

Posted

I appreciate the guys who spend a nickel shy of 10 bucks on this shit and posting it here, but these guys should be writing for Looch. Same shit every summer. Lies.

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Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, David Dennison said:

I guess they figured next man up and stuff. Saban style. 

Oops.

I mean, the failure to recruit and develop is the bigger take away than not bringing in portal guys to me.  You shouldn't have to portal in half a roster by year 4.

Edited by WBT
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Posted (edited)

Snap Judgments: Texas bullied up front in an SEC-opening loss to Florida: Jeff Howe (OTF)

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Snap Judgments: Texas bullied up front in an SEC-opening loss to Florida

 

Jeff Howe

By Jeff Howe

  • 2 hours ago
 
 

As Saturday’s 29-21 loss to Florida unfolded, it became clear that Texas has significant issues.

Some of those issues can be fixed over the seven remaining games on the regular-season schedule, but others will require changes after the season. Still, Saturday’s loss to the Gators came down to the Longhorns losing the line of scrimmage battle in a landslide.

From the jump, Florida (2-3, 1-2 SEC) punched Texas (3-2, 0-1) in the mouth up front and never let up.

The Gators finished the game with six sacks and seven tackles for loss. While the Longhorn offensive line might not be solely responsible for each of those negative plays, the fact that the Texas running backs ran for 15 yards on 11 carries on a day when the running game tallied 52 net yards on 26 official attempts is a direct reflection of how the offense was soundly defeated at the point of attack.

***

Nick Brooks briefly replaced Connor Stroh at left guard in the first half. The true freshman started the second half next to Trevor Goosby, with Steve Sarkisian and Kyle Flood searching for an answer to help generate a push.

Although he was flagged for consecutive false starts on a fourth-quarter drive, I could see Sarkisian and Flood giving Brooks another shot.

Whether Brooks is in the starting lineup against Oklahoma or not, Saturday’s performance made it clear that the starting offensive line mix — as it was through the first five games of the season — isn’t the answer to getting the offense untracked.

***

Offensively, everything Texas couldn’t afford to have happen did.

Unable to establish the run, the Longhorns had to put the fate of the offense on Arch Manning’s shoulders. The result was a mixed bag, with Manning (16-for-29, 263 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions; 37 net yards on 15 official rushing attempts) making his share of plays to keep Texas in the game, along with a few turnovers and a final possession of regulation he’d like to have back.

Operating a one-dimensional offense, moving the ball came down to Manning’s ability to make a play. It’ll require a more nuanced evaluation to determine if the mistakes down the stretch were things to worry about or a case of a quarterback trying to make the best of a bad situation.

Manning did enough positive things to believe he can truly trend upward in the not-too-distant future. Still, he’s not at a point of elevating everyone around him to the point where he can mask the offense’s deficiencies.

***

It doesn’t seem right that I’ve gotten this far into writing my postgame thoughts without talking about the defense.

It was disappointing that things played out for the offense the way they did, but it wasn’t a total surprise. I, however, was flabbergasted at how Florida gashed Texas on the ground (159 yards, 4.3 yards per attempt), negated the Longhorn pass rush and gave DJ Lagway (21-for-28, 298 yards, two touchdowns and one interception) enough time to hit six explosive plays (15 or more yards gained through the air).

Coming into the game, Texas allowed five rushing attempts to gain 10 or more yards. The Gators had five double-digit-yard runs in the first half (only 13 through their first four games).

Only Auburn had fewer 20-yard gains through the air than Florida (10) before Saturday’s game. Lagway connected on four such plays against a Longhorn defense that allowed only six through four games.

Jadan Baugh (107 yards and a rushing touchdown on 28 carries) and Dallas Wilson (111 yards and two touchdowns on six catches) made the kinds of plays the Longhorn skill players didn't or couldn't come up with on Saturday.

***

The 2021 Iowa State game (a 30-7 loss) is the last loss I can remember Texas suffering in which it lost the line-of-scrimmage battle as it did in the Swamp.

You’d have to go back to the Arkansas game that same season to find the last time a Sarkisian-coached Longhorn squad was bullied to the extent the Gators pushed Texas around from start to finish.

***

There’s a lot more to digest from the loss than these time-constrained thoughts.

Still, the following must be said: Talk of the SEC Championship Game or the College Football Playoff, at this point, is pointless. This is beyond a play-calling issue or a few personnel fixes for this team to become what it hoped to grow into by season's end.

Against a desperate team, coming off a bye and knowing the kind of road environment they’d be going into, the Longhorns lost a game in which they were soundly defeated in all three phases.

Considering the circumstances, and with Texas still unable to play disciplined (10 penalties for 70 yards) and/or complementary football, an argument can be made that this was the worst loss of Sarkisian’s tenure. While I have recently given Sarkisian credit for not suffering a head-scratching loss, my trust in the staff to avoid an unnecessary toe stub the rest of the way must be rebuilt after Saturday.

The Longhorns can still be a good team. But Saturday’s performance didn’t inspire any confidence that Texas can turn the corner any time soon.

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Edited by MuellerHorn
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