AUSTIN, Texas — What began as a promising afternoon for No. 7 Texas ended in another stunning defeat Saturday as Florida erased a 14-point deficit, scored 24 unanswered points and held on for a 27-24 victory at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium.
The loss marked the Longhorns' second consecutive defeat, dropping Texas to 4-2 overall and 1-2 in Southeastern Conference play just eight days after the program occupied the No. 1 spot in the national rankings.
Quarterback Arch Manning struggled to generate consistent offense, while an injury to star defensive end Colin Simmons added to an increasingly troubling stretch for head coach Steve Sarkisian's team.
Texas appeared firmly in control early, opening the game with a 32-yard touchdown run from Raleek Brown before extending its advantage on a 38-yard field goal from Gianni Spetic.
The Longhorns pushed their lead to 17-3 in the second quarter when Ryan Niblett returned a punt 63 yards for a touchdown, tying a school record with his third career punt return score.
But the momentum quickly shifted.
Florida, playing with sophomore quarterback Tramell Jones Jr. making his first career start in place of the injured Aaron Philo, answered with a touchdown before halftime to cut the deficit to 17-10.
The Gators carried that momentum into the second half, scoring on their opening possession to tie the game at 17.
From there, Texas struggled to respond.
The Longhorns' offense, which had moved the ball effectively during its opening possessions, managed just 96 yards on 19 plays after halftime. Florida's defense repeatedly pressured Manning, disrupted the running game and prevented Texas from sustaining drives.
A 28-yard field goal by Patrick Durkin gave Florida its first lead of the afternoon, 20-17, early in the fourth quarter.
Running back Jadan Baugh then extended the advantage with an 11-yard touchdown run with 6:22 remaining, completing a run of 24 consecutive points that turned a comfortable Texas lead into a 27-17 deficit.
Baugh finished with 91 rushing yards on 25 carries, while Jones completed his first career start with 155 passing yards and two touchdowns.
Manning briefly gave the Longhorns hope.
Facing fourth down late in the fourth quarter, the Texas quarterback escaped pressure and connected with Emmett Mosley V for a 62-yard gain, the team's longest offensive play of the season.
Two plays later, Manning found Cam Coleman for a 9-yard touchdown pass, bringing Texas within three points with 4:21 remaining.
The Longhorns' defense forced another opportunity, giving Manning possession with 2:32 left and a chance to lead a game-tying or game-winning drive.
Instead, Florida linebacker Myles Graham sacked Manning and forced a fumble, which Kanye Clark recovered with 1:58 remaining.
Florida ran out the remaining clock to secure the upset.
Manning finished 14-of-20 passing for 173 yards and one touchdown, but Texas totaled just 272 yards of offense against a Florida defense that had struggled entering the matchup.
The late turnover capped another disappointing performance for Manning, who also struggled during Texas' loss to rival Oklahoma the previous week.
Compounding the defeat was the loss of Simmons, one of the nation's most productive pass rushers.
Simmons suffered a lower-leg injury during the second half and was eventually carted off the field. He did not return.
Before leaving, Simmons recorded his fifth sack in five games and four tackles for loss, continuing a dominant individual season despite the team's struggles.
Sarkisian said afterward that the extent of the injury remained unknown.
The defeat raises questions about a Texas program that entered the season with national championship expectations but now faces mounting pressure in conference play.
After scoring 17 points in the first half, the Longhorns failed to sustain offensive production for much of the second half, allowing Florida to control possession and dictate the game's tempo.
Sarkisian acknowledged afterward that the team's offensive performance required a comprehensive evaluation, including personnel, play-calling and execution.
For Florida, the victory represented a significant turnaround after consecutive losses to Missouri and South Carolina. The Gators improved to 5-2 overall and 3-2 in SEC play, delivering one of the weekend's biggest upsets behind a first-time starting quarterback.
For Texas, the concerns extend beyond one disappointing afternoon.
The Longhorns have now lost consecutive games for the first time since Sarkisian's inaugural season in 2021, and their path toward the College Football Playoff has become considerably more difficult.
Texas will attempt to regroup when it hosts Ole Miss on Saturday, October 24, with kickoff scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT on ABC.
After climbing to the top of the national rankings, the Longhorns now find themselves searching for answers — and facing the possibility that another defeat could further jeopardize their postseason ambitions.
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