Texas led 17-3 in the second quarter, but the lead evaporated by the end of the third. Manning had a chance at redemption late, but a fumble near the end of the game sealed the Florida upset. Florida linebacker Myles Graham dropped Manning for a nine-yard loss, and defensive back Kanye Clark recovered at the Texas 39 with 1:58 remaining. The Gators cruised to a 27-24 victory, handing Manning and the Longhorns a second consecutive defeat and mirroring the same final score as the Oklahoma game.
Questions about Manning’s role and future tenure as Texas’ starter circulated after the loss. A Texas insider indicated that coach Steve Sarkisian said “everything will be evaluated” when asked about Manning’s starting status for next week.
Texas’ early lead was fueled by the run game and special teams. A 32-yard TD run by Raleek Brown, a 38-yard field goal by Gianni Spetic, and a 63-yard punt return touchdown by Ryan Niblett accounted for all of Texas’ first-half points. After halftime, Manning was limited to negative air yards per completion entering the fourth quarter, and the offense did not reach the end zone again until late in the game.
Florida answered with a scoring drive to close the half, as Tramell Jones Jr., in his first career start, connected with Lacota Dippre for a touchdown with 18 seconds left before halftime. The Gators then opened the third quarter with a lengthy 69-yard, 15-play drive that consumed over eight minutes, ending with another Dippre reception to tie the game at 17-17.
Florida’s offense, led by Jones (22-for-35, 155 yards, two touchdowns), wore down Texas’ defense in the second half. Jadan Baugh carried the ball 25 times for 91 yards, helping Florida extend its lead. A 28-yard field goal by Patrick Durkin put Florida ahead 20-17 with 10:40 remaining. After a Texas sequence on third-and-one from the Florida 49 fell short, Florida converted with an 11-yard TD run by Baugh to make it 27-17.
Manning answered with a signature big-play moment, finding Emmett Mosley V for a 62-yard gain and then connecting with Cam Coleman on a nine-yard TD strike to slice the deficit to 27-24 with 4:21 left. Texas forced a three-and-out, giving the offense a chance to win, but Florida pressured Manning, and a strip sack—Florida’s fifth of the day, tallying 29 yards in losses—secured the win for the Gators. Texas also lost edge rusher Colin Simmons to an apparent right-ankle injury with about 13 minutes left in the fourth quarter.
The two recent losses against top opponents—Oklahoma and Florida—have highlighted Manning’s uneven stretch. In the last three SEC games, Manning’s line reads 47-of-70 for 634 yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions, with a completion rate of 67.1% and roughly 211 passing yards per game. He did not throw an interception against Florida, but the fumble at a critical juncture was decisive.
Looking at third-down efficiency across those games reveals a struggle: Texas converted 3 of 12 against Tennessee, 3 of 14 against Oklahoma, and 2 of 10 against Florida—totaling 8 of 36 (22.2%) in the three games. Florida outgained Texas 313 yards to 272 and held a 21-13 advantage in first downs.
With the loss, Texas slipped to 4-2, marking a second straight defeat after returning to the No. 1 ranking two weeks earlier. Florida improved to 5-2. Texas will now prepare for a challenging slate ahead, featuring Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Missouri, and LSU. Florida has its own tough road, with a game against Georgia on the horizon.
As Texas enters its week off, the program will be evaluating how to fix the issues that surfaced in back-to-back 27-24 losses. The path forward for Manning and the coaching staff will be under close scrutiny as the team looks to rebound against a demanding schedule.
