The Florida Gators delivered one of the biggest upsets of the college football weekend Saturday, stunning No. 7 Texas 27-24 in Austin. Florida overcame a 14-point deficit and scored 24 consecutive points to hand the Longhorns their second straight loss, dealing another significant blow to their College Football Playoff hopes. The victory was especially impressive considering Florida entered the matchup on a two-game losing streak and was forced to start backup quarterback Tramell Jones Jr.
Jones made his first career start after Aaron Philo suffered a shoulder injury against South Carolina last weekend. Things initially looked promising for Texas. The Longhorns jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter before extending their advantage to 17-3 following a 63-yard punt return touchdown by Ryan Niblett.
However, Florida began turning things around just before halftime. Jones connected with tight end Lacota Dippre for a 7-yard touchdown with 18 seconds remaining in the second quarter, cutting the deficit to 17-10. That score helped shift momentum in Florida's favor.
The Gators tied the game at 17 in the third quarter before adding 10 more points in the fourth to take a commanding 27-17 lead. Meanwhile, Texas struggled to generate consistent offensive production after its strong start. Quarterback Arch Manning and the Longhorns eventually responded with a late touchdown, trimming Florida's advantage to three points.
However, another costly turnover ended Texas' comeback hopes. Florida recovered a late fumble and maintained possession long enough to run out the remaining clock, securing its biggest victory of the season. The result raises additional concerns about Texas' direction under head coach Steve Sarkisian.
The Longhorns entered the season with national championship expectations and were ranked No. 1 just one week ago. Now, consecutive 27-24 losses to Oklahoma and Florida have dropped Texas to 4-2, putting increased pressure on the program as conference play continues. Florida, meanwhile, improves to 5-2 and earns a much-needed victory after struggling in recent weeks.
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