No. 7 Texas’ shot at the College Football Playoff got seriously dicey after they dropped a 27-24 upset loss to Florida, a team that was supposed to be skidding. What a collapse. This isn’t just a bump in the road, it’s a massive pothole that leaves Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns with basically zero margin for error moving forward.
A 17-3 Lead, Gone in a Flash
The Longhorns actually started strong, jumping out to a comfortable 17-3 lead in the second quarter. You’d think that would be enough to steady a season that was already looking a little wobbly after last week’s loss to Oklahoma. But nope, Florida decided to show up and unleash 24 consecutive points, swinging the game to a 27-17 Gators lead. Arch Manning, who struggled throughout, managed to pull Texas back within three with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Cam Coleman, leaving 4:21 on the clock. Hope was alive! Then, after Florida punted, giving Texas another shot with 2:32 left, Manning got sacked and coughed up a critical fumble on second down. Ball game. Oh, and to make matters worse, Texas also lost their top defensive player, Colin Simmons, to injury in the second half. Sarkisian just ran out of answers, plain and simple.
From No. 1 to No Confidence: What’s Next For Texas?
Remember just earlier this month when Texas was ranked No. 1 in college football? Feels like a lifetime ago, doesn’t it? After beating nationally ranked Ohio State and Tennessee in September, they’ve now lost back-to-back games to *unranked* teams. That’s a brutal fall from grace, likely pushing them outside the top 10 in Sunday’s updated rankings. Manning’s not playing with confidence as a passer, and you can see it. His two interceptions in the fourth quarter cost them against Oklahoma last week, and now this critical fumble just ended his impressive 11-win streak as a starter at home. The schedule ahead is absolutely brutal: Ole Miss, Mississippi State, at Missouri, and at LSU, all teams currently ranked inside the top 25. If they want any shot at the CFP, this team needs to find consistency they simply haven’t had for weeks, and they need it yesterday.
Meanwhile, Florida Is Back In The Hunt
While Texas is reeling, Florida’s actually played their way back into the discussion. Quarterback Tramell Jones, stepping in for the injured Aaron Philo, led the Gators (5-2, 3-2) to this upset. Now they’ve got an open date to prep for a massive showdown with top-ranked Georgia on Oct. 31 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. That’s a huge opportunity. If Jon Sumrall’s squad can pull off a win against the Bulldogs, they’re almost certainly going to vault back into the top 15 before the CFP Selection Committee even releases their first set of rankings. Talk about a turn of events! Florida’s next slate of games includes Oklahoma, at Kentucky, Vanderbilt, and Florida. They’ve got a chance to make some real noise.
For Texas, it’s about survival now. They’ve got Ole Miss up next, the first of four straight ranked opponents. Every single snap is going to matter if they want to salvage this season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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