Formerly No. 1 Texas just lost its second straight game on Saturday, falling 27-24 to Florida. This was a particularly rough day for the Longhorns’ two highest-profile 2027 NFL draft prospects, with their star quarterback struggling and a key defender carted off the field.
Manning’s Meltdown at the Finish Line
Texas quarterback Arch Manning, who was recently the betting favorite to go first overall in next year’s draft, had another bad game. He’d been up and down throughout the matchup, but the stage was set for a classic comeback. With Texas down by three and two and a half minutes left on the clock, everyone expected Manning to engineer a game-winning drive. Instead, the exact opposite happened: Manning was sacked and fumbled the ball, Florida recovered, and that was it. Game over, 27-24.
Manning is known for making big plays with his legs at times, but even that wasn’t working against Florida. In one brutal sequence, he tried to run for a first down on third-and-1 but lost a yard. Then, on fourth-and-2, Manning attempted another run only to get tackled behind the line of scrimmage, resulting in a crucial turnover on downs. This was just not his day.
Simmons Carted Off in a Major Blow
The pain didn’t stop with Manning’s struggles. Texas pass rusher Colin Simmons, the NCAA leader in sacks and another potential Top 5 pick in the 2027 draft, was carted off the field in the fourth quarter with a left leg injury. Losing a player of Simmons’ caliber, especially under these circumstances, is a massive blow for a team already reeling from back-to-back losses.
This dual hit to their top prospects , a critical fumble and injury , paints a grim picture for a Texas team that was recently sitting atop the rankings. They’ve got to figure out how to rebound from this.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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