AUSTIN – The Texas Longhorns just delivered a major statement.
After a narrow victory over Vanderbilt and a week off, Texas needed to prove themselves as serious College Football Playoff contenders. They did just that with a dominant 49-17 win over the Florida Gators, bringing their record to 8-1.
The game had a shaky start for Texas, beginning with a missed field goal and what looked like a three-and-out on the next drive. But coach Steve Sarkisian made a bold decision to go for it on fourth-and-short from Texas’s own 24-yard line, sparking the team with a successful conversion.
From there, Texas took over, scoring on five of their next seven drives to head into halftime with a commanding 35-0 lead.
The momentum continued in the second half as Texas safety Andrew Mukuba intercepted a Florida pass on the Gators’ first drive of the third quarter. A few plays later, Texas scored yet another touchdown. With a comfortable lead, Arch Manning took over to finish out the game.
Quarterback Quinn Ewers led a stellar offensive showing, completing 19 of 27 passes for 333 yards and five touchdowns. He spread the ball to five different receivers, with Jaydon hauling in three catches for 67 yards.
Texas’s defense was equally impressive, forcing three turnovers and holding Florida to just 132 passing yards.
Now 4-1 in SEC play, Texas is in a strong position for an SEC Championship bid with three regular-season games left. The Longhorns will face Arkansas next week in Fayetteville, with kickoff set for 11 a.m. CT.
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