Texas blows 14-point lead, Arch Manning experiences first home loss as questions mount in Austin
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Florida came from 14 points behind to beat Texas 27-24, turning a promising home game into a setback for a Longhorns team already under pressure. The result raises fresh questions about quarterback Arch Manning and head coach Steve Sarkisian, and puts Texas’s College Football Playoff hopes at greater risk.
Texas led 17-3 after Ryan Niblett returned a punt for a touchdown, but Florida outscored the hosts 24-7 over the final two and a half quarters. Making his first collegiate start, Tramell Jones completed 22 of 35 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns; Jadan Baugh ran 25 times for 91 yards and a score. Manning managed little passing production apart from a 62-yard completion late in the game, and Texas now faces a top-ten Ole Miss side next week.
- Florida rallied from 14 points down to win 27-24.
- Tramell Jones threw two touchdowns in his first start.
- Texas faces Ole Miss with playoff hopes under pressure.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The defeat gives legitimate grounds for concern: Texas squandered a 14-point home lead, and Manning’s limited passing output in his first home loss may raise questions about his readiness to lead a playoff contender. With Ole Miss next, supporters may argue that Sarkisian needs to reassess the offence quickly if Texas is to keep its season on track.
The case against
One loss, even a damaging one, need not settle the judgement on Manning or Sarkisian: Florida adjusted, played effectively behind Jones and Baugh, and capitalised on the second half. Manning is still early in his collegiate career, and Texas’s playoff prospects and the coaches’ performance should be assessed over more than a single game.
Full account
Texas surrendered a 14-point lead at home on Saturday as Florida came back to win 27-24, handing Arch Manning his first home defeat as the Longhorns’ quarterback. Ryan Niblett’s punt return for a touchdown had put Texas 17-3 ahead in the second quarter. The early advantage suggested a response to the previous week’s loss to Oklahoma, which had cost Texas its No. 1 ranking. Instead, Florida recovered, took control of the middle of the game and held on after a late sack forced Manning to fumble.
The comeback was striking given Florida’s circumstances. The Gators had lost two successive games and were without starting quarterback Aaron Philo and leading receiver Vernell Brown III. Tramell Jones, making his first college start, completed 22 of 35 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Jadan Baugh added 91 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries. Together, they gave Florida enough sustained offence to overcome the early deficit, while its defence increasingly disrupted Texas.
Manning finished with 173 passing yards and one touchdown pass, but a 62-yard completion on fourth down accounted for much of his production. Florida sacked him five times, and his late fumble ended Texas’s chance to rescue the game. The Longhorns ran just 50 offensive plays, reportedly their fewest under coach Steve Sarkisian. After winning 22 consecutive home games against unranked opponents, they have now lost back-to-back games to unranked teams, following the defeat by Oklahoma.
Sarkisian said every part of the offence would be assessed, including play-calling, which he handles himself. Asked whether that review included Manning’s place as starter, he did not rule out a change, although he also said responsibility for the performance extended beyond the quarterback. The result raises immediate questions about Texas’s ability to regain its form, with Ole Miss due in Austin next Saturday. For Florida, it is a significant away win after two defeats; for Texas, it leaves little time to resolve an offence that has struggled in successive losses.
Where outlets differ
The first report concentrates on Florida’s response to injuries and its two-game losing run, particularly Jones’s first start and Baugh’s contribution. It also speculates more strongly about Manning’s professional prospects and Sarkisian’s job security.
The second report focuses on Sarkisian’s post-match comments, Texas’s low offensive snap count and the possibility of a quarterback change. It gives the final score as 30-27; the first report’s scoring account, and other match reports, support 27-24.