Just two weeks ago, the University of Texas was undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the nation. Now, they have lost two straight games to unranked opponents after the University of Florida beat them 27-24. This loss severely hurts their playoff chances.
It was another tough outing for Arch Manning, who entered the season with aspirations of being the top overall pick in the draft but has been sliding down draft boards as the season has progressed. He went 14-of-20 for 173 yards and 1 touchdown. He had a chance to lead a game-winning drive with under two minutes left, but he was sacked and hit by one of his own linemen, forcing a fumble. The Texas defense couldn’t stop the Gators from gaining a first down and running out the clock on the ensuing drive.
What makes the last two weeks so frustrating is how the season began. Texas defeated Ohio State 24-23 in what looked like the beginning of a statement season. They then beat Tennessee 20-17 and looked like the team to beat this season. Then the last two weeks happened, and they look like a completely different team.
These days, two losses don’t guarantee that you’ll miss the playoffs, but the rest of their schedule is absolutely brutal. They play No. 9 Ole Miss, then No. 16 Mississippi State, followed by No. 12 Missouri, then No. 22 LSU, before facing unranked Arkansas and Texas A&M.
As for Florida, this is their second win over a ranked opponent this season, with a 52-28 win over Ole Miss earlier in the year. They are now 5-2 and 3-2 in conference. Quarterback Tramell Jones had a solid day, going 22 of 35 for 155 yards and 2 touchdowns while adding 41 yards on the ground. Running back Jadan Baugh led the team in rushing with 91 yards on 25 carries and scored once. Wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr. led the team with 7 catches for 43 yards, and Micha Mays Jr. caught two passes, both for scores.
Next week, Florida faces off against the No. 1-ranked Georgia Bulldogs. If they can win again, they’ll be in the playoff conversation. They don’t have the toughest schedule going forward besides Georgia and No. 15 Kentucky, but they also face unranked Oklahoma, Vanderbilt, and Florida State. The path is there, but they must get quality wins; this week could prove they are capable.
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