Texas and Florida meet Saturday in Austin with both seasons hanging in the balance. The Longhorns dropped to No. 7 after falling to unranked Oklahoma, a game where Arch Manning threw two fourth-quarter interceptions. Florida arrives after a 38-19 home loss to South Carolina and may be without starting quarterback Aaron Philo, who is questionable with a shoulder injury.
There’s more on the line than rankings. Florida beat Texas last year in a loss that helped keep the Longhorns out of the playoff, and Manning has said it left a bad taste in his mouth. Both teams are dealing with the same problems: shaky pass protection, defensive lapses, and special teams disasters. Texas has allowed a punt return touchdown and a blocked punt touchdown in the last two games, while Florida ranks last in the SEC in total defense.
Kickoff from Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium is set for Saturday, and for Waxahachie folks making the drive down I-35, expect heavy traffic and a packed campus. For everyone else, it’s a rare chance to watch two blue-blood programs fight for their season in October. So who do you have winning Saturday, the Longhorns or the Gators?


