Florida Gators vs. Texas Longhorns Pick & Prediction NOVEMBER 9th 2024

Preview and Prediction

The fifth-ranked Texas Longhorns are determined to remain in contention for a spot in the league championship game and beyond. After a week off, they are set to face the short-handed Florida Gators in a Southeastern Conference showdown on Saturday afternoon in Austin, Texas.

This will be the first meeting between the two programs since 1940, with Texas holding a perfect 2-0-1 record against the Gators in their three previous matchups.

In the initial College Football Playoff ranking released on Tuesday, Texas was ranked fifth, their highest ever spot in the initial CFP rankings. Last season, they reached their best ranking of No. 3 before heading into the CFP semifinal against Washington. The Longhorns had consistently climbed up the rankings, starting at No. 7 in the first five CFP rankings.

Coming off a 27-24 win against then-No. 25 Vanderbilt on October 26, the Longhorns (7-1, 3-1 SEC) are ready to continue their fight for the top spot. Quarterback Quinn Ewers threw for 288 yards and three touchdowns in the win, while the Texas defense held Vanderbilt to just 269 total yards and forced three turnovers. However, the Longhorns had to recover an onside kick in the final moments of the game to secure the victory.

Ewers has been a key player for the Longhorns, leading the team in passing with 1,389 yards and 14 touchdowns. Despite missing almost three games due to an abdominal strain, he has been a strong presence on the field. However, his six interceptions and occasional indecisiveness have been areas of concern for Texas coach Steve Sarkisian. Nonetheless, Sarkisian has been pleased with Ewers' performance in the past two weeks and believes he is in good form heading into the game against Florida.

The Gators (4-4, 2-3) are coming off a 34-20 loss to No. 3 Georgia on November 2 in Jacksonville, Florida. Freshman quarterback DJ Lagway left the game in the second quarter with a pulled hamstring, and his replacement Aidan Warner struggled, completing just 7 of 22 passes for 66 yards and an interception. Running back Ja'Kobi Jackson was the top performer for the Gators, rushing for 74 yards and a touchdown.

Florida has faced some challenges in their past few games, losing two out of their last three. They were also missing some key players in their game against Georgia, including quarterback Graham Mertz, cornerback Jason Marshall, wide receiver Eugene Wilson III, and running back Montrell Johnson, all out with injuries. The Gators also lost cornerback Devin Moore to a knee injury during the game.

Despite these setbacks, Florida coach Billy Napier remains optimistic and believes in the "next man up" mentality. He sees this as an opportunity for some of the less experienced players to step up and make an impact. As for the quarterback situation, Napier has not ruled out Lagway for the game against Texas, but Warner, a transfer from Yale, is expected to start.

Sarkisian and the Longhorns are preparing for Florida's complex offensive scheme, rather than focusing on individual players. The Gators' offense is known for their intricate plays, with lots of shifts, motions, and formation adjustments that can be challenging for any defense to handle.

PREDICTION

Florida Gators

Texas Longhorns

Florida Gators vs. Texas Longhorns Recap NOV 9TH 2024

Quinn Ewers passed for 333 yards and career-high five touchdowns over the game's first 33 minutes as No. 5 Texas romped past visiting Florida 49-17 on Saturday afternoon at Austin, Texas.

The Longhorns (8-1, 4-1 SEC) flexed their talent and speed throughout the win as the teams played as SEC opponents for the first time. Ewers finished 19 of 27 without an interception, and Jerrick Gibson rushed for 100 yards and a TD for Texas.

Aidan Warner, the Gators' walk-on, third string quarterback, passed for 132 yards and was intercepted twice. Ja'Kobi Jackson rushed for 116 yards and a score while Jaden Baugh added 88 yards rushing and a TD for Florida (4-5, 2-4).

Texas struck on its second possession, jumping to a 7-0 lead with a 29-yard TD pass from Ewers to Matthew Golden with 3:43 to play in the first quarter. The score came two snaps after a nifty 44-yard wide receiver reverse from Isaiah Bond put the Longhorns deep into Florida territory.

The Longhorns added to their lead just 32 seconds later on a 22-yard Ewers-to Gunnar Helm touchdown pass after a Florida fumble. Ewers struck again when Quintrevion Wisner turned a screen pass into a 50-yard TD catch and run for a 21-0 lead 5:54 to play before halftime.

Texas expanded its advantage with a 32-yard scoring pass from Ewers to Golden with 1:19 to play in the half. That was more than enough time for the Longhorns to score again as they took advantage of an interception of Warner and marched 45 yards in four plays to a 5-yard TD run by Jaydon Blue that made it 35-0 at the break.

The Longhorns outgained Florida 353-138 in the half while racking up eight plays of 20 yards or more over a dominating first two quarters.

Texas continued its momentum into the third quarter, forcing a second interception of Warner and turning the miscue into a 34-yard Ewers-to-Bond touchdown pass just 2:08 after the break.

The Gators finally scored on a 23-yard field goal from Trey Smack with 7:04 to play in the third quarter at the end of a 15-play, 70-yard drive. Jaden Baugh added a 2-yard TD run with 1:30 left in the third and Jackson added a 7-yard TD run for the Gators with 8:27 remaining.