Florida Gators swamp No. 9 Texas 29-21

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA—The Florida Gators were down, but not out. After losing three straight games, UF stunned No. 9 Texas on Saturday in the Swamp. Final score: Gators 29, Longhorns 21.

UF quarterback DJ Lagway played like the player most thought he could be, running back Jadan Baugh went over 100 yards rushing, freshman receivers Dallas Wilson and Vernell Brown were spectacular and the Gators’ defense held Texas in check for most of the day.

For Florida, now 2-3, it was a total team win. And few saw it coming.

The Gators had looked terrible just two weeks earlier in a 26-7 loss at Miami. But Saturday, an energized UF team went ahead 10-0 in the first quarter and never looked back, electrifying a frenzied Ben Hill Griffin Stadium crowd.

Lagway was 21 of 28 for 298 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception. Baugh finished with 107 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries. Wilson, in his Gators debut [he’s been injured] had six catches for 111 yards and two touchdowns, one going for 55 yards. Brown had a spectacular 60-yard reception. And the much-maligned offensive line was dominant against the nation’s No. 2 scoring defense.

Meanwhile, the Florida defense played lights out for three quarters, then made several big plays in the final period to help UF hold on. The Gators intercepted Texas quarterback Arch Manning [16 of 29, 263, 2 touchdowns] twice and sacked him six times. UF had just three total sacks entering the game.

Next up for the Gators: A trip next Saturday to No. 6 Texas A&M.

Gators Online was on the scene in the Swamp and provided live updates from the game below. Meanwhile, you can join the discussion on the Swamp Talk message board with other UF fans.

FOURTH QUARTER

*UT drove to the UF 42 before time ran out. Game over.

*UF is forced to punt and Texas will start at the UT 31 with 54 seconds left.

*The Longhorns have made this interesting with a 1-yard touchdown run from Tre Wisner with 3:20 left in the game. The drive covered 69 yards in only five plays. Quarterback Arch Manning made a few really nice throws on the series. SCORE: UF 29, UT 21, 3:20.

*Texas burned all three timeouts and got the stop. Longhorns ball with 4:50 left at the UT 31.

*Nothing doing for Texas as the ‘Horns committed multiple positions and had to punt. UF ball at the Gators 35 with 5:15 left.

*Gators quarterback DJ Lagway was just picked off at the UT 26 with 6:43 left.

*Gators corner Devin Moore just picked off Texas quarterback Arch Manning at the UF 42 with 7:33 left. Manning now is 13 of 23 for 184 yards, 2 touchdowns, 2 interceptions.

*With Texas driving, Gators safety Jordan Castell just picked off Texas QB Arch Manning. Gators have the ball at their own 38 with 13:06 left.

THIRD QUARTER

*DJ Lagway just connected with Dallas Wilson on a spectacular 55-yard touchdown that sent the Ben Hill Griffin Stadium crowd into a frenzy. Five-play, 75-yard drive. SCORE: UF 29, UT 14, 0:38.

*The Longhorns just went 75 yards on six plays and scored on a 33-yard pass from Arch Manning to Ryan Wingo. SCORE: UF 22, UT 14, 2:43.

*The Gators got an incredible 60-yard catch from freshman receiver Vernell Brown III and that play led to a 30-yard field goal by Trey Smack. SCORE: UF 22, UT 7, 5:37.

*UF leads in total yards 270-108 at the 8:50 mark of the quarter.

*With a 22-yard completion by Arch Manning, Texas got to the UF 40 but ultimately was forced to point. The Longhorns missed a wide open receiver down field on first down that probably would have been a touchdown had it been completed. Gators ball at the UF 20 with 8:50 left in the quarter.

*Florida could not get anything going on Drive No. 1 on the second half. Three plays, 7 yards. After a short punt (30 yards) into the wind, UT has the ball as Texas 35.

*The Gators’ defense has forced a three-and-out to start the second half.

SECOND QUARTER

*Quick three-and-out for UF. UT has the ball at the Texas 12 with 1:46 left in the half.

*UF’s Taylor Spierto just blocked a punt for a safety. SCORE: UF 19, UT 7, 3:52.

*The Gators just drove 77 yards in 10 plays and went two scores up on a 13-yard touchdown pass from DJ Lagway to Dallas Wilson. That is Wilson’s first touchdown as a Gator. SCORE: UF 17, UT 7, 4:55.

*Texas scored quickly after UF’s costly fumble. Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning completed a 6-yard touchdown pass to running back Tre Wisner to cap a four-play, 45-yard drive. SCORE: UF 10, UT 7, 9:55.

*Florida just fumbled for the second time, but this time Texas recovered. It came on a completion from DJ Lagway to tight end Hayden Hansen. The play gained 13 yards, but Hansen coughed it up. Texas ball at the UF 45 with 12:06 left in the half..

*Texas just gained 13 plays on six plays and was forced to punt. Gators ball at the UF 20. Longhorns QB Arch Manning is 4 of 4 for 24 yards.

FIRST QUARTER

*The Gators are now 4 of 5 on third down today.

*Two drives, two scores for UF. This one covered 62 yards in six plays and ended with a 34-yard Trey Smack field goal. SCORE: UF 10, UT 0, 1:00.

*On its first offensive series, UT drove 30 yards in seven plays to the UF 40, but the Gators forced Arch Manning incompletions on second and third down and the Longhorns punted into the end zone.

*On the UF drive, Jadan Baugh went over 1,000 career rushing yards. He’s a sophomore.

*The Gators started the game with arguably their best drive of the season. UF went 84 yards in 13 plays and scored on a 5-yard touchdown run from Jadan Baugh. The drive consumed 6:52 of game clock. Baugh had eight carries for 39 yards on the drive; UF quarterback DJ Lagway was 4 of 4 for 31 yards. SCORE: UF 7, UT 0, 7:58.

*This story will be updated.

How to watch the Florida Gators vs the Texas Longhorns

Date: Sat. Oct. 4
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (88,548), Gainesville, Fla.
TV: ESPN
Stream: Cox 7/1007[HD], DirecTV 8 [HD]
Radio: SiriusXM Channel: 145 [Gator Network]/ TBA [Westwood One]

On The Call — ESPN

Play-by-Play: Bob Wischusen
Analyst: Louis Riddick
Reporter: Kris Budden

On The Call — Gator Sports Network from LEARFIELD

Play-by-Play: Sean Kelley
Analyst: Shane Matthews
Reporter: Tate Casey

On the Call — Westwood One

Play-by-Play: Nate Gatter
Analyst: Derek Rackley
Studio Host: Jon Stashower

Betting Lines

BetMGM, On3’s official partner, lists UF as a 5.5-point underdog (-110 for UF). The over/under is 42.5 (-(-110 for UF). The money line is +170 for the Gators and -210 for Texas.