Skip to main content
Texas

Why Playing at Florida Is the Perfect SEC Opener for Texas

Eric Nahlinby: Eric Nahlin7 hours ago
ut_vs_sam_houston_state-0525_manning
Arch Manning (Will Gallagher/Inside Texas)

Texas playing at Florida this weekend likely won’t have as much firepower as many of us thought during the offseason, but the game presents Texas, specifically the offense, with a great opportunity to get on track as conference play kicks off.

[Sign up for Inside Texas TODAY and get the BEST Longhorns coverage!]

Florida’s Struggles Under Napier

While Texas fans may be frustrated with how their favorite team has looked in its 3-1 start, it could be worse. Look no further than Gainesville, where the Florida Gators had lofty goals entering Billy Napier‘s fourth year, only to find themselves 1-3 with a home loss to South Florida and road losses at LSU and Miami. There’s no shame in losing in Death Valley or even in Coral Gables, but the offense has no-showed to the tune of 17 total points in the last two contests.

Fan Base Restlessness

In perusing the Swampy region of the internet, it seems Gators fans are more interested in a coaching search than how this season will play out. Despite Florida’s issues, this game remains compelling due to Texas’ own questions on offense. A line that opened at Texas -7.5 quickly moved to -6.5, an important threshold.

Will Napier’s players have his back more than Florida fans? If so, that extra motivation could go a long way.

Both Teams Coming Off a Bye

Like Texas, Florida is coming off a bye week. If Napier put that to good use, we could see a much better version of the Gators. Napier has suggested that quarterback DJ Lagway has a different look about him in recent practices. Is that just coach-speak, or has Lagway turned the corner like Arch Manning seemingly did in his last start?

Arch Manning’s Redemption Opportunity

One of the most intriguing aspects of this matchup is the chance to see if Manning truly regained his rhythm. The last time we saw him against a stout defense in a hostile environment, he struggled mightily. This trip to Gainesville presents an opportunity at redemption—The Swamp is hostile, and Florida does have a quality defense.

By defensive FEI, Ron Roberts’ group ranks No. 22 nationally despite receiving very little help from the offense. The LSU game was the clearest example, where Lagway threw five—yes, five—interceptions.

Texas’ Defense vs. Florida’s Offense

This is a very difficult week for Florida’s offense to “get right.” Texas’ defense ranks No. 2 in defensive FEI and is good at all three levels. If Manning had played better in Columbus, the Longhorns would likely own the top spot nationally.

Last season, Lagway made a name for himself by throwing a highly efficient deep ball, averaging an eye-popping 10.0 yards per attempt—a remarkable number. This season, he hasn’t just come crashing back to earth, he’s spelunking to new depths at 5.6 YPA.

Keys to Victory

Texas’ defense against Florida’s offense should provide the Horns with a strong floor for success, but because of Florida’s defense and the variance in Texas’ offense, this game could go either way. If Arch plays well, Texas is almost a lock to win. He played very well in his last outing, but that was Sam Houston State.

Relative to Arch, the SEC opener is more akin to Texas’ season opener.

You may also like