Nov 9, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) passes the ball during the second half against the Florida Gators at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Texas Takes On a Reeling Florida Gators Team in Week 6

Originally posted on Texas Longhorns on SI
By Payton Blalock | Last updated Sep 29, 2025 4:55 PM ET

SEC season is here.

The Texas Longhorns will officially kick off their SEC slate against the Florida Gators in Gainesville, Florida, on Oct. 4.

This matchup gives the Longhorns a much-needed opportunity to showcase improvements they made during the nonconference season, and it could help set the tone for this next phase of their 2025 campaign.

What to know about the Florida Gators

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The Gators entered the season at No. 15 on the Preseason AP Poll Top 25 rankings, but a tough start has caused them to slip to an unranked status.

The team opened their season with a shutout victory against the Long Island Landsharks, but have since developed a record of 0-3 in their matchups against South Florida, LSU and Miami. Granted, LSU and Miami currently rank highly on the AP Poll, but the high concentration of losses this early in the season still isn’t a strong sign for the Gators.

Despite high expectations ahead of the season’s start, quarterback DJ Lagway has found himself unable to pilot this team towards success so far. The sophomore has thrown six interceptions this season already, five of which were against LSU.

He now appears to be nursing a leg injury of some sort, as he was seen in a walking boot following the Gators’ most recent matchup against Miami. However, head coach Billy Napier has said that his quarterback is practicing and in good health for the upcoming matchup against the Longhorns.

Napier has absorbed a significant portion of the blame for Florida’s lackluster start, making the start of conference season an important period for him to turn things around before it’s too late.

Texas vs. Florida

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While it hasn’t been reflected as aggressively in their record, the Longhorns have also struggled a little bit during the opening part of their season.

They suffered a Week 1 loss against the Ohio State Buckeyes, and a subpar offensive performance caused quarterback Arch Manning to become a major subject of criticism within the world of college football.

While they claimed three consecutive victories following the matchups, many still worry about the Longhorns’ ability to kick it into a higher gear for conference play.

Regardless of Florida’s slower start, playing at The Swamp as the traveling team is no small feat. The crowd is likely to be loud and passionate in Gainesville, and it will be interesting to see how this Texas team fares.

Both teams possess pretty highly regarded defenses, so it could come down to which quarterback is able to maintain composure and establish more of a rhythm offensively.

The matchup will take place at 2:30 p.m. CT on Oct. 4.

This article first appeared on Texas Longhorns on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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