The Florida Gators and Texas Longhorns faced off for the first time on the college football field in 80s years in Week 11. On a sunny Saturday in Austin, the Burnt Orange scorched the Orange and Blue, 49-17, as [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag]’s team had no answer for the home squad on either side of the ball.
The Gators struggled to contain the ‘Horns starting from the opening kickoff but miraculously held them to a missed field goal to keep things tied. Florida would punt on the next possession; Texas converted a fouth-and-one on its own 24-yard-line following that punt, leading to the game’s first score
Then things started to get out of hand.
Florida fumbled the ball at the end of the first quarter while Steve Sarkisian’s crew stepped on the gas; they would score on the next two possessions while UF missed a field goal from UT’s 12-yard line. After that, the rout was on.
Looking back at the spanking the Gators received from the Longhorns, there is a trio of particular points to note in the immediate aftermath.
Florida never had a chance
From the very first play, Texas controlled the tempo on offense and shrugged off the Gators out in the open field. That hiccup in the red zone turned out to be an outlier as the Longhorns did not leave many points off the board afterward.
The best chance Florida had to get back into this game came in Texas’ first two possessions of the second quarter which resulted in punts. After that, the Longhorns scored four straight TDs extending into the opening of the second half.
Florida, on the other hand, did not score until 7:03 in the third quarter; that field 23-yard-filed goal extended UF’s nation-leading streak of games without being shut out. So at least there is that.
Jaden Baugh is an absolute baller
On a roster that is missing dynamic playmakers like DJ Lagway and Eugene Wilson III, running back Jaden Baugh has emerged as a player with that dog in him. The true freshman was a bruiser on the ground even when things were looking dire — even taking a couple of snaps in the wildcat formation.
Additionally, he seemingly got stronger as the game went on leading up to his third-quarter touchdown in which he dragged several defenders over the goal line, giving the Gators something to feel good about.
Florida certainly misses Montrell Johnson’s work-horse reps, but Baugh’s multifaceted talents in the backfield and beyond cannot be understated. Heck, he also serves as the primary kick returner. What a guy.
Baugh’s day was over a play into the fourth quarter, but he still ran for 19 yards for 88 yards and a touchdown — good for a 4.6 yards-per-carry average. He also caught a pass for a seven-yard gain on one targeted throw.
Special mention to fellow running back [autotag]Ja’Kobi Jackson[/autotag], who amassed even bigger numbers than Baugh but was responsible for the early fumble that led to Texas’ second score. He finished with as many attempts as his backfield companion but managed to earn 116 yards (6.1 per) and a touchdown while also catching a pass for 13 yards.
Aidan Warner ain’t it at quarterback
With all due respect for the young redshirt freshman, Aidan Warner just does not have the chops to compete in the SEC. Of course, only in a disaster would one start a third-string walk-on quarterback and few people foresaw the voracious injury bug that has plagued the Swamp.
Well, Florida is in the midst of a roster disaster and there is seemingly little the coaching staff can do about it. One has to trust Napier and Co.’s judgment when evaluating him and transfer Clay Millen, but either way, when you include the attrition sustained at other skill positions, the Gators are in dire straits.
Napier did try the wildcat as mentioned above but it is going to take more than high school gimmick plays to earn two more wins this fall. Rushing Lagway back onto the field is a terrible idea, but something has to be figured out under center.
Next up for Florida
The Gators return to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to host the LSU Tigers in college football’s Week 12. The Southeastern Conference matchup will kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ABC.
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