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Florida Gators Upset No. 9 Texas, 29-21

Florida set a season-high in sacks, Dallas Wilson broke multiple records, and Gators upset No. 9 Texas for its first FBS win of the season.
Cam Parker|
Florida Gators wide receiver Dallas Wilson scored twice in the team's upset win over Texas.
Florida Gators wide receiver Dallas Wilson scored twice in the team's upset win over Texas. | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

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Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- The Florida Gators needed a spark offensively, and Dallas Wilson provided.

Making his first appearance of his career, five-star receiver Dallas Wilson etched his name into the UF record books by setting multiple program records for UF freshman receivers in a debut with six receptions, 111 yards and 2 touchdowns.

A 13-yard touchdown from DJ Lagway put the Gators up 17-7 in the second quarter, and a 55-yard touchdown put Florida up by 15 late in the third quarter, eventually resulting in a 29-21 upset win over No. 9 Texas.

The win marked Florida's first FBS win of the season and snapped a three-game losing streak.

Lagway, who had drawn criticism for his play this season, went 21-for-28 for 298 yards and two touchdowns, setting a season-high for passing yards, as Florida accounted for 457 yards of total offense.

Coming into Saturday's contest, the Gators averaged 11 points per game against FBS opponents. Florida had 10 by the end of the first quarter.

Wilson got involved early with a pair of catches on the Gators' opening drive as Lagway went 4-for-4 for 31 yards.

Florida drove 84 yards on 13 plays, capping the drive with a five-yard rushing touchdown by Jadan Baugh. The score moved Baugh over the 1,000-yard mark for his career, while Florida converted a pair of third downs on the drive after an 0-for-13 performance two weeks ago against Miami.

Baugh finished the game with 107 yards on 27 carries.

A drive later, Trey Smack hit a 34-yard field goal to give Florida a 10-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

It looked like Florida would surpass that 11-point average on their third drive until Hayden Hansen fumbled after a 13-yard completion from Lagway. Texas' Anthony Hill Jr. returned the fumble 21 yards, putting the Longhorns in UF territory for their third drive.

Arch Manning completed a 33-yard pass to Parker Livingston before hitting Quintrevion Winsner for a 6-yard touchdown to put the Longhorns on the board.

Florida rebounded immediately.

Lagway threw for 62 yards on a 10-play, 77-yard drive with a 19-yard pass to J. Michael Sturdivant and an 18-yard pass to Wilson before Wilson scored his first career touchdown. Lagway found the former five-star for a 13-yard score to put Florida up 17-7.

The score set a UF accolade with Wilson becoming the first true freshman receiver in UF history to score a touchdown in their first start that also happened to be their first game.

A drive later, Florida's special teams added to the scoring with receiver Taylor Spierto blocking a punt, resulting in a safety that gave the Gators a 19-7 lead at halftime.

Florida opened the second half by, once again, forcing Texas to punt, and the Gators began to let it loose in the passing game. Lagway hit Vernell Brown III for a 60-yard pass to put Florida on Texas' 40-yard line.

The play, Florida's longest pass of the season, set up a 38-yard field goal by Smack to give Florida a 22-7 lead late in the third quarter.

Manning answered with a 38-yard touchdown pass, but Wilson, once again, sent the Swamp into another frenzy with his 55-yard touchdown, during which he broke multiple tackles to give Florida a 29-14 lead. The touchdown also put Wilson over the 100-yard mark in his first career game.

UF safety Jordan Castell intercepted a pass on the next drive before Devin Moore added another a drive later.

Manning rebounded with passes of 26 yards and 42 yards to set up a one-yard rushing touchdown by Wisner, but Texas failed to recover a short kick on the ensuing kickoff.

The game nearly got away from Florida with Napier questionably calling a timeout to avoid a 10-second runoff offensively, giving Texas, which had zero timeouts, time for one final drive.

Texas completed a 29-yard pass and added 15 yards after a personal foul on Florida, putting the Longhorns on the Gators' 40-yard line with 31 seconds left. Two plays later, George Gumbs Jr. sacked Manning, and Manning could not get the ensuing spike off before the clock expired.

Manning went 16-for-29 for 263 yards and two touchdowns with the two interceptions. Florida sacked the former five-star six times after coming into Saturday's game with only three sacks on the season.

Florida hits the road next week to face Texas A&M, looking for another week of revenge after a 33-20 loss to the Aggies last season in the Swamp.

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Cam Parker
CAM PARKER

Cam Parker is a reporter covering the Florida Gators, Auburn Tigers and Clemson Tigers with a degree in journalism from the University of Florida. He also covers and broadcasts Alachua County high school sports with The Prep Zone and Mainstreet Daily News. When he isn't writing, he enjoys listening to '70s music such as The Band or Lynyrd Skynyrd, binge-watching shows and playing with his cat, Chester, and dog, Rufus.

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