Biggest Takeaways From the Longhorns' Struggle-Filled Loss to Florida

Texas Longhorns football dropped its first game in SEC play to the Florida Gators 29-21, struggling on both sides of the ball.

Oct 4, 2025; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators defensive back Cormani McClain (25) attempts to intercept a pass intended for Texas Longhorns wide receiver Ryan Wingo (1) during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

No. 9 Texas football's struggles continued on Saturday when the team opened SEC play with a 29-21 loss to the unranked Florida Gators.

Now 3-2 on the season, all is not lost, but the team is going to need to find a way to get back on track to finish conference play and have a shot at the SEC championship.

With that in mind, here are a few notes from Texas's loss to Florida.

Arch Manning and the Longhorns O-line

Texas quarterback Arch Manning (16) gets grabbed by Florida defensive back Josiah Davis (23) during the second half an NCAA football game in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, October 4, 2025. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun] | Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Arch Manning had a tough day under center, going 16 for 29, for 263 passing yards, two passing touchdowns and two interceptions. Though Manning missed a few throws and struggled against the Gators, he is not entirely to blame for Saturday's performance.

Protection was a serious problem for the Longhorns' offensive line against Florida, allowing Manning to be sacked six times in Saturday's contest. On plays where Manning wasn't taken down in the backfield, he was forced to rush throws with little time in the pocket, leading to some missed opportunities.

When Manning did have time in the pocket, he played quite well. The young QB will inevitably receive some criticism after the game's result, but he showed some serious glimpses of what he is capable of at quarterback. If the Longhorns hope to help Manning reach his full potential and lead the team to another playoff run, the offensive line needs to see some improvements as SEC play continues.

Defense Uncharacteristically Struggled

Oct 4, 2025; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators running back Jadan Baugh (13) leaps over Texas Longhorns defensive back Graceson Littleton (29) during the first half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Texas has one of the nation's best defenses, something the team has demonstrated numerous times this season, except in Saturday's game against Florida. The Longhorns allowed 169 rushing yards and 298 passing yards from Florida, with the team averaging 4.3 yards per carry and 10.3 yards per pass.

The Longhorns' defense did not look like itself, missing numerous tackles and allowing the Gators to move down the field with ease. Though they showed up late in the game to give the offense a final opportunity to tie Florida, the unit as a whole ultimately fell short.

Everyone has bad games, and sometimes that's true for entire units. Despite this, the Longhorns showed glimpses of the defensive success that they've demonstrated over the past two seasons.

Texas Just Couldn't Run The Football

Oct 4, 2025; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Texas Longhorns defensive back Ryan Niblett (21) runs with the ball against the Florida Gators during the first half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Texas running backs combined for 11 carries, 15 yards and a touchdown against the Gators. Not the performance returning starting back, Tre Wisner was looking forward to having,

Texas failed to get much going out of the backfield. This goes back to the offensive line struggles and the Longhorns need to get stronger up front.

Numerous Penalties Also Hurt Texas

Oct 4, 2025; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) throws the ball under pressure from Florida Gators defensive end George Gumbs Jr. (34) during the first half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Penalties have especially been an issue for Texas to start the season, with 10 against the team for a costly 70 yards in the game against the Gators. The Longhorns now have 44 total penalties through five games, costing the team an average of 77 yards per game, according to Texas Athletics.

If the team hopes to find more success going forward, it needs to clean up the penalties as it faces more difficult competition.