Buckle up: No. 9 Texas begins daunting stretch away from home against Florida in the Swamp

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — No. 9 Texas is about to find out what it’s really like to play on the road in the Southeastern Conference.

The Longhorns travel to one of the league’s most daunting venues when they open SEC play at Florida on Saturday. It’s the first of eight consecutive conference games for quarterback Arch Manning and Co., with the next four coming away from home.

“Everybody better buckle up,” coach Steve Sarkisian said. “There are no gimmies.”

Texas (3-1) opened the season with a 14-7 loss at then-No. 3 Ohio State, getting more than a taste of road hostilities. But playing four in a row away from home — the Longhorns are the only SEC team dealt that kind of slate in 2025 — is sure to present new challenges and provide plenty of adversity.

“It’s going to be a road-warrior mentality, and we always talk about that,” Texas safety Michael Taaffe said.

It begins with the Longhorns’ first visit to Gainesville since 1940. They won that one 26-0 but probably shouldn’t expect the return trip to be as smooth.

Although the Gators (1-3, 0-1 SEC) have dropped three a row — a skid that has coach Billy Napier back on the proverbial hot seat — they played well enough defensively to win all three. And they have a history of rattling quarterbacks in the Swamp.

Texas won all three of its SEC road games in 2024, its first year in the league, but those came against Vanderbilt and longtime rivals Arkansas and Texas A&M. The Longhorns have four true conference road games this season, including a trip to 12th-ranked Georgia next month.

Florida is 15-7 at home under Napier but did win its last two against ranked teams, beating LSU and Mississippi down the stretch last season.

The Gators need sophomore quarterback DJ Lagway to play better to improve their chances as 6 1/2-point home underdogs, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. Lagway, who missed most of the year while dealing with various injuries, has looked rusty in his return and less than comfortable in the pocket.

“Every game you got a chip on your shoulder,” Lagway said. “Especially right now (with) how the world’s counting us out. So we all got a chip on our shoulder to go out there and compete, let it loose and have fun.”

Texas is averaging 8½ penalties a game, which ranks among the worst in the nation and the SEC. The flags proved particularly costly at Ohio State and have dogged the Longhorns on both sides of the ball since.

Florida receiver Dallas Wilson, a 6-foot-3, 213-pound freshman and one of the team’s top recruits, is scheduled to make his collegiate debut after missing a month with a left foot injury.

The Tampa native caught 10 passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns in the spring game and could provide a lift for an offense that scored 16, 10 and 7 points in consecutive losses.

“He's the real deal,” Florida linebacker Myles Graham said. “He’s out there running and jumping like he was never hurt.”

Preseason All-American Colin Simmons got his first solo sack of the season on the first play against Sam Houston State on Sept. 20, then didn’t get another. Simmons notched a team-leading nine sacks as a freshman in 2024 but has been less effective though four games this season.

Texas ranks tied for eighth in the SEC with 11 sacks.

Florida will be without backup running back Ja'Kobi Jackson, clearing a path for Jadan Baugh to get more work. Texas likely will be without running back CJ Baxter (hamstring), who was listed as doubtful, and maybe co-starter Quintrevion Wisner (hamstring). Wisner was listed as questionable.

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AP Sports Writer Jim Vertuno in Austin, Texas, contributed to this report.

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