Week 6 has a major SEC battle in The Swamp as the Texas Longhorns visit the Florida Gators. Neither team has been impressive, falling in the SEC Power Rankings. Both teams are coming in off an open week as both prepare for this SEC battle, and we have bold predictions on the game.
Texas enters the game with a 3-1 record on the year. It has not been horribly impressive, though. In Week 1, the team suffered a 14-7 loss to Ohio State, struggling on offense. Over the next three weeks, Texas defeated San Jose State, UTEP, and Sam Houston. While Arch Manning and the team were solid in recent weeks, it has been against lower-level competition.
Meanwhile, Florida is just 1-3 on the year. The team opened up with a win against Long Island, but has since lost three in a row. First, it was an upset at the hands of South Florida, before losses to LSU and Miami on the road. In the game with Miami, DJ Lagway was hurt and was in a walking boot after the game, but is expected to play in this game. Regardless, he needs to have a better performance if Florida is going to win this game.
Arch Manning accounts for five touchdowns
The Texas offense has been average overall. The team is 41st in the nation in points per game while sitting 28th in yards per game. The passing offense has also been fairly average. It sits 38th in yards per pass, but 57th in yards per game.
Manning has completed 65 of 106 passes for 888 yards and nine touchdowns. He has three interceptions on the year as well. Manning has been solid on the ground, running for 123 yards and five scores this year. He passed for just 170 yards against Ohio State with a touchdown and an interception.
The quarterback has thrown interceptions in three of the four games this year, but has also run for touchdowns in three of the four games. Regardless, Florida has struggled against the pass this year. The team is 55th in the nation against the pass, and does not have a great pass rush, sitting 126th in the nation in sack rate. The low pressure and sack rate is going to give Manning time. He may not hit a ton of big throws, but Manning has another chance to not be “pressing” here, which will lead to multiple scores.
Manning has accounted for five touchdowns twice this year already. While Florida is giving up just 21.3 points per game, this week the team gives up 35, and Manning accounts for all five of them.
DJ Lagway finds the Florida bench
The Florida offense has been bad this year, sitting 131st in the nation in points per game and 123rd in yards per game since the game with Long Island. The passing offense has also been below standard. The team is 37th in the nation in pass attempts per game, but 98th in yards. The consistent refrain is short passes, which may not be completed.
Lagway is coming off a disaster against Miami. In that game, he completed just 12 of 23 passes for 61 yards. The week before, against LSU, he was 33 for 49 for 287 yards but with five interceptions.
Lagway has not been beched for poor performance yet this year, but he will in this one. Head coach Billy Napier has previously shut down the idea of benching Lagway, but he will not have a choice in this game, as he has continues to struggle. Florida's defense has kept games tight, with only one loss by more than ten points. The offense has scored just 33 points in the last three weeks, as Lagway has regressed. If the defense plays to its standard, keeping Florida in this game, the lack of solid plays from the Florida quarterback is going to lead to a change.
Tramell Jones Jr. is the backup and threw for 131 yards with two touchdowns against Long Island. It is the only game time of his career, but he has already shown himself to be competent, and as the Florida season bombs, they will put in the freshman.
Billy Napier is fired after the game
Napier is on the hot seat right now and could find himself out of a job soon. He has not been successful as the head coach of Florida. His first season was a 6-7 record, followed by a 2023 record of 5-7, and then 8-5 in 2024. Napier is already just 1-3 this year, with his only win over an FCS school. Not only does Napier have a losing record as the head coach of Florida, but he also has problems inside the program. A Gator spat on a member of the South Florida team during the game, helping South Florida earn the win. Then an assistant coach was caught in a pre-game scuffle with an LSU player the next week.
With a loss in this game, Napier will likely be out of the race to play in the SEC title game. Considering each of the last six coaches played for a conference title within their first three seasons, Napier's days could be numbered.
Texas is going to win this game and is a heavy favorite. After the game, Florida will be just 1-4 and on their way to missing a bowl game. That will lead to the boosters raising enough money to pay off Napier, and he will be gone after this game.
