In a Week 11 SEC showdown, the No. 5 Texas Longhorns (8-1) dominated the Florida Gators (4-5) with a decisive 49-17 victory at the Swamp, powered by a stellar performance from quarterback Quinn Ewers. Ewers, who threw for 333 yards and a career-high five touchdowns, was unstoppable against a Florida defense that struggled from the start. The Longhorns’ explosive offense and an impressive first-half shutout silenced the home crowd and reinforced Texas’s standing in the College Football Playoff race.
The game was marked by Texas’s big plays early on, setting the tone for a blowout by halftime. Ewers wasted no time connecting on key passes, first hitting Matthew Golden and then Gunnar Helm for two touchdowns in the opening quarter. The Longhorns‘ high-octane offense continued to pressure the Gators’ secondary, with Quintrevion Wisner taking a screen pass 50 yards to the end zone and Golden adding a 32-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter. By halftime, Texas led 35-0, leaving little hope for a Florida comeback.
Texas’s offensive explosion came on the heels of recent struggles, where head coach Steve Sarkisian noted the team’s difficulty finding an offensive rhythm. On Saturday, the Longhorns found plenty of it, dialing up one big play after another. Texas recorded a remarkable 12 plays of over 20 yards, with explosive contributions from wide receiver Isaiah Bond, who returned after missing a game due to an ankle injury. Bond’s performance included a 44-yard run on a misdirection play and a 34-yard touchdown catch off a screen pass, further opening up the field for Ewers and the Longhorns.
Ewers, who had been dealing with an abdomen injury and was briefly benched two games ago in a tough loss to Georgia, showcased a return to form. His five touchdowns were a career best, just one shy of the Texas single-game record. Sarkisian gave him a well-deserved rest after his fifth touchdown pass, inserting freshman Arch Manning in the third quarter. Though Ewers could have added more yards if not for a couple of dropped deep passes, the star quarterback made the most of his limited time, delivering one of his best performances of the season.
On the defensive side, Texas effectively neutralized Florida‘s offense, which was led by Yale transfer quarterback Aidan Warner. Freshman quarterback DJ Lagway was sidelined with a hamstring injury, leaving Warner, initially the third-string option, to face the pressure. Warner finished the game 12 of 25 for 132 yards with two interceptions, struggling against Texas’s stifling defense.
The blowout loss raises questions about the Gators’ decision-making at the top. Just days earlier, Florida’s athletic director Scott Stricklin publicly supported head coach Billy Napier for another season. However, the team’s inability to compete with a high-caliber Texas squad could cast doubt on that endorsement. Napier, now 15-19 in his third year, has shown flashes of improvement with close games against rivals Tennessee and Georgia, but Saturday’s game was a reminder of the program’s ongoing struggles.
After conceding 11 sacks over their last two games, the Longhorns’ offensive line rebounded impressively, giving Ewers solid protection throughout the game. Outside of an opening-drive sack, Ewers was barely touched, thanks to quick reads and well-designed plays that kept him from taking additional hits that might aggravate his abdomen injury. Texas’s offensive balance and rhythm on Saturday made them look like a legitimate playoff contender once again.
Florida (4-5, 2-4 SEC) will look to recover as they host No. 14 LSU next Saturday in another challenging matchup, while Texas (8-1, 4-1 SEC) heads to Fayetteville to take on Arkansas as they aim to bolster their playoff résumé. With Ewers in peak form and a dynamic offensive playbook, the Longhorns are primed for a strong finish to the season.
