GAINESVILLE — Florida receiver Dallas Wilson’s long-awaited debut revived struggling quarterback DJ Lagway and staved off embattled coach Billy Napier’s much-anticipated exit.
The Gators’ 29-21 win Saturday against No. 9 Texas ended a three-game losing streak featuring as many touchdowns (three) as Florida scored in a single day against the Longhorns.
The Gators (2-3, 1-1 SEC) held off a furious rally by Texas, which suffered its second loss after opening the season as preseason No. 1.
Florida’s third straight home win over a top-25 team wasn’t easy at the end, but Wilson delivered while the defense and a sold-out Swamp rattled Texas star quarterback Arch Manning.
Wilson score twice and finished with six catches for 111 yards during his first collegiate game after sitting out September with a foot injury. On a 55-yard touchdown catch that gave UF a 29-14 lead, the 6-foot-3, 213-pound true freshman manhandled two Texas defenders on his way down the sideline to the end zone.
Wilson flattened veteran safety Michael Taaffe on the goal line on a day when the Gators repeatedly beat the Longhorns (3-2, 0-1) to the punch in their SEC opener.
In a high-profile matchup of rising star signal-callers coming off tough Septembers, Manning gave his team a chance at the end with a blitzkrieg scoring drive to cut Florida’s lead to 29-21 with 3:20 remaining. Consecutive completions of 26 and 42 yards set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Quintervion Wisner.
Texas then forced Florida to punt after the Gators were able to run 2:25 off the clock.
The Gators had built too much of a cushion and held on. .
Florida finished with 457 yards after managing just 141 yards during a 26-7 loss at Miami that appeared to signal the end was near for Napier.
But as the Gators did in 2024, they found some answers during a bye week and rallied around their beleaguered coach.
After a forgettable September himself, redshirt senior end Tyreak Sapp set the tone on the first play when he tackled Wisner for a 2-yard loss on Texas’ first offensive snap. The Longhorns’ attack rarely found a rhythm and finished with 342 yards, including 135 in the final 15 minutes.
A sold-out Swamp did its part.
A 36-yard run by Manning to the UF 30 in the opening minute of the fourth quarter gave the Longhorns life with the Gators leading 29-15. But after a 1-yard completion to tight end Jack Endries, tripped up by UF linebacker Jaden Robinson, Texas committed back-to-back false starts as the crowd roared in delight.
Manning finished 16 of 29 for 236 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, including one by Devin Moore with 7:33 remaining to stall Texas’ comeback bid.
But a Lagway interception less than a minute later gave the Longhorns the ball. The play was a rare blemish on a solid day on the heels of a 61-yard effort during a Sept. 20 loss at Miami and a five-interception collapse Sept. 13 at LSU. The Gators QB finished 21 of 28 for 298 yards and the two touchdowns to Wilson.
The Gators opened the game with their best first half of 2025, beginning with a touchdown on their opening drive for the first time in 2025 against an FBS opponent. Jadan Baugh’s 5-yard run following a nifty jump cut in the backfield ended a 13-play, 84-yard effort featuring pinpoint execution, including three third-down conversions, and superior physicality against one of the nation’s top defenses.
After forcing a Texas punt, Florida settled for a 34-yard field goal by Trey Smack for a 10-0 advantage. The Gators soon were positioned to build on it, but tight end Hayden Hansen fumbled on the Texas 40 after a 20-yard reception.
Four plays later, Manning found tailback Wisner for a 6-yard touchdown pass to complete a 55-yard drive highlighted by a 33-yard hook-up with Parker Livingston to the UF 10.
But rather than allow the Longhorns back into the game, the Gators continued to apply the pressure and prove the more physical team to carry a 19-7 lead into halftime.
Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com
