GAINESVILLE — Arch Manning possible may need been feeling some deja vu as he departed Florida Discipline. In attempting to place a forgettable September behind him, the Texas quarterback as a substitute opened his October with one other loss.
The Gators sank the No. 9 Longhorns of their Saturday SEC opener — and maybe the playoff probabilities for a quarterback who as soon as drew comparisons to Florida icon Tim Tebow.
For a lot of the day, the preseason Heisman candidate regarded disjointed and didn’t create momentum throughout a 29-21 loss to Florida (2-3, 1-1 SEC). Manning made some performs down the stretch to maintain it shut however completed 16 of 29 for 263 yards and two touchdowns but in addition two interceptions. A final-minute sack haunted the 21-year-old.
“I clearly can’t take a sack there and gotta clock it with sufficient time so we will get a shot on the finish zone. It’s by no means an excellent feeling when you may’t get a play off in the long run,” mentioned Manning, the nephew of Tremendous Bowl-winning QBs Peyton and Eli.
Coach Steve Sarkisian known as the sack a studying lesson for Manning.
As Manning continues to undergo expensive rising pains, Texas’ hopes to succeed in the CFP are slipping away a season after reaching the semifinals. The Longhorns nonetheless have 4 ranked groups on the schedule.
Coming off his greatest recreation of the season with a 309-yard, 3-touchdown effort in opposition to outmanned Sam Houston State, Manning struggled as he did previous to the 55-0 win. He had accomplished 55.3% of his passes with six touchdowns and three interceptions throughout his first three video games.
Towards the Gators, Manning was below stress, suffered six sacks and was hurried 10 instances because the Longhorns transformed simply 3 of 11 third downs.
“They’re a bodily entrance. They’ve acquired good gamers. They’ve acquired an excellent scheme. They known as an excellent recreation defensively,” Sarkisian mentioned. “We had alternatives. That was in all probability essentially the most irritating half.”
Florida defensive lineman Brien Taylor Jr. led UF with 1.5 sacks, taking down Manning for an 8-yard loss on the ultimate play of the primary half. After Texas opened the second half with the ball, defensive sort out Michai Boireau sacked Manning for a 6-yard loss on Longhorns’ first drive.
When Manning threw down discipline, Florida capitalized. Defensive again Devin Moore intercepted an extended cross from Manning into Gators territory with 7:22 remaining and UF main 29-14.
“It means the whole lot,” Moore mentioned. “Simply having the ability to be on the market with my guys and have a good time after we make performs, it’s priceless.”
From time to time, the Texas quarterback did show glimmers of the participant who was the nation’s prime recruit in 2023.
Manning accomplished a 33-yard cross to Parker Livingstone after a Florida fumble to arrange a 6-yard scoring cross two performs later to working again Quintrevion Wisner.
Later with Texas trailing 22-7, Manning ran for 15 yards early in a scoring drive that ended with an ideal 38-yard throw to Ryan Wingo, who had a number of steps on UF cornerback Cormani McClain.
Manning added a 36-yard run within the fourth quarter, however he threw an interception to security Jordan Castell that ended the drive.
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