No. 7 Texas vs. Florida live updates: Gators kick FG, trail 10-3

AUSTIN — In the SEC home opener for the No. 7 Texas Longhorns, the Florida Gators are on the Forty Acres looking to end a two-game losing streak as head coach Steve Sarkisian’s team tries to bounce back from last week’s stunning 27-24 loss to the Oklahoma Sooners.

Will there be any hangover for the Longhorns, who now have less margin for error in their quest to return to the College Football Playoff? Can the offense find more explosive plays and more consistency in the running game? Can the defense force its first turnover in conference play?

Pregame injury report

Listed as probable on Friday, Texas sophomore offensive lineman Jordan Coleman and sophomore defensive lineman Justus Terry were both removed from the pregame player availability report as Terry prepares to make his return after missing four straight games.

For Florida, the significant news for the offense will be whether quarterback Aaron Philo and wide receivers Vernell Brown III and Bailey Stockton are able to play — all three are listed as game-time decisions, setting up the possibility that quarterback Tramell Jones will make his first collegiate start.

Pregame warmups

Although Philo went through pregame warmups, CBS Sports reported that Jones is going to start against the Longhorns.

First quarter

Texas won the toss and made the decision to receive, taking over at the 25-yard line after a touchback.

In 12 personnel to start the game, the Longhorns tested the perimeter with junior wide receiver Ryan Wingo on a push pass for a 10-yard gain. After a three-yard gain by senior running back Hollywood Smothers, senior quarterback Arch Manning connected with junior wide receiver Cam Coleman for a five-yard gain. Smothers moved the chains wby picking up two on 3rd and 2.

A screen pass to freshman wide receiver Jermaine Bishop only went for two yards, but a shot play to Coleman was more effective in drawing a pass-interference penalty. Under pressure quickly, Manning was able to escape pressure and scramble for six yards, setting up a 32-yard touchdown run by senior running back Raleek Brown, who took the edge and outraced the defense — the first run of more than 21 yards by the Longhorns since Smothers had a 45-yard carry on the first play from scrimmage in the season opener, a span of 195 carries.

The Texas defense was able to force a three and out after Florida tried to return the kickoff and only made it to the 16-yard line after a wide receiver screen for four yards, a run for no gain, and a completion just short of the first-down marker.

The Gators almost pulled off a 74-yard punt down to the goal line, but the coverage unit didn’t field the ball before it bounced off the goal line as it took a turn towards the middle of the field, resulting in a touchback.

Screen passes to Wingo picked up three yards and 11 yards before Manning found junior wide receiver Emmett Mosley V up the sideline on a fake screen for 14 yards. On a 14-yard run by Smothers, Texas picked up an extra 15 yards on a face-mask penalty. Another push pass, this time to Bishop, gained seven yards into the red zone, where the Longhorns tried to run another fake screen that wasn’t open and produced a risky throwaway by Manning. The drive officially stalled on 3rd and 3 when an apparent missed assignment between senior left tackle Trevor Goosby and senior tight end Spencer Shannon resulted in an unblocked defender tackling Smothers for a four-yard loss, forcing Texas to settle for a 38-yard field goal by senior kicker Gianni Spetic and a 10-0 lead.

Returning a short kickoff, two Longhorns were unable to make the tackle on the kickoff, forcing Spetic to make the stop after a 30-yard return to the 35-yard line. Florida had to convert a 3rd and 7 after a three-yard run by running back Jaden Baugh and a pass breakup by Texas senior safety Jelani McDonald, opting for a screen pass to wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr. that got close enough to the line to gain that it was ruled a first down prior to a lengthy physical review that overturned the spot.

On 4th and inches, Florida was called for a false start on the quarterback sneak by Jones, sending the punt team onto the field, another good effort by Alec Clark caught by senior Ryan Niblett at his own 5-yard line. Trying to create space off the goal line, Smothers had a big seven-yard gain, followed by a six-yard effort. With Brown into the game, Texas picked up four yards on his first effort and two yards on his second, setting up 3rd and 4. Under some pressure, Manning’s throw sailed over sophomore tight end Nick Townsend.

Senior punter Mac Chiumento wasn’t able to flip the field with a 40-yard punt, allowing Florida to cross midfield with a short scramble by Jones and a good diving catch by Singleton for 12 yards. A four-yard gain by Baugh set up another run that had 15 yards tacked onto the end of it with a block below the waist penalty on sophomore nickel back Graceson Littleton.

Florida drew a penalty for an illegal formation on the next play, stopping the drive’s momentum, and Jones was gang tackled on a designed run that only gained one yard to end the first quarter.

Second quarter

With Texas junior edge Colin Simmons lined up at middle linebacker, the Horns limited a run by Baugh to three yards, then senior defensive tackle Ian Geffrard made a tackle for loss on a screen pass to the Gators running back on 3rd and 11. Florida connected on its 45-yard field goal to get onto the scoreboard.