Texas Longhorns lose to Florida 30-27, coach says “everything” will be evaluated

The Texas Longhorns fell to the Florida Gators 30-27 on Oct. 17, 2026, at Darrell K Royal‑Texas Memorial Stadium, extending a two‑game losing streak and snapping a 22‑game run of home victories against unranked opponents.

Coach Steve Sarkisian told reporters the defeat will trigger a comprehensive evaluation of the offense, including the possibility of benching starting quarterback Arch Manning. "Everything means everything," he said, adding that the team had not played good offensive football and that every aspect would be scrutinized.

“We didn’t play good offensive football, and we’re not playing good offensive football right now,” Sarkisian said. “Everything is going to be evaluated.”

Arch Manning completed 14 of 20 passes for 173 yards and one touchdown, posting a 19.9 QBR – his lowest since becoming the starter. He was sacked five times, with a critical sack‑fumble in the final two minutes that allowed Florida to seal the win.

Florida’s defense, ranked eighth‑worst against the pass nationally at 268.7 yards per game, applied relentless pressure, forcing five sacks and limiting Texas to just 50 offensive snaps, the fewest in Sarkisian’s tenure.

The loss follows a walk‑off defeat to Oklahoma the previous week, which dropped Texas from its No. 1 ranking. The Longhorns entered the Florida game after a rough fourth quarter against Oklahoma that featured two interceptions by Manning.

Texas now joins a tiny group of programs that have reached the top of the AP poll only to lose consecutive games to unranked foes, according to ESPN research. The Longhorns will look to rebound when they host Ole Miss next Saturday.