Florida managed to turn a near-perfect punt into a touchback, and it came at the worst possible time against Texas.
After the Gators fell behind 7-0 on Saturday afternoon in Austin, Florida’s first chance to answer with the ball ended in a three-and-out. That put the focus on senior punter Alec Clark, the Australia-born specialist who delivered a booming kick that looked destined to pin the 7th-ranked Longhorns at their own 1-yard line.
Instead, the coverage team got a little too aggressive.
As the ball approached the goal line, a pair of Florida players charged in trying to secure it. The problem was that the kick was already about to die near the line, and their effort nudged it just across. That turned what should have been a huge field-position win for the Gators into a touchback, giving Texas the ball at its 20 instead of deep in its own end.
The Longhorns made the most of the break. Texas went 60 yards in eight plays and added a field goal to move ahead 10-0, a much more comfortable result than the one Florida had nearly forced with the punt.
It was another rough moment in October for Florida, which entered the game having lost two straight after a strong September. And on a day when the Gators already were trying to recover from a 7-play, 75-yard touchdown drive allowed on Texas’ opening possession, the special teams miscue only made the climb steeper.
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For Florida fans, the broader picture is just as striking because the Gators were part of a day that helped redraw the national conversation in a hurry. Ohio State held off Indiana, Tennessee beat Alabama, Florida knocked off Texas, and Auburn beat Georgia, turning what could have been a routine Saturday into a rankings reset that left the Big 12 race and the rest of the playoff picture looking far more volatile than before. [Read more 🡒]