Aaron Philo’s status against Texas came down to a game-time call, and the signs in Austin pointed toward at least a real chance he could suit up.
The Florida quarterback, who has been dealing with a shoulder injury all week, was listed as questionable in the availability reports earlier this week and is now a gametime decision vs. Texas. He has started all six games this season, and if he cannot play, Tramell Jones would make his first career start.
Philo was on the field warming up, an indication that he felt well enough to test the shoulder and possibly give it a go. The assignment would not be a friendly one. Texas brings one of the toughest defenses in the nation, and Longhorns defender Colin Simmons is described as a pass rushing machine.
A photo from Austin showed Philo warming up before kickoff, with his status still unresolved.
This season, Philo has completed over 70% of his passes and has thrown nine touchdowns against three interceptions. The pressure on him has only grown as injuries to wide receivers Vernell Brown III and Eric Singleton Jr. have allowed defenses to key in on stopping Jadan Baugh. That has left Philo carrying more of the load, whether through the air or on the ground, and last week’s 38-19 loss to South Carolina took a toll on him in more than one way.
Florida’s injury picture does not stop there. Brown and Bailey Stockton are both game-time decisions, while backup running back Duke Clark will not play.
There is also curiosity about what Jones could do if he gets the nod. With the Gators in the middle of a brutal stretch and outside the AP Poll, this would be a chance for him to show whether he can lead Florida’s offense in these difficult games.
Florida has a bye in Week 8 and then travels to Atlanta to face Georgia at the end of the month. That timing creates the possibility that sitting Philo for a few weeks could be the best path to make sure the Gators are stronger later in the season and positioned to secure a bowl berth.
And if Jones somehow delivers a breakout performance against a top-10 team, it could give Jon Sumrall some important answers.
In Other News...
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Floridas 2024 recruiting cycle has taken on a different look a year later, especially when it comes to the group of prospects who backed away from their pledges. Xavier Filsaime is one of the more notable examples, with the former Gators commit now at Texas and dealing with an injury-plagued season that has kept him from making the kind of impact many expected when he was being recruited.
He is hardly alone in that regard. A review of seven top recruits from Floridas 2024 class who decommitted shows a mixed return at their new schools, with limited playing time, multiple transfers in some cases and several players still searching for a steady role. For Florida fans, the early frustration of losing those names may look a little different now, because the path away from Gainesville has not exactly produced a clean win for everyone involved. [Read more 🡒]
Florida Just Proved It Can Still Take Down SEC Heavyweights
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The bigger takeaway for Florida is what the win says about its place in the league race. The Gators had not beaten two top-10 teams in the same season since 2012, and doing it in this setting gives the program a real benchmark under the lights. Texas, meanwhile, saw Arch Manning finish 14 of 20 for 173 yards and a touchdown, but the more telling number was the one attached to the Longhorns recent slide - two straight losses after opening the streak at No. 1. [Read more 🡒]
Florida Just Made A Recruiting Statement Fans Can't Ignore
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The move helped push Florida up to No. 4 in ESPNs team rankings and No. 2 in Rivals latest update, a sign that the Gators are building more than just buzz. Their 2027 class already features quarterback Davin Davidson and offensive tackle Maxwell Hiller, and Royals addition only sharpens the sense that this group could keep climbing if Florida keeps stacking wins on the trail. [Read more 🡒]