GAINESVILLE, Fla. (Interstat) — In a stunning reversal of preseason expectations and in-game projections, the Florida Gators, led by a near-flawless performance from quarterback DJ Lagway, upset the Texas Longhorns 29-21 on Saturday afternoon before a raucous crowd of 90,714 at a sweltering Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

The victory, a decisive one for a Florida team that entered the game with a 1-3 record, was built on the arm of Lagway and a punishing defensive effort that harassed Texas quarterback Arch Manning throughout the contest. The loss dropped Texas to 3-1 on the season.

Lagway, a Willis, Texas, native returning to his home state to face a powerhouse program, was surgical, completing 21 of 28 passes for 298 yards and two touchdowns. His primary target was Dallas Wilson, who hauled in six catches for 111 yards and both of Lagway’s scoring throws.

Florida seized control from the opening drive, orchestrating a methodical 16-play, 84-yard march that consumed over seven minutes of clock. The drive was emblematic of the afternoon, fueled by the powerful running of Jadan Baugh, who capped it with a 5-yard touchdown run. Baugh finished with 107 yards on 27 carries and added a receiving touchdown.

The Gators extended their lead to 10-0 later in the first quarter on a 34-yard field goal from Trey Smack. Texas, which had struggled to find any offensive rhythm, finally answered in the second quarter. Manning connected with running back Quintrevion Wisner on a 6-yard touchdown pass to cut the deficit to 10-7.

Florida responded immediately. Lagway engineered another scoring drive, culminating in a 13-yard touchdown strike to Wilson to push the lead back to 17-7. The momentum swung further in the Gators’ favor just before halftime when a Jack Bouwmeester punt was blocked by Taylor Spierto out of the end zone for a safety, giving Florida a 19-7 lead at the intermission.

The Gators added a 38-yard Smack field goal on their first possession of the second half to make it 22-7. Just as the game appeared to be slipping away, Texas found a spark. Manning unleashed a 38-yard touchdown bomb to Ryan Wingo, closing the gap to 22-14.

The resurgence was short-lived. On Florida’s ensuing possession, Lagway delivered the dagger, finding Wilson on a deep post for a 55-yard touchdown to re-establish a commanding 29-14 lead late in the third quarter.

Texas mounted a late, desperate comeback attempt. A 1-yard touchdown plunge by Wisner with 3:20 remaining in the game brought the Longhorns within one score at 29-21. The Texas defense then forced a critical three-and-out, giving Manning one final chance with 46 seconds left and no timeouts.

The drive started disastrously with a 12-yard sack, but a completion from backup quarterback Matthew Caldwell to Wingo for 26 yards, coupled with a Florida penalty, gave Texas life at the Florida 45. The comeback bid ended there, however, as the Gators’ defense closed the door. Manning was sacked again and his final heave into the end zone fell incomplete as time expired.

Manning finished 16 of 29 for 263 yards with two touchdowns and two critical interceptions, one by Devin Moore and another by Jordan Castell. He was also sacked five times, with Brien Taylor Jr. and Michai Boireau among those leading the relentless Florida pass rush. The Texas ground game was stifled, managing only 37 net yards.

Defensively for Texas, linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. recorded a game-high 14 tackles. For Florida, the defensive effort was a collective triumph, with Myles Graham, Tyreak Sapp, and Bryce Thornton all making significant impacts in the backfield.

The result defied the pregame analytics, as Interstat’s ELO system had given Texas a 79.10 percent probability to win, and its simulator had projected a 27-23 Florida victory. The Gators, who had been installed as 5.5-point favorites, covered the spread, and the total score of 50 went over the line of 42.5.

Florida (1-3) will look to build on this momentum next Saturday when it travels to face Texas A&M. Texas (3-1) returns home to Austin to prepare for its annual Red River showdown with the Oklahoma Sooners.