Three Texas Longhorns to watch versus Florida
Hector
Hector
The Florida Gators will hit the road this weekend against one of the most talented teams in college football. The Gators will travel to Austin, Texas, to take on the Texas Longhorns for the first time since 1939.
The Gators lost in a tight battle versus the Georgia Bulldogs with their walk-on third-string quarterback. Texas is coming off their bye week, but they were also in a dogfight in their last game against Vanderbilt. Here are three Texas Longhorns to watch versus the Florida Gators.
QB Quinn Ewers
Redshirt junior quarterback Quinn Ewers is one of the top quarterbacks in college football. The former Ohio State transfer was a blue-chip recruit coming out of high school. Ewers has earned the starting quarterback role for the past three seasons.
During the 2024 season, Ewers has completed 69.2% of his passes for 1,389 passing yards, fifteen total touchdowns, and six interceptions. Ewers also missed more than two games due to an abdominal injury.
The Florida Gators' defense has played well since their first bye week of the season. Unfortunately, the Gators have lost some key defensive players due to injuries. Some of Florida’s top defensive players were injured in the Georgia game and are questionable versus the Longhorns.
2. LB Anthony Hill Jr.
Sophomore linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. is one of the top linebackers in college football. The former five-star recruit has been Texas’s best defensive player this season and is a legit candidate for the Butkus Award.
In his sophomore season, Hill leads the Texas defense in tackles with 58 total tackles. The 19-year-old linebacker also leads the Texas defense in solo tackles (28), tackles for loss (10), and sacks (5.5)
The Florida offense is in a big predicament this weekend. Star freshman quarterback DJ Lagway went down with a hamstring injury, but it’s not as serious as it seems. Florida’s head coach, Billy Napier, said he won’t rule out Lagway for this game. If Lagway can’t play, Florida will turn to walk-on Yale transfer Aiden Warner. Texas’s defense will have a big game if Warner is Florida’s starting quarterback on Saturday.
3. WR Isaiah Bond
Junior wide receiver Isaiah Bond missed Texas’s last game versus Vanderbilt but is trending toward playing against the Gators on Saturday. Bond is a player Florida fans are familiar with since he was once committed to the Gators.
In his first season at Texas, Bond has recorded 23 receptions for 380 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Bond has also rushed for 51 yards on two carries and one touchdown versus Mississippi State.
The Alabama transfer is the most talented receiver on Texas’s roster. However, he has struggled to stay on the field. Bond is an explosive playmaker who could take the top off of Florida’s defense and get quick points on the board for the Longhorns.
