AUSTIN, Texas — When it was announced in May 2019 that Florida and Texas had agreed to play a home-and-home series, it was a big story in college football. Two of the sport’s most storied programs going head-to-head.
Still, with the first game scheduled at The Swamp in 2030, and a return date at Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in 2031, the matchups seemed so far away.
Of course, much has changed in the five-plus years since that announcement. The Longhorns are in their first season a member of the Southeastern Conference, and when the schools play here on Saturday at noon ET, the game will impact the SEC standings.
Meanwhile, it’s the first time Florida (4-4, 2-3) has played at Texas (7-1, 3-1) since 1939, and the first time anywhere since 1940. It’s only the fourth meeting between the schools and first in the modern era.
Game 9 📽️ pic.twitter.com/tAJvou9WgR
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) November 9, 2024
Gators head coach Billy Napier understands why the news five years ago stretched beyond the Texas and Florida borders.
“The population of the state, I just think you bring a lot more viewers to the table and certainly there’s some history there with the program as well,” Napier said. “A lot of great coaches, a lot of great players and championship teams so, for as long as I can remember, Texas has been a factor and one of those brands that has been a contender.”
Speaking of Napier, he was in the headlines for entirely different reasons this week. Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin, eager to put to rest all the speculation about Napier’s future, wrote a letter to Gator Nation telling fans Napier will continue to be Florida’s head coach this season and beyond.
Napier is 15-18 in his three seasons, but after a 1-2 start that included one-sided losses to Miami and Texas A&M, the Gators have shown drastic improvement despite a rash of injuries, especially on defense. In last week’s game against No. 2-ranked Georgia, the Gators kept the game close even after quarterback DJ Lagway left in the second quarter with a hamstring injury (see below). Georgia pulled away for a 34-20 victory in the final minutes.
“As we’ve seen these past several weeks, the young men on this team represent what it means to be a Gator,” Stricklin wrote. “Their resolve, effort and execution are evident in their performance and growth each week – building a foundation that promises…
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