Special Teams Sink Gators Early as Texas Takes 17-3 Lead

Florida's special teams have cost it twice at No. 7 Texas, and the Longhorns lead the Gators 17-3 in Austin.

As of 1:32 PM ET (0:56 - 2nd), Texas leads 17-3. Follow every snap on our live play-by-play and the Game Day hub.

Niblett's 63-yard return

Ryan Niblett returned an Alec Clark punt 63 yards for a touchdown with 11:27 left in the second quarter, around 1 p.m. ET, giving Texas a 17-3 lead. Zach Abolverdi of Gators Online called it "another costly play by the Gators on special teams." Graham Hall reported the score, and so did Scott Carter.

It was the second special-teams miss of the day. In the first quarter, a strong Clark punt went into the end zone for a touchback instead of being downed deep. Texas then drove for Gianni Spetic's 38-yard field goal, per Carter.

Durkin gets Florida on the board

Patrick Durkin hit a 45-yard field goal with 13:48 left in the second quarter, capping an eight-play, 37-yard drive and cutting the lead to 10-3 (@GatorsFB). Charlie Jones, a student broadcaster with the Gators Sports Network on WRUF, noted that the kick extended Florida's streak of scoring in a game to 480 straight.

Jones and the offense

Tramell Jones Jr., making his first career start, was 7 of 12 for 48 yards at the last TV timeout, and Texas had outgained Florida 126-89 at that point, per Carter. On one drive, Jones underthrew a wide-open Eric Singleton Jr. on a deep ball that could have been a big gain or a touchdown, per OnlyGators.

ESPN's game data at 1:32 PM ET shows Jones 8 of 15 for 47 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions. Texas leads 172-107 in total yards. Florida has 6 penalties for 50 yards, and Texas has 1 for 15.

Vernell Brown III is dressed but has been watching from the sideline without his helmet, per Carter. (More: Philo out, Vernell Brown III not starting as Jones Jr. leads Gators at Texas.)

Clark pins Texas, defense holds

Clark has been a bright spot otherwise. After a 10-play Florida drive stalled, his punt pinned Texas at its own 3-yard line with 6:23 left in the half (Carter, Charlie Jones). "The punter from down under has shined for UF today," Charlie Jones wrote. ESPN's game data shows Clark with 4 punts for 216 yards, a 54.0-yard average.

From there, according to ESPN's game data, Texas drove from its 3 to midfield before Florida's defense stopped Hollywood Smothers for a 1-yard loss on fourth-and-1. That turned the ball over on downs at the Texas 49 with 2:44 left in the half. Florida then moved into Texas territory, but a false start at 1:02 pushed it back to the Texas 35.

Listen free to the student-powered Gators Sports Network call on WRUF, and find every way to watch on our Game Day hub.

Sources: Gators Online / Zach Abolverdi, Graham Hall, Scott Carter, Florida Gators Football, WRUF / Charlie Jones, OnlyGators, ESPN game data.