Just when it looked like things were falling apart for Florida football, the Gators scored their second top-10 win of the 2026 campaign in Week 7 with a 27-24 upset victory over the Texas Longhorns. It was the program's first-ever win in Austin and first top-10 triumph on the road since 2012.
As a result, the Orange and Blue earned a spot on USA TODAY Sports writer Paul Myerberg's winner's list in his weekly winners and losers column.
"Ride this roller coaster at your own risk. Florida was unranked in the preseason, rose to No. 8 after beating No. 10 Mississippi, dropped out of the US LBM Coaches Poll entirely after back-to-back losses and (surged) back into the poll after a 27-24 win against No. 6 Texas," Myerberg begins.
"Down 17-3, the Gators
dominated the second half to put the Longhorns’ season in peril. And they did so with backup quarterback Tramell Jones Jr., who had nearly 200 yards of total offense and two scores without a turnover. Even if not a playoff team in Jon Sumrall’s first season, Florida is building the foundation for big things in the future," he concludes.
Florida now has a bye week before facing Georgia on Saturday, Oct. 31, which will be played in Atlanta this year. If the Gators prevail in the annual rivalry game, expect another appearance on Myerberg's winner's list, along with renewed discussion of a College Football Playoff bid.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida among USA TODAY Sports' winners after beating Texas in Week 7
