Texas vs. Florida prediction, pick, odds, spread: Longhorns look for rebound against free-falling Gators

Texas looks to avenge a loss at Florida that ultimately kept the Longhorns out of the College Football Playoff last season Texas coach Steve Sarkisian is sticking to his guns — in this case, his play-calling — and believes the scrutiny of Arch Manning is unjustified heading into Saturday's game against Florida. Manning's inconsistency has kept the Longhorns' offense largely out of rhythm this season, a critique he'll try to correct against the SEC's worst defense. After a loss to rival Oklahoma sent the Longhorns falling six spots in the AP Poll, Texas is hoping to use the tailspinning Gators as their punching bag to stay in the College Football Playoff picture.

Florida has lost back-to-back SEC games in blowout fashion, tumbling out of the national rankings without a clear solution to stop the hemorrhaging. Sumrall said progress is sometimes "dysfunctional" and agreed with some of the booing he experienced on the sideline of last week's loss to South Carolina. The Gators struggled to block Gamecocks edge Dylan Stewart and now must endure the athleticism of Colin Simmons, who leads college football with 9.5 sacks. Simmons collected five sacks during a win at Tennessee last month and is the runaway favorite to win the SEC's Defensive Player of the Year honor. Turnovers and touchdowns: Manning's production against Power Four competition