Florida beats Texas UCLA shocks Penn State

Florida beats Texas 29-21 in Gainesville, and UCLA shocks Penn State 42-37 in Pasadena. Florida beats Texas with quarterback DJ Lagway throwing three touchdowns, while UCLA shocks Penn State with a late fourth-down stop. These results have reshaped SEC and Big Ten races and tightened playoff margins.

Florida Defeats Texas in SEC Opener

Florida built a 19-7 halftime lead and never trailed in its conference opener. Quarterback DJ Lagway threw three touchdown passes, leading the Gators to a 29-21 victory over No. 9 Texas.^[1] Texas managed 335 total yards, including 289 passing yards from Arch Manning, but Florida’s balanced offense and third-down stops proved decisive. The loss drops Texas to 3-2 overall and 0-1 in SEC play. Florida improves to 2-3 and 1-1 in conference.

UCLA Upsets Penn State at the Rose Bowl

Winless UCLA earned its first victory and first win over a top-10 opponent since 2010 by defeating No. 7 Penn State 42-37. Nico Iamaleava accounted for five touchdowns—two passing and three rushing—and rushed for 128 yards. After trailing 27-7 at halftime, the Bruins rallied behind a potent ground game and sealed the upset with a fourth-down stop in the final minute. Penn State falls to 3-2 and 0-2 in Big Ten play.^[2]

Impact on Playoff Contenders

These upsets remove two preseason favorites from playoff contention. In the SEC, Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Tennessee, Missouri, and Vanderbilt now emerge as top contenders. In the Big Ten, Ohio State, Oregon, Indiana, Illinois, USC, and Maryland strengthen their at-large prospects.

Remaining Schedules

• Penn State Remaining (3-2, 0-2 Big Ten)

• Texas Remaining (3-2, 0-1 SEC)

Florida beats Texas UCLA 29-21 in Gainesville, and Texas UCLA shocks Penn State 42-37 in Pasadena. Each remaining game carries significant weight for conference standings and playoff hopes.