Key Texas Offensive Players to Watch in the Florida Gators Matchup

When the Florida Gators head to Austin on Saturday, these are three players the defense needs to stifle if they want a shot at a win

Here are the top three names to watch on the Texas Longhorns' offense / Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

The Florida Gators head to Austin for their first in-conference duel with the No. 5 Texas Longhorns. 

Texas comes into the game with the fourth-best offense in the SEC with 453.1 total yards. They’re also third in scoring with 37.6 points per game. They aren’t statistically the toughest offense Florida has faced, those honors go to UCF and Miami, but they will have to beat a still great team in a tough environment.

Here are three key offensive players to watch on Texas as the Gators face them on Saturday. 

Quinn Ewers, Quarterback 

Only health has been able to pry the starting job from Quinn Ewers. Arch Manning will have to wait for the full-time gig. 

In the tight 27-24 win over Vanderbilt, Ewers had season highs for passing yards (288) and completions (27) and matched his season high for touchdown passes (3). 

Shutting down Ewers won’t guarantee a win. But Texas is a team that finds the endzone mostly in the passing game (58% of touchdowns), so it’ll go a long way to making it a game. 

Isaiah Bond, Wide Receiver 

Bond doesn't lead in any of the receiving categories, yet he might be one of the most lethal wideouts on the staff. Despite being third in receptions, the transfer from Alabama is tied for the second most touchdowns (4). and second in receiving yards (380). 

He also has the highest yards per reception among receivers with at least 20 catches on the Texas receiving core. 

Jaydon Blue, Running Back 

Blue can keep a defense on its toes as a dual-threat weapon in Texas’ offensive arsenal. From the ground, Blue has rushed for 316 yards (3.5 yards per carry) with four touchdowns. He also has 177 receiving yards with three touchdown catches. 

If there is a single player who might be capable of single-handedly beating the Gators, it would be him.