Texas faces No. 7 Florida with ranked win streak on the line

The Longhorns have won three straight games against ranked opponents.

Feb. 25, 2026 at 2:50am

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After a five-game winning streak ended with a loss to Georgia, the Texas Longhorns return home to face the No. 7 Florida Gators, the leader in the SEC standings thanks to a seven-game winning streak. Texas head coach Sean Miller knows his team will have a tough challenge against the defending national champions, who have won six straight road games by an average of 26.3 points per game.

Why it matters

This game is crucial for Texas' NCAA Tournament hopes, as they are currently listed in 111 of 112 brackets tracked by Bracket Matrix as a 9.9 seed on average. A win over the highly-ranked Gators could solidify their position in the field, while a loss could put their tournament status in jeopardy.

The details

Florida's success starts on the defensive end, where they rank third in adjusted defensive efficiency. They excel at forcing opponents to play one-on-one basketball inside the arc and limiting second-chance opportunities with their strong offensive rebounding. Texas, meanwhile, has struggled defensively this season and Miller has called them the worst defensive team he's had as a head coach.

  • The game will be played on Wednesday, February 25, 2026 at 6 p.m. on ESPN2.

The players

Sean Miller

The head coach of the Texas Longhorns.

Thomas Haugh

A 6'9" forward for the Florida Gators who has 30 or more dunks this season and 94 or more made baskets on close two-point shots.

Alex Condon

A 6'11" forward for the Florida Gators who has 30 or more dunks this season and 94 or more made baskets on close two-point shots.

Rueben Chinyelu

A 6'11" forward for the Florida Gators who has 30 or more dunks this season and 94 or more made baskets on close two-point shots.

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What they’re saying

“Yes, yes, if we won tomorrow.”

— Sean Miller, Texas head coach

“I think they're playing their very best basketball of this season right now on a win streak in a dominant fashion over the last several road games in our league, not easy to do. They've gone on the road, and they've won by big, big margins.”

— Sean Miller, Texas head coach

“Keeping them off the glass is an immense challenge for every team that plays them, and we will be no different. How many second shots they get against us will be a big determining factor in the final score. We know that, so we have to be able to meet that challenge. I think the team that beats Florida, or the team that's right there to beat them, they're going to feel good about their rebounding in that game.”

— Sean Miller, Texas head coach

“When you get this deep into the year, we'll go only as far as our defense will take us and our guys know that we had a couple guys, quite frankly, not play to the level that we demand. We've addressed that.”

— Sean Miller, Texas head coach

“The thing that's crazy about our offense is all of us benefit offensively from blocked shots, steals, defensive stops — some of our country's best offensive teams, part of their success story is their defense helps them. Florida is a great example of that. We get very little help on defense. Most of the time our offense is playing against a set defense.”

— Sean Miller, Texas head coach

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.