Texas vs. Florida 2026: Kickoff Time, TV Channel & Preview
Of all the games on the 2026 home schedule, this is the one Texas has had circled longest. Florida beat the Longhorns in Gainesville last season and, in the view of most people in Austin, cost them a playoff place.
Texas hosts Florida on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium in an early kickoff window between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. CT. It is the first of three straight home SEC games and the sixth meeting between the programs.
Quick Facts
| Matchup | Florida Gators at Texas Longhorns |
|---|---|
| Date | Saturday, October 17, 2026 |
| Kickoff | Early window, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. CT |
| Venue | Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium, Austin |
| TV | Network not yet assigned |
| Presented by | American Airlines |
| All-time series | Texas leads 3-1-1 |
| Last meeting | 2025 — Florida 29, Texas 21 (Gainesville) |
| Context | First of three straight home SEC games |
| Subplot | Rematch of the loss that ended Texas's 2025 playoff hopes |
Why This Texas Football Game Matters
Texas began the 2025 season ranked first in the country. By the end of the afternoon in Gainesville it was out of the top 25, beaten 29-21 by a Florida team that would go on to finish 4-8. Nothing else in that season did as much damage. When the committee left the Longhorns out of the twelve-team field at 10-3, that was the result everyone pointed to.
So the storyline writes itself, and Texas will not need help finding motivation. The harder question is whether motivation is the useful ingredient here, because the more reliable danger is the calendar. This game falls the week after the Red River Rivalry, which is the most reliable trap on any Texas schedule.
There is a standings dimension too. This opens a three-week home stretch — Florida, Ole Miss, Mississippi State — that represents the best run of fixtures Texas gets all season. Three wins here and the November road trips to Missouri, LSU and Texas A&M look survivable. Drop one and the margin disappears.
Series History: Texas Leads 3-1-1
Five meetings across a century. Florida had never beaten Texas in four previous attempts before last season's game in Gainesville.
| Year | Result | Site |
|---|---|---|
| 1924 | Texas 7, Florida 7 (tie) | Austin |
| 1939 | Texas 12, Florida 0 | Austin |
| 1940 | Texas 26, Florida 0 | Gainesville |
| 2024 | Texas 49, Florida 17 | Austin |
| 2025 | Florida 29, Texas 21 | Gainesville |
The series opened with a 7-7 tie in Austin in 1924, followed by back-to-back Texas shutouts either side of 1940 — and then an 84-year gap. Realignment brought the programs back together, and the first SEC meeting in November 2024 went to Texas 49-17 in Austin, the most lopsided result the series has produced.
Which makes what happened eleven months later stranger still. The same fixture, reversed venue, and a Florida team that would finish 4-8 won by eight.
One footnote worth keeping in mind: a 4-8 team that beats the No. 1 side in the country is not a bad team having a lucky day so much as evidence that the gap between SEC rosters is narrower than records suggest. Florida's win was not a fluke of bounces.
The Early Kickoff Problem
The SEC has slotted this into an early window, which means a late-morning start in Austin. That is not the ideal setting for a revenge game. DKR at night with 100,000 people is one of the hardest places to play in the country; DKR at 11 a.m. is a noticeably gentler experience for a visiting team.
The upside is weather. Mid-October is usually when the Austin heat finally breaks, and a morning kickoff in that window is genuinely pleasant — the first proper football weather of the Texas season after a September of afternoon games in the nineties.
For anyone attending, an early kickoff compresses the whole day. Tailgating starts at dawn, campus garages fill well before most people expect, and the walk in takes longer than the map claims. Allow more time than for a night game, not less.
Key Matchups
Texas answering the 2025 result
An unranked Florida side beat Texas 29-21 in the Swamp last season and knocked the Longhorns out of the AP Top 25. It is widely regarded as the single biggest reason Texas missed the playoff. That is the entire framing of this rematch, and the broadcast will not let it go.
An early kickoff in Austin
The 11 a.m. window takes the crowd out of its usual rhythm. Morning games at DKR are quieter early, and a visiting team that scores first can keep 100,000 people sitting on their hands for a quarter.
First real football weather
Mid-October in Austin is when the heat finally breaks. It removes an edge Texas leans on in September and makes this a more neutral physical contest than the calendar date suggests.
Avoiding a letdown after Oklahoma
This lands the week after the Red River Rivalry, which is the classic trap spot on any Texas schedule. The 2025 loss to this same opponent should be sufficient inoculation, but the pattern is well established.
Prediction
No line is settled this far out. Expect Texas to open a clear favourite at home, with the number moving on how both teams look through the first six weeks.
Texas comfortably, but not as comfortably as the mood suggests
Home field, a full year of being reminded about Gainesville, and a Florida side that finished 4-8 all point one way. The counterweights are real though: an early kickoff mutes the crowd, this is the week after Oklahoma, and this exact opponent has already shown it can beat a far better Texas team. Sensible expectation is a two-score home win rather than a statement.
Odds move all week. Check a current sportsbook before kickoff. Please gamble responsibly. Nothing on this page is betting advice.
How to Watch and What to Know
No network has been assigned. SEC games are spread across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and SEC Network, and this one's early window will be filled once the conference sees how the season is shaping up. Expect confirmation about six days out.
Tickets should be more attainable than the Ohio State game but pricier than a routine October home date, given the storyline. Buy through the official partner or a verified resale site, and check the current clear bag policy before travelling.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Texas vs. Florida in 2026?
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Saturday, October 17, 2026, at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin. The SEC has placed it in an early window, between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. CT, with the exact time confirmed closer to the date.
What channel is Texas vs. Florida on?
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The network has not been assigned yet. SEC games run across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and SEC Network, and the specific channel is usually announced about six days beforehand once the conference sees how the season has developed.
Why isn't the kickoff time confirmed?
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The SEC assigns many games a broad window rather than a fixed time so networks can pick the best matchups closer to the date. This one has an early window, so expect a late-morning start rather than a night game.
Who leads the all-time series?
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Texas leads 3-1-1 across five meetings dating back to 1924. Florida's win in 2025 was the Gators' first in the series.
What happened the last time they played?
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Florida won 29-21 in Gainesville during the 2025 season. Texas entered the year as the preseason No. 1 and the loss to an unranked Gators team dropped the Longhorns out of the AP Top 25.
Did that loss cost Texas a playoff spot?
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It is generally considered the decisive result. Texas finished 10-3 and was left out of the twelve-team field, with the Florida defeat the hardest one to explain to the committee.
How did Florida finish 2025?
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The Gators finished 4-8. Beating Texas was comfortably the high point of their season, which is part of why the result stung so much in Austin.
Is this a home game for Texas?
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Yes, at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium. It is the first of three consecutive home SEC games, followed by Ole Miss on October 24 and Mississippi State on October 31.
Who does Texas play the week before?
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Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on October 10.
What is the weather usually like?
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Mid-October is when Austin cools off. Daytime temperatures are typically far more comfortable than the September home games, which is welcome for a late-morning kickoff.
How do I get tickets?
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Through the official Texas ticket partner or verified resale. Demand for this one should be higher than a typical October home game given the 2025 result, though it will not reach Ohio State levels.
What's the bag policy at DKR?
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Clear bags up to 12 by 6 by 12 inches, one-gallon clear storage bags, and small clutches up to 4.5 by 6.5 inches. Everything is inspected at entry.