LJ McCray (11) celebrates a sack with Aaron Chiles (8) during the Gators' game against the Texas Longhorns on Saturday, October 17, 2026 at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Tex. / UAA Communications photo by Hannah White
McCray Tabbed SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week
Monday, October 19, 2026 | Football
Junior LJ McCray had a career-high 1.5 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss in the Week 7 win at No. 7 Texas.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida Gators junior LJ McCray was honored as the SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week on Monday on the heels of a career performance in Florida's 27-24 victory at No. 7 Texas.
Powering Florida to its largest comeback win against a ranked SEC opponent in a true road game, McCray delivered a breakout showing against the Longhorns highlighted by a career-high 1.5 sacks, 1.5 tackles for loss and four tackles (three solo). The Daytona, Fla. native also chipped in three stops across 24 total snaps.
McCray came through with back-to-back, game-breaking plays near the end of the third quarter. With the game hanging in the balance, he registered a tackle for a loss of two yards and followed by a half-sack for a loss of seven yards to stifle a Texas drive that led to Florida obtaining its first lead of the day at 20-17.
Thanks to McCray's performance, the Gators sacked Texas quarterback Arch Manning five times while recording 11 tackles for loss. Texas was held to just 272 yards of total offense including 99 rushing yards as the Gators forced a trio of three-and-outs and six drives of five plays or less and 20 yards or fewer.
Through seven games played, McCray has already set career highs in sacks (2.5) and tackles for loss (4.5) on top of 12 tackles (nine solo).
McCray and the Gators enter the bye week at 5-2 (3-2 SEC) and ranked 20th in the AP Top 25 in advance of a Halloween contest vs. No. 5 Georgia in Atlanta.
Notables from Florida's Win at No. 7 Texas
2026 Single-Game Tickets
Single-game tickets are on sale for the 2026 Florida Football season under first-year head coach Jon Sumrall. Fans can purchase single-game tickets for home contests against Oklahoma (Nov. 7) and Vanderbilt (Nov. 21). Fans can also purchase tickets for the game against Georgia in Atlanta on Oct. 31.
Powering Florida to its largest comeback win against a ranked SEC opponent in a true road game, McCray delivered a breakout showing against the Longhorns highlighted by a career-high 1.5 sacks, 1.5 tackles for loss and four tackles (three solo). The Daytona, Fla. native also chipped in three stops across 24 total snaps.
McCray came through with back-to-back, game-breaking plays near the end of the third quarter. With the game hanging in the balance, he registered a tackle for a loss of two yards and followed by a half-sack for a loss of seven yards to stifle a Texas drive that led to Florida obtaining its first lead of the day at 20-17.
LJ McCray. Human wrecking ball 💥 https://t.co/6kruFR7o8E
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) October 18, 2026
Thanks to McCray's performance, the Gators sacked Texas quarterback Arch Manning five times while recording 11 tackles for loss. Texas was held to just 272 yards of total offense including 99 rushing yards as the Gators forced a trio of three-and-outs and six drives of five plays or less and 20 yards or fewer.
Through seven games played, McCray has already set career highs in sacks (2.5) and tackles for loss (4.5) on top of 12 tackles (nine solo).
McCray and the Gators enter the bye week at 5-2 (3-2 SEC) and ranked 20th in the AP Top 25 in advance of a Halloween contest vs. No. 5 Georgia in Atlanta.
Notables from Florida's Win at No. 7 Texas
- Having trailed 17-3 in the second quarter, Florida came roaring back for the program's largest comeback victory against a ranked SEC opponent in a true road game.
- The Gators delivered their largest comeback victory against an SEC opponent in a true road game since Oct. 13, 2018 at Vanderbilt (18 points). This was also the last time Florida erased a 14-plus-point deficit in the second quarter or later of an SEC game.
- Florida posted its largest comeback vs. an SEC foe since Nov. 7, 2020 vs. Georgia (14 points) and largest in any game since Nov. 13, 2021 vs. Samford (14 point).
- Florida has produced multiple regular-season wins vs. top-10 foes for the first time since 2012.
- Florida delivered its first ranked win in a true road game since Sept. 29, 2018 at No. 23 Mississippi State, and highest-ranked win in a true road game since defeating No. 4 LSU, 13-3, on Oct. 10, 2009.
- This is Florida's first top-10 win in a true road game since Nov. 24, 2012 at No. 10 Florida State (W, 37-26) and first ranked win away from The Swamp since Nov. 7, 2020 vs. No. 5 Georgia – a 44-28 victory in Jacksonville.
- Diving deeper, Florida posted its highest-ranked win in a true road game while being unranked since Oct. 11, 2003 at No. 6 LSU (W, 19-7). The Gators last defeated a top-10 team on the road while unranked on Nov. 20, 2004 at No. 10 FSU (W, 20-13).
2026 Single-Game Tickets
Single-game tickets are on sale for the 2026 Florida Football season under first-year head coach Jon Sumrall. Fans can purchase single-game tickets for home contests against Oklahoma (Nov. 7) and Vanderbilt (Nov. 21). Fans can also purchase tickets for the game against Georgia in Atlanta on Oct. 31.
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