Deep In The Heart Of Texas, A Gator Grin. A Song. And The Sigh “We’re Back!”

However, let’s maybe not order the commemorative plates yet.

There are worse ways to spend a Saturday than beating Texas in Austin while Texas A&M fans do the Gator Chomp. Most require bail money.

Florida 27, Texas 24. Somebody turn up “Deep in the Heart of Texas.”

Apparently, the Aggie band takes requests from Gator Nation now.

According to KBTX Sports, the Texas A&M crowd saw the Florida-Texas score on the video board and broke into the Chomp.

Now there’s your SEC brotherhood. We stand shoulder to shoulder, united in our determination to laugh when something expensive happens to the neighbors. And Florida beating Texas in its own house? That’s premium entertainment at basic-cable prices.

Arch Manning entered the afternoon 11-0 at home. He left 11-1. Even a Manning occasionally has to deal with an unfriendly estate tax. You’re welcome.

Naturally, this brings us to the question Florida fans have learned to approach like a strange dog: Are the Gators back? Well, they’re 5-2. They’ve beaten Texas and Ole Miss. They’ve given the rankings crowd something to discuss besides whether Florida belongs in a museum. That’s progress.

Let the pollsters argue about where to put the Gators. Those are the same people who spend September certifying greatness and October explaining the accounting error. Rankings are lovely.

So are those little umbrellas in tropical drinks. Neither will help you block anybody.

Back as a finished product? Let’s wait up on ordering the commemorative plates. Jon Sumrall certainly isn’t going there.

“We have to figure out how to suck less each week,” Florida’s coach said. “We’re not a complete team yet.”

There’s a slogan unlikely to survive a meeting with the marketing department. I rather like it.

After years of football explanations requiring a translator, a diagram and a prescription, here comes a coach willing to describe the merchandise without adjusting the showroom lighting.

Florida can beat Texas and still have things to fix. Both statements fit comfortably inside the same locker room.

Besides, Gator fans have spent enough Saturdays hearing about the encouraging signs in another discouraging loss. An imperfect victory in Austin? We’ll suffer through it.

The Pro Football Focus offensive grades weren’t exactly refrigerator material. Among Florida players with at least 10 snaps, quarterback Tramell Jones led the way at 72.3. Receiver Kahleil Jackson followed at 70.8.

For Tramell, that’s like telling him he got a C- after acing the final exam. 72.3? They must be grading on a pinhead, never mind a curve. How do you translate “fabulous” into numbers?

Everybody else on the supplied list landed below 70. Fine. Send home a note. The scoreboard said 27-24, and nobody in burnt orange was demanding a recount based on advanced blocking metrics.

Football remains a wonderful game when the people playing it occasionally interrupt the people explaining it.

On defense, LJ McCray delivered the kind of afternoon Florida had been waiting for: four tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. Five stars beside your name will get you introduced.

Getting into the other fellow’s backfield will get you remembered. McCray has spent enough time being discussed as potential. Saturday, he was somebody else’s problem.

Meanwhile, Florida’s other prize catch, Ole Miss, beat Missouri 31-3. Trinidad Chambliss threw three touchdown passes and ran for another. That helps explain why Florida fans might prefer discussing their victories rather than apologizing for their existence. Texas and Ole Miss. Those aren’t participation ribbons.

Texas, on the other hand, has developed a troublesome allergy to unranked opponents. First Oklahoma. Then Florida. According to CBS research, the Longhorns became the first team since 1961 Michigan State to enter a game ranked No. 1 in the AP poll and then lose consecutive games to unranked opponents. There’s your commemorative plate.

Elsewhere in this conference of modest expectations and emotionally stable adults, Auburn beat Georgia after the Bulldogs led by 14.

According to ESPN Research, Kirby Smart’s teams had been 95-3 with a two-touchdown lead, including 65-0 against unranked opponents. Georgia also had won 53 straight against unranked teams. Then Auburn showed up and spilled gravy on the good tablecloth.

“Everybody can beat everybody,” Smart said. An excellent point, Kirby. Florida would like to discuss it further Oct. 31 in Atlanta. Bring your notes.

And before the Gator Haters arrive with a bulletin board clipping about Billy Napier being 7-0 at James Madison, congratulations. Truly. They just beat Georgia State. Florida just beat Texas. You may use scratch paper, but that comparison should not require a calculator.

Nobody is awarding the Gators a championship for winning in Austin. There’s work left. Sumrall knows it. The grades know it. The schedule has several large, unpleasant opinions about it. But Gator fans do not have to spend every happy Sunday testifying before a committee on whether they’re entitled to enjoy themselves. Gloat a little. You’ve sat through enough explanations. You’re allowed an exclamation point.

Are the Gators back? We can settle that later. Saturday, they went into Texas, beat the Longhorns and got the Aggies to provide musical accompaniment. But if you decide to order the commemorative plates, send Texas the bill.

Photo courtesy UAA (University Athletic Association, FloridaGators.com) and Hannah White. See more of her work on Instagram, and the official Florida Gators photo galleries at FloridaGators.com.