A week ago, the Florida Gators and the Mississippi State Bulldogs were the surprises on the remaining schedule for the No. 1 Texas Longhorns. Picked ninth and 15th in the SEC preseason media poll, both were unbeaten and ranked. On Saturday, Florida lost 45-17 at Missouri and Mississippi State lost 56-23 at home to Alabama.<\/p>\n
Texas, 4-0 and No. 1, had the weekend off, and has eight regular-season games left. The measuring stick here is preseason expectations, not simply last week\u2019s results, as one ugly Saturday can change a matchup without erasing a month of progress as we take stock of the eight games for the Longhorns that will define the season.<\/p>\n
Oklahoma \u2014 October 10, Dallas<\/p>\n
The Sooners opened at No. 10 in the AP poll and were picked seventh in the SEC. Now they are 2-2 and unranked, scoring just 23 points combined in losses at Michigan (17-10) and Georgia (41-13). The win between them was a 14-6 grind against New Mexico in Norman.<\/p>\n
Quarterback John Mateer has six turnovers in his last three games. Brent Venables acknowledged considering a change against Georgia, then said last week, \u201cJohn\u2019s our starting quarterback<\/a>.\u201d But the backups are getting more practice work, and Venables has not ruled out using them against Texas. Instead of the top-10 contender Florida \u2014 October 17, Austin<\/p>\n Jon Sumrall\u2019s first Florida team was picked ninth and started outside the AP poll. The Gators have gotten off to a strong start at 4-1 and No. 16, with a win at Auburn and a 52-28 rout of then-No. 4 Ole Miss.<\/p>\n Saturday showed how different the Gators look when they cannot run the football in a 45-17 rout by the Tigers in Columbia. A week after gaining 302 rushing yards, Florida managed just 42 yards on 25 carries at Missouri, including 13 yards on 12 attempts for star running back Jaden Baugh. Florida was also without receiver Vernell Brown III. \u201cThey played with physicality,\u201d Sumrall said of the Tigers.<\/p>\n The Gators remain ahead of their preseason projection, but Missouri gave Texas a clear blueprint for how to beat Florida \u2014 bottle up Baugh and make Aaron Philo carry the offense.<\/p>\n Ole Miss \u2014 October 24, Austin<\/p>\n Ole Miss opened at No. 9, was picked third in the SEC, and is still No. 9 at 3-1, with wins over then-No. 24 Louisville and then-No. 7 LSU. Same ranking, more reason to question the defense.<\/p>\n Before the Gators ran for 302 yards in a 52-28 win on September 26, the Rebels were allowing 159 rushing yards per game. Through four games, those averages are up to 194.8 rushing yards and 30.8 points allowed. After the loss, head coach Pete Golding said<\/a> the bye offered a chance to reassess personnel: \u201cWe have some guys to look at to play better football.\u201d<\/p>\n The wins still carry weight. The run defense is the weakness Texas gets to test.<\/p>\n Mississippi State \u2014 October 31, Austin<\/p>\n Mississippi State was picked 15th, ahead of only Arkansas. Even after Saturday\u2019s loss, it is 4-1 and 2-1 in the SEC, with comeback wins at South Carolina and over Missouri, the team that just beat Florida by 28.<\/p>\n Alabama exposed the gap that remains. The Tide scored two touchdowns in 71 seconds early and rolled from there 56-23. Breakout star quarterback Kamario Taylor, limited by a lower-leg injury from the Missouri game, threw two interceptions, one returned for a touchdown, lost a fumble and left in the fourth quarter. Standout running back Fluff Bothwell lasted one carry.<\/p>\n
projected in August, Texas gets a team still searching for consistency on offense.<\/p>\n