The Biggest Things Texas Learned Without Playing This Weekend

The Longhorns spent Saturday on the sideline, but the results around the SEC offered a revealing look at the road ahead.

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian leaves the field. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Texas did not play this weekend, but the Longhorns still learned plenty about their upcoming schedule.

Several future Texas opponents were in action Saturday, and the results painted a more complicated picture of the SEC than the Longhorns had when they entered the bye week.

Florida suffered the biggest setback, getting blown out by Missouri. Texas A&M bounced back from its own two-game losing streak with a dominant win over Arkansas. LSU continued rolling, while Mississippi State took a heavy loss to Alabama.

The takeaway for Texas is simple: the schedule is going to keep changing.

Texas' SEC Schedule Just Got More Interesting

Running back Jadan Baugh has led No. 8-ranked Florida to a 4-0 record and mounting national buzz as the Gators take on No. 25 Missouri. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Florida's 45-17 loss at Missouri was the result that immediately changed the perception of one of Texas' upcoming opponents. The Gators entered the weekend ranked No. 8 and 4-0 after a convincing victory over Ole Miss. Instead, Missouri overwhelmed them with 560 yards of offense, including 211 rushing yards from Jamal Roberts.

Texas hosts Florida on Oct. 17, so the Longhorns now have another game to study as they prepare for the Gators. Florida is still dangerous, but Saturday showed that the Gators have vulnerabilities that can be exploited.

Missouri, meanwhile, suddenly looks much more intriguing. The Tigers are 4-1 and will host Texas on Nov. 7. They now have a convincing win over a previously undefeated, top-10 opponent on their résumé.

Texas A&M also provided an interesting development. The Aggies responded to consecutive losses to Kentucky and LSU by crushing Arkansas 34-7. Texas A&M controlled the line of scrimmage, rushed for 231 yards and held Arkansas to 214 total yards.

That result matters for Texas because the Aggies remain on the Longhorns' schedule for the regular-season finale on Nov. 27. Texas A&M may have been removed from the rankings after its loss to LSU, but Saturday showed the Aggies are far from finished.

LSU also had no trouble Saturday, dismantling McNeese 63-14. The Tigers are now 4-1 after splitting their first two SEC games, and Texas will travel to Baton Rouge on Nov. 14.

Then there is Mississippi State, which took a 56-23 loss to Alabama. The Bulldogs entered the weekend 4-0, but Alabama's offense overwhelmed them on Saturday. Texas hosts Mississippi State on Oct. 31.

All of those results reinforce the same point.

Texas is still undefeated and remains in control of its own path, but the SEC schedule is becoming harder to predict by the week. Florida suddenly looks less imposing. Missouri looks more dangerous. Texas A&M appears to have regained some confidence. LSU remains a major challenge.

The Longhorns' bye week therefore provided more than rest.

It gave Texas a chance to watch the teams standing between it and its ultimate goals change in real time.

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