Florida slides in CBS Sports SEC rankings entering Texas game

Florida’s rapid fall over the last two weeks continued in CBS Sports’ latest SEC power rankings. The Gators dropped three spots from No. 5 to No. 8 after a 38-19 home loss to South Carolina, their second straight defeat after opening the season 4-0.

CBS Sports’ Austin Nivison summed up the shift pretty cleanly: “Florida went from a College Football Playoff contender to an SEC also-ran in a matter of two weeks.”

He also pointed to the sudden problems in the running game and said Florida’s response against Texas should give a much better idea of what to expect from the Gators for the rest of the season.

That makes Saturday’s trip to Austin the most important game of Florida’s season. Texas is dealing with its own problems after a 27-24 loss to Oklahoma, but CBS Sports still has the Longhorns at No. 3 in the conference.

Georgia moved into the No. 1 spot after beating Alabama 20-17 in Tuscaloosa, while the Crimson Tide held at No. 2. Ole Miss and Missouri round out the top five, with Kentucky jumping three spots to No. 6 after its overtime win over LSU.

South Carolina also received a major boost from its win in Gainesville, climbing from No. 15 to No. 12.

Florida now heads into Texas with a chance to flip the narrative again. Another loss would make the Gators’ 4-0 start feel even farther away, while a road win over the No. 3 team in CBS Sports’ SEC rankings would go a long way toward stabilizing things.

CBS Sports SEC power rankings after Week 6

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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida slides in CBS Sports SEC rankings entering Texas game