We’re already getting to the “interesting conundrum” part of this mental exercise. The way I saw it, I was stuck with either picking an “edge” team and putting them at 20 (Texas) or picking the Auburn Tigers. And frankly, until I get more data of what the Tigers look like without Cam Newton, I don’t want them anywhere near my top 20. So if the Tigers show up anywhere after this ranking, that’s on Biscuit or Poot. Meanwhile, we’re left placing a recently 5-7 Longhorn squad right at #20. A bit lofty? Maybe, but as I watch all this drama play out in the tail end of the 2011 off-season with the Longhorn Network and Texas A&M’s pouting flirtations with the SEC, I feel comfortable placing this perennial contender right here and letting the chips fall where they may.
For one thing, should the Longhorns start the season off hot, they’ll be well within everyone’s Top-10 once more by mid-season. The front of their schedule presents some potential obstacles to a strong start with early dates against BYU and UCLA, but should they get through the October 8th meeting with Oklahoma miraculously unscathed, the nation’s College Football writers will be tripping all over themselves to find parallels between the Phoenix and a Longhorn.
Given the 5-7 record from a year ago, it would be easy to assume that the Longhorns looked not far removed from recent Irish squads of similar record, but to do so is to walk into a trap. The 2010 Texas team was a middling 58th in total offense (50th in passing, 66th in rushing) and a spectacular 6th in total defense (leading the Big 12). So there’s a basis to work with there that should keep Mack Brown from hitting any panic buttons and deviating from his typical program plans. So long as he can set aside his “other full time job” long enough to be the head coach of the Longhorns, we’ve got a feeling a #20 ranking will feel a bit low in retrospect once December rolls around.
…
20. Texas (DMQ)
21. Ole Miss (Biscuit)
22. Mississippi State (PootND)
23. South Carolina (DMQ)
24. Ohio State (Biscuit)
25. Arizona State (PootND)
- Friday Roundup: That Was Fast Edition - December 14, 2018
- Ian Book Is Smokey and the Bandit - December 12, 2018
- Don’t Call It A Comeback - December 10, 2018
TLNDMA
Solid.
trey
You said it, this ranking is way too high for UT. Their QB situation is scary awful and their offense will be abysmal. I wouldnt rule out a clean sweep by the big boys of the conference this year, OU, Aggies, TT, OSU. Im surprised theyre in the T25, and especially at 20.