There are simply no gimme or cupcake games on Texas’ schedule for the 2021 season.
The Longhorns strength of schedule was rated in the top-25 last season, but this calendar year saw the strength of schedule rating jump to the ninth toughest schedule in the country according to 247Sports. Texas also has the second toughest schedule in the Big 12 behind…checks list… Kansas. The Jayhawks simply cannot catch a break as they go into 2021 with the third toughest schedule in the nation.
Typically teams in the Power Five start their season off with what can be considered a “cupcake” game in which they play a much smaller school just to shake off the rust and beat up on someone who isn’t their own team. For Texas, they will be battle tested by the time they dive into Big 12 play.
Let’s take a look at who 247Sports views as having the toughest schedule in the nation.
Beating up on a lesser opponent the first couple weeks is a luxury that the Longhorns will not have in 2021 as they open the Steve Sarkisian era against Louisiana, one of the best Group of Five teams in the nation who finished the 2020 season at 10-1 and 19th in the nation.
Texas also has to take on former Southwest Conference foe Arkansas and likely has one of the toughest stretches in the month of October where they will face TCU, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State in consecutive weeks. In 2020, the Longhorns finished 1-2 against these three teams, only beating Oklahoma State in overtime.
247Sports definitely understands how competitive the Big 12 conference will be this season and believes that Texas will need to have a stellar year in order to meet the lofty expectations of fans and media members.