We are halfway through the season. The Texas Longhorns sit at 5-1 ranked No. 9 in the nation.
As the season has unfolded we have a better idea of what to expect from the team. Heading into the season, we predicted the Longhorns would upset the preseason Top 5 Alabama Crimson Tide because of favorable matchups. After the performance, we left feeling like the team had the ability to win any game.
How do we feel about the team now?
I predicted 10-2 and a Big 12 title for Texas with losses against TCU and Texas Tech. After slow starts and injuries to both quarterbacks, those seem like unlikely losses.
In the Longhorns’ only loss of the year, the team put up 527 yards against the Oklahoma Sooners despite looking shell shocked at various points in the game. Oklahoma coaches overwhelmed the Texas offense and still let the Longhorns’ arsenal of weapons climb into the game.
While plenty could go wrong for the team over the next six weeks, this group has the makings of an 11-1 squad.
The remaining schedule is manageable. Texas next takes on Houston (2-3), BYU (4-1), Kansas State (3-2), TCU (3-3), Iowa State (3-3) and Texas Tech (3-3). The final three games will feature Texas against backup quarterbacks barring an early return for injured TCU quarterback Chandler Morris.
Texas can exceed my 10-2 record prediction but the title prediction is the same. Should the Longhorns bring a winning, less conservative game plan against Oklahoma in the conference title game, we expect them to win the title this season.