It won’t be long now for the start of the Longhorns 2020 college football season. With less than a week remaining, the projections are flying off the shelf. ESPN recently released their Top 25 Power Rankings with Texas breaking into the top 10. This comes off the heels of the Longhorns being ranked 14th in the latest SP+ rankings.
The Longhorns have been waiting almost a decade for the return of an old rivalry. Yes, we are talking about that Texas-Texas A&M rivalry when Justin Tucker sent them off to the SEC with a last-second field goal in their house. Since then fans have waited for the return of the rivalry. According to latest bowl projections, could we finally get our wish? Possibly.
Mark Schlabach predicts a Texas vs A&M bowl
Mark Schlabach of ESPN is predicting a bowl game to host the dormant rivalry game. Although, if you are active on social media you would think that it never went away. What better game to host the potential re-birth than the historic Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. The Longhorns haven’t played in the classic since the 2002-03 season where they defeated LSU 35-20. The Aggies haven’t played in the Cotton Bowl since they stomped a mudhole in the Oklahoma Sooners back in 2013.
Not only would this bring back the Longhorns and Aggies rivalry for one game but it would mark the first time ever they met in a bowl game. The history of this game dates all the way back to 1894. It would be a shame to let it die the way that it did.
Kyle Bonagura predicts a Fiesta Bowl berth
In the second prediction ESPN made, Kyle Bonagura also put Texas in a NY6 bowl game this season. This time a return to the Fiesta Bowl against another SEC foe. It has been more than a decade since the Longhorns have step foot in Glendale, AZ for the Fiesta Bowl. In fact they have just played in that bowl game twice in their history. The only win came in 2008 when Colt McCoy led them to victory over the Ohio State Buckeyes.
The Auburn Tigers are the opponent for the Longhorns in this predictions. The two schools haven’t played since 1991. The Tigers and Longhorns first played each other in 1910 when Texas won 9-0. The Longhorns hold a 5-3 advantage despite the Tigers two-game win streak. Their only bowl matchup came in the 1974 Gator Bowl. Auburn won 27-3.