Where Does Texas Land in ESPN’s Latest Way-Too-Early Top 25?

ESPN has released their latest way-too-early top 25 for the upcoming season. Barely making the rankings, Texas sneaks in at No. 23.

With both national signing days complete, ESPN has released their latest way-too-early top 25 for the upcoming college football season. Barely making the rankings, Texas sneaks into the top 25 at No. 23.

Mark Schlabach asked, “Is Year 4 now or never for Longhorns coach Tom Herman?” It very well may be, as winning is expected. Being a fringe top 25 team is acceptable for this Longhorns team at the beginning of the year, but progress towards the top 10 will be expected throughout the season.

Here is the full top 25:

  1. Clemson
  2. Ohio State
  3. Alabama
  4. Georgia
  5. Penn State
  6. Oregon
  7. Florida
  8. LSU
  9. Oklahoma
  10. Notre Dame
  11. Texas A&M
  12. Oklahoma State
  13. Wisconsin
  14. Auburn
  15. Michigan
  16. Minnesota
  17. Cincinnati
  18. Iowa State
  19. Boise State
  20. Iowa
  21. USC
  22. North Carolina
  23. Texas
  24. Appalachian State
  25. Baylor

Four other Big 12 teams join Texas in their rankings, with Oklahoma once again being top dog. It will be a competitive race for the Big 12 Championship in 2020 and any of the five teams listed could be in Arlington at the end of the season.

It is still early, but the Longhorns are more than likely going to be ranked at the beginning of next season. Once spring ball is completed and the offensive and defensive adjustments are put into place, Texas has a chance to be ranked even higher than they are at the moment.

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Way Too Early 2020 Big 12 Predictions

UT will be expected to be at the top of the Big 12 in 2020. Here are some way too early predictions for how the conference will shake out.

The 2019 Big 12 season ended the same way it did for the past five years, with Oklahoma winning the conference. This year, it was against Baylor in the conference championship game, after facing TCU and Texas in previous seasons. While much might not change at the very top, there should be some shakeup throughout the rest of the Big 12.

Four different coaches will be in their second year at their respective programs, as most teams were in a rebuilding year last season. Baylor will be on the only team with a brand new coach this season, as the other four teams (Kansas, Kansas State, Texas Tech, and West Virginia) will be wanting to take the next step under the coaches. As for experienced coaches, Tom Herman, Matt Campbell, and Gary Patterson will be looking to reach the level Lincoln Riley has been at during his tenure in Norman.

Texas will be expected to compete at the very top of the conference in 2020. The goal is to make the Big 12 championship game at the very least, especially after missing out in 2019. Returning a lot of talent and hiring brand new coordinators, Herman will need to perform in order to have a successful fourth season in Austin.

Here are some way too early predictions for how Texas and the rest of the Big 12 will shake out in the 2020 football season.