The 2020 college football season has officially begun.
Although no major programs have kicked off yet, several successful meetings took place over the last week. There has not been a reported COVID-19 outbreak following the handful of games that have taken place thus far.
Keep your fingers crossed. It appears we’re that much closer to getting into the thick of the season.
Speaking of a return to normalcy, ESPN unveiled their first power rankings of the 2020 regular season on Sunday. You’ll have to take it with a grain of salt considering only one ranked team, Memphis, has played.
The Big Ten and Pac-12 are excluded from these rankings as they’re not currently scheduled to compete this fall. To no surprise, six of the top 10 teams in this week’s rankings are from the SEC.
Texas landed at the No. 9 spot. It’s one of their highest placements of any poll so far in regards to this upcoming season. The real question is whether they can hold onto a top 10 ranking when they begin conference play.
According to ESPN staff writer Chris Low, the Longhorns are in prime position to win the Big 12 title if they can find a way to be consistent.
“Nobody in Austin needs to be reminded how long it has been since Texas last won a Big 12 championship. It was 2009, the same year the Longhorns lost to Alabama in the national championship game. Tom Herman is now in his fourth season as coach, and after a 10-win season and Sugar Bowl victory to cap the 2018 season, Texas dipped to eight wins a year ago. There’s nothing like having experience at quarterback, and Sam Ehlinger returning for his senior season was huge. He’s as tough as they come, but will need more consistent play around him if Texas is going to unseat Oklahoma in the Big 12.”
Texas opens the season against UTEP on Sept. 12. It’s expected to be a game where backup players will receive a heavy amount of playing time, so the Longhorns true test won’t come until they travel to Texas Tech on Sept. 26.
Oklahoma was the highest-ranked Big 12 team on ESPN’s Week 1 power rankings, landing three spots ahead of Texas at No. 6. Five other programs in the conference landed within the top 25. Oklahoma State, Iowa State, TCU, Baylor and Kansas State each received a ranking.
25. Miami Hurricanes
24. Kansas State Wildcats
23. Florida State Seminoles
22. Louisville Cardinals
21. Baylor Bears
20. Appalachian State Mountaineers
19. Memphis Tigers
18. UCF Knights
17. Kentucky Wildcats
16. TCU Horned Frogs
15. North Carolina Tar Heels
14. Tennessee Volunteers
13. Iowa State Cyclones
12. Cincinnati Bearcats
11. Oklahoma State Cowboys
10. Auburn Tigers
9. Texas Longhorns
8. Texas A&M Aggies
7. LSU Tigers
6. Oklahoma Sooners
5. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
4. Florida Gators
3. Georgia Bulldogs
2. Clemson Tigers
1. Alabama Crimson Tide