ESPN released its initial 2023 Football Power Index on Tuesday.
The FPI has high expectations for Texas in year three of the Steve Sarkisian era. The Longhorns are rated as the No. 5 team in the nation and No. 1 in the new-look Big 12 Conference.
FPI gives Texas a 34% chance to qualify for their first College Football Playoff, along with the fourth-best odds to win the national title. Only Ohio State, Georgia and Alabama hold better odds than the Longhorns.
The reason for optimism about Texas entering the new season relies heavily on returning production and overall talent.
They’ve got strong talent, based on recruiting grades, on both sides of the ball (fourth on offense, sixth on defense). And, despite losing running back Bijan Robinson to the NFL, the Longhorns return quite a bit of production on offense, led by wide receiver Xavier Worthy.
Preseason hype is not new territory for Texas. We shall see if the Longhorns can reach its lofty expectations in 2023.
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