5 college football teams that will be a lot better than you think in 2020
By Nick Villano
Texas Longhorns: FanSided offseason ranking – No. 14
Last season, the Texas Longhorns were supposed to be the team to finally give Oklahoma a run for their money in the Big 12. Inexplicably, it ended up being Baylor that pushed the Sooners to the limit, and Texas ended up going 5-4 in the conference. It was a terrible showing for Tom Herman, who almost lost to Kansas of all teams.
I can see Texas finally living up to expectations and breaking the Top 10. They bring back quarterback Sam Ehlinger, who was one of the main reasons Texas was thought of so highly last season. He’s currently ranked seventh among draft-eligible quarterbacks. At this time last year, Burrow wasn’t that highly thought of so it’s a testament to what Ehlinger has already accomplished in his Texas career.
The pressure is on for Tom Herman. The head coach has been put on notice that this is his last chance and revamped his coaching staff to make the necessary changes. Despite the temperature of Herman’s seat, he’s still getting a ton of talent in his locker room. The hire of Mike Yurcich as offensive coordinator should take this offense to new levels, and it should provide a breath of fresh air for Ehlinger.
Oklahoma is going to be a force like they always are, but for the first time in a long time, there are questions at quarterback. They’ve lost three Heisman Trophy candidates in a row, but replacing Baker Mayfield with Kyler Murray and then Murray with Jalen Hurts is not a luxury they have this season. Sophomore Spencer Rattler has the pedigree as the No. 1 quarterback recruit of his class, but he’s unproven.
The biggest reason for optimism surrounding Texas bouncing back is the schedule. LSU is going to feel some growing pains early in the season, and a win by the Longhorns in Baton Rouge would propel their confidence level going into Big 12 play. Then, they have Oklahoma and Baylor at home. They also avoid trips to Morgantown and Aims for underrated matchups. Things are all falling into place for Texas at the perfect time to take on a Big 12 that seems like it could be for the taking.