Texas, USC and the 7 college football fan bases living in the past

4. Texas football still ain’t back.

Hook ‘Em Horns is a phrase heard constantly from August to January. No matter how good or bad the Longhorns are on the field, off the field their fans are bleeding burnt orange whether their teams are great or well below expectations. A fanbase has to be rabid for one college to get its own network. Longhorns’ fans believe they are always in contention for the National Championship, even when it’s clearly a rebuilding year.

Unlike other teams on this list, it hasn’t been that long since Texas’ last championship. They went undefeated back in 2005 under Mack Brown. They were also in the BCS National Championship Game in the 2009 season. Still, Longhorns fans act like, to steal a phrase from the great Ric Flair, to be the man you have to beat Texas. It’s just not like that anymore.

Oklahoma’s stranglehold on the Big 12 over the past decade makes Texas’ claims to still be one of the greats just hollow. The Longhorns were terrible under Charlie Strong, and under Tom Herman, they’ve left a ton to be desired. Like hasn’t been the same since Mack Brown left.

They set themselves up. Last season, there was a lot of talk that Sam Ehlinger was a Heisman Trophy candidate and Texas was going to be the upset pick to win the Big 12 with Kyler Murray now in the NFL. Well, Oklahoma won it again, and Texas finished the season tied with four teams for third place in the conference.

Texas needs to return to glory before they start considering themselves the epitome of college football greatness.