Texas might have declared itself back in 2023 by winning 11 regular-season games, a conference title game by 28 points, and reaching its first-ever College Football Playoff.
Though a bitter Sugar Bowl loss to Washington means the Longhorns still have not played for a national championship since 2009, the expectations in Austin remain as high as those at any school in the nation this season.
Sarkisian Lauds “Competitive Roster” at Texas This Season
Entering his fourth season as head coach at Texas, Steve Sarkisian has increased his win total from five in 2021 to eight the next year and 12 the year after that. Speaking at SEC Media Days on Wednesday as the burnt orange moves into a new conference, Sarkisian expressed a belief that the Longhorns are more than ready to handle life in their new surroundings.
“[This is] the deepest team we’ve had, probably the most talented team we’ve had in my four years here, and we’re excited to see them compete this fall,” he said while wearing a colored blazer and tie that would make it impossible not to know he was the head football coach at the University of Texas.
According to Caesars Sportsbook, Texas has +700 odds to win the national championship, which ranks as the third-shortest for any FBS team behind only Georgia (+300) and Ohio State (+360).
It is their shortest preseason title odds since 2009, when they eventually entered the BCS National Championship Game at 13-0, only to get blitzed by Alabama after losing Colt McCoy to injury following only two pass attempts.
The 2024 roster at Texas features four players ranked within the top 50 of CFN’s Top 100 College Football Players.
That includes a premium left tackle (Kelvin Banks Jr.) and quality starting quarterback (Quinn Ewers) — both of whom are absolutely 2025 NFL Draft prospects — as well as a dynamic pass rusher (Trey Moore) who very well could play himself into that discussion.
While rising expectations in Austin of late used to only mean paying attention to documenting their downfall, Sarkisian is ready to embrace a new normal for Texas football.
“At the University of Texas, part of the standard being the standard is competing for championships.”
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