Texas takes the top spot in On3's 2023 Big 12 Post-Spring Power Rankings
Not only does On3 national football columnist Jesse Simonton like the pieces the 2023 Texas Longhorns have at quarterback, tight end, and wide receiver, he thinks the entire roster can do big things this year. As a result, Simonton placed the Longhorns in the No. 1 spot on Wednesday in his 2023 Big 12 Post-Spring Power rankings.
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Can Steve Sarkisian finally win 10 games? Can Texas stop squandering second-half leads? Will the Longhorns write their Big 12 swan song and win the league in their final season in the conference?
Texas is loaded, returning of the better offensive lines, tight ends and receiver rooms in the country, plus Sarkisian likes the development he’s seen from quarterback Quinn Ewers this offseason. They bring back six starters on defense, too, led by All-American linebacker Jaylan Ford.
Jesse Simonton
Simonton’s Big 12 Post-Spring Power Rankings were…
- Texas
- Kansas State
- TCU
- Oklahoma
- Texas Tech
- Baylor
- UCF
- Kansas
- Oklahoma State
- BYU
- Iowa State
- Cincinnati
- Houston
- West Virginia
Simonton isn’t the only person who has high hopes for the Longhorns. BetOnline.ag gave the Longhorns +2000 odds to win the national championship, only behind teams like Florida State, LSU, Clemson, USC, Michigan, Ohio State, Alabama, and Georgia. Texas had the top odds to win the Big 12 title, with a +110 number. Oklahoma was the next closest with +300 odds. Even the Texas win total was set at a lofty 9.5 wins.
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ESPN Analytics was also a fan of Texas. The Longhorns checked in at No. 5 in FPI and No. 9 in SP+. Those rankings are thanks in part to Texas’ returning production, which ESPN ranked as No. 19 in the country and No. 2 in the Big 12 behind the Jayhawks.
This is the Longhorns’ final year in the Big 12, and the only year they’ll share a league with new members Houston, Central Florida, BYU, and Cincinnati. Texas is set to join the SEC in 2024.
The Longhorns were 8-5 last year and finished Big 12 play 6-3, one game behind second-place team and eventual conference champion Kansas State. The Longhorns open the season on Sept. 2 versus the Rice Owls.
