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Texas Football: Preseason Coaches Poll Got it Wrong

By James Caldwell

TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 8: Head coach Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers, left, and head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide speak to members of the media during the College Football Playoff National Championship Head Coaches Press Conference on January 8, 2017 at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 8: Head coach Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers, left, and head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide speak to members of the media during the College Football Playoff National Championship Head Coaches Press Conference on January 8, 2017 at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images) /
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The first preseason poll of the college football season is out and the coaches got it wrong as it relates to Texas Football.

The Preseason College Football Coaches poll has the usual names on top: Alabama, Ohio State, Florida State, Texas Football Week 3 opponent USC, and defending National Champions Clemson.

Then, way down the list at No. 23 is Texas.

Not only are the Longhorns barely in the Top 25, Texas is the fifth team out of the Big 12 conference.

And, the Longhorns are ranked behind former head coach Charlie Strong’s new South Florida team.

Obviously, the coaches did not get the memo in the offseason:

Texas Football will be back under Tom Herman. And, the analytics prove it.

Inside the Preseason Coaches Poll

Before we get into why the poll is wrong, let’s first break down the notable spots in the poll that relate to Texas Football:

  • #4: USC (2017 Texas opponent)
  • #8: Oklahoma (Big 12)
  • #11: Oklahoma State (Big 12)
  • #19: Kansas State (Big 12)
  • #20: West Virginia (Big 12)
  • #21: South Florida (Charlie Strong’s new team)
  • #23: Texas Longhorns

Also of note are the teams out of the Top 25 that received votes, in order:

  • TCU (Big 12 foe)
  • Notre Dame (last year’s Texas Football opening week opponent)
  • Former rival Texas A&M
  • Houston (Tom Herman’s former team now coached by Longhorns QB legend Major Applewhite)
  • Maryland (2017 Texas Football season opening opponent)

Here’s Why The Coaches Poll is Wrong

Simply put: This will be a different Texas Longhorns team taking the field in 2017. This is a Top 10 team:

  • New leadership under Tom Herman
  • Finally a QB answer in Shane Buechele
  • A legit defensive coordinator, Todd Orlando
  • The end of the 7 years of famine

For so much of the past seven years, there has been instability in Austin. Mack Brown could not find a QB to follow Vince Young and Colt McCoy, the staff got complacent with recruiting, and 10 wins every year turned into mediocrity.

There was so much noise at the end of Mack Brown’s legendary run that it spilled over to the three-year Charlie Strong Era.

Coach Strong was snake bitten with injuries to key players, fluky losses, a lack of QB, and a revolving door of coordinators and staff members.

All of that contributed to constant noise and bad losses, ultimately ending Charlie Strong’s run.

Now, the noise is gone. Well, except for the sound of construction at the Texas Football facilities.

More from Texas Football

But, that noise surrounding the Longhorns has finally given way to a fresh start. Unfortunately, Coach Strong never got that fresh start. Herman is getting it, though.

Herman also gets it. He knows what the flaws were of past Texas teams. And, he will not allow those flaws to carry over to a new era for Texas Football.

As we’ve said before this offseason, Texas will win the Big 12. They will rise from a preseason #23 and the fifth team in the Big 12.

So, don’t be surprised when the Longhorns start winning championships right away. The Preseason Coaches Poll simply got it wrong.

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