ESPN slots Texas football back among top 25 teams in power rankings

Good news surfaced in the rankings for head coach Tom Herman and the Texas football program after the win over Oklahoma State.

Week 9 of the 2020 college football season was good to fourth-year Texas football head coach Tom Herman, who really needed a win on the field to offset poor results from the rest of the campaign and on the recruiting trail. Texas got a big win over the previously undefeated and No. 6 ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys last weekend on Halloween Day, by the final score of 41-34 in overtime.

Texas came into that game as just north of a three-point underdog in the betting line just ahead of kick off. And it took a huge three score rally from the Longhorns in the second half to get past Oklahoma State. But this win is exactly what Herman and the Longhorns needed after a rough stretch both on the field and on the recruiting trail earlier in the month of October.

After the momentous overtime triumph over the Longhorns, Herman’s squad now moves to a record of 4-2 (3-2 Big 12) following the first win over a ranked opponent of the season to date. Texas also was able to get back in the AP Top 25 for the first time since leading up to the annual Red River Rivalry game against the Oklahoma Sooners, which resulted in a four overtime loss by the final score of 53-45.

So with the Longhorns back in the AP Poll at No. 22 heading into Week 10 of the college football season, where do most national media outlets view them?

The latest edition of ESPN’s power rankings out of Week 9 saw Texas return to the top 25, specifically at No. 21. They were one spot higher in the latest ESPN power rankings than in the AP Poll. Here’s more on what ESPN had to say on their placement of the Longhorns in this week’s power rankings.

"In one of those games Tom Herman and the Longhorns had to have, they found a way to get it done Saturday in a 41-34 overtime win on the road against Oklahoma State. Texas’ defense has been maligned all season, but the Longhorns forced four turnovers, and Joseph Ossai had a walk-off sack of Oklahoma State quarterback Spencer Sanders in overtime to give Texas renewed life in the Big 12 race."

Texas sat as the third highest ranked team out of the Big 12 in this week’s ESPN power rankings. Oklahoma State is still the highest, at No. 15, and Oklahoma was one spot behind at No. 16. It is once again the two Oklahoma schools and Texas atop the Big 12 landscape.

Next up for the Longhorns is a Nov. 7 showdown as they return home to DKR to take on head coach Neal Brown and the West Virginia Mountaineers. Texas will be looking to build their winning streak to three games after taking care of business in the last two weeks against Oklahoma State and the Baylor Bears.

Texas can continue their quest to getting a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game and getting Herman back in good graces if they beat West Virginia next weekend. Meanwhile, West Virginia is looking to build a good winning streak of their own on Nov. 7, coming in with a record of 4-2 (3-2 Big 12).