Texas Football: 3 biggest trap games on Longhorns schedule in 2023

Kansas (Sep. 30: Austin, TX)

ESPN FPI Rank: 68

Sharp Beta Rank: 40

It would be easy to assume that Texas hosting the Kansas Jayhawks and standout senior dual-threat quarterback Jalon Daniels in the Big 12 home opener at DKR on Sep. 30 would be one of the easier games in conference play this fall. Texas did handily defeat the Jayhawks and head coach Lance Leipold in a cold November game in Lawrence last season, by a commanding score of 55-14.

The good news is that I don’t think most Texas fans are foolish enough to sleep on the threat that Kansas presents at this point. Forget the issues that Texas had with Kansas in 2016 and 2021, the Jayhawks actually present as a formidable foe week in and week out in the Big 12.

Kansas broke out early last season, jumping out to a 5-0 start, before injuries started to hamper the Jayhawks in the midst of Big 12 play. The costliest injury saw Daniels miss a few games at a key point in conference play due to an upper-body issue.

Moreover, Kansas should be revitalized and prepared to make some noise in the Big 12 again in 2023. Led by Daniels, Kansas returns a bevy of proven playmakers on offense. Junior running back Devin Neal, redshirt junior wide receiver Lawrence Arnold, and senior tight end Mason Fairchild are just a few of the whopping 10 starters that Kansas returns this year.

Kansas’ defense also brings back a good amount of experience, returning seven starters from last season’s squad.

Texas catches Kansas at what could be a challenging part of the early portion of the Big 12 schedule. Sark and the Longhorns have to travel to Waco to face Dave Aranda and the Baylor Bears in the Big 12 opener the week prior to the Kansas game.

The Red River Rivalry game against the Oklahoma Sooners also looms the week after the Kansas game, making it easy in theory for the Longhorns to overlook the Jayhawks a bit.