Texas softball dropping in the ranking hurts more with this team as the new No. 1

The Texas Longhorns finally had to admit defeat this season when the Tennessee Volunteers handed them their first series loss of the year last weekend. With the loss, the Horns dropped from their No. 1 ranking in the nation.

Those two things were bad enough. A loss to a conference opponent and the loss of the top spot in the country stung. However, when the newest rankings were released, it felt like salt was being rubbed in the wound when Texas saw who the new No. 1 team was.

None other than the Longhorns' in-state rivals, the Texas A&M Aggies, are the No. 1 team in the nation, and Texas dropped to No. 3 in the standings, with just the Volunteers between them.

Not to mention, the Texas baseball team, which plays just across the street, earned the consensus No. 1 ranking after the Horns defeated the Kentucky Wildcats in a three-game series.

Can Texas softball return to No. 1 in the national rankings?

Absolutely. Even with the two losses to Tennessee, Texas still has a resounding 39-5 overall record and a highly impressive 11-4 record against SEC opponents – the conference that has seven teams in the Top 10 and 12 within the Top 25.

Over the rest of the regular season, Texas has three conference series remaining, against the currently-ranked No. 9 LSU Tigers, No. 4 Oklahoma Sooners, and unranked Kentucky Wildcats. The Horns will also play a mid-week game against the current No. 21 Oklahoma State Cowboys.

Texas and LSU will throw out their first pitch at 4:30 p.m. CT on Thursday, April 17. The Longhorns will host the Tigers at Red & Charline McCombs Field in Austin.

Then, Texas will take on its first-ever SEC Tournament, which is set to begin on Tuesday, May 6. After that, the NCAA Regional round will begin on Friday, May 16. Last year, Texas lost to the Oklahoma Sooners in their final Big 12 Tournament championship game and eventually lost to the Sooners once again in the College World Series championship.