The Texas Longhorns and head coach Jerritt Elliott have all the right pieces of a great team, but they're having a shockingly difficult time putting those pieces together.
So far this season, the Horns have gone just 5-5 overall, one of the worst starts to a season the Texas volleyball program has seen in a long time. Currently, they sit at 1-1 in SEC play, earning the comeback win over the No. 13 Tennessee Volunteers before getting swept by the No. 3 Kentucky Wildcats.
Simply put, things have been rocky for one of the most historically dominant programs in the country.
And because of that, a lot of people across the country have been asking the (extremely understandable) question of why the Longhorns are still in the top 10. Well, while their current resume may not speak volumes about their potential, the next few games undeniably could.
First up, the Horns will host the Mississippi State Bulldogs, who are still unranked despite starting the season 11-1 overall.
Mississippi State's near-flawless record would make a Texas win look even better
While the Bulldogs have yet to break into the top 25, their nearly unblemished overall record would make a win for the Longhorns look that much more impressive, as it would only be the second loss that Mississippi State has suffered all season.
On the flip side, if Texas doesn't manage to defend its home court, it could also make AVCA poll voters recognize just how good MSU is this season, and maybe allow them to cut the Horns even more slack.
So far this year, the Horns have only lost to ranked opponents, including Kentucky, then-No. 8 SMU, then-No. 6 Louisville, No. 1 Nebraska, and then-No. 12 Arizona State.
However, the Horns have also earned quite a few ranked wins, including the dub of Tennessee, as well as victories over then-No. 18 TCU, then-No. 15 USC, and then-No. 6 Wisconsin, as well as defeating the unranked Marquette Golden Eagles.
The Longhorns are coming straight off the straight-set sweep by the Wildcats, so this game against Mississippi State is more than just an attempt to keep their record from dropping below .500; it's undeniably a get-right game as well.
How to watch No. 8 Texas volleyball vs. Mississippi State
- Date & Time: Friday, Oct. 2, at 6:30 p.m. CT
- Location: Gregory Gymnasium, Austin, TX
- TV/Streaming: SEC Network+, fuboTV
- Live stats: StatBroadcast
- Game preview: Texas Longhorns - Volleyball
With the help of a home crowd, the Horns should expect to defeat the Bulldogs, and that would carry a lot of momentum into their next matchup (another home game) against the Alabama Crimson Tide on Sunday.
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