Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium - home of the Longhorns Football Team in Austin - aerial view - AUSTIN, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 1, 2022
Texas
2023 Results: 12-2, 8-1 BIG 12
2024 Projection: 11-1, 7-1 SEC
Overview:
The Longhorns were a few plays away from taking on Michigan in the National Championship game and Steve Sarkisian worked some portal magic to replace what they lost at the skill positions and talked Quinn Ewers into running it back for one more year. The schedule is far from easy, but it could be worse and though the defense lost some big-time players, it would be hard to imagine the final 12 teams not including the Longhorns.
Offense:
Ewers lost all of his top targets to the NFL Draft, but his head coach didn’t leave him hanging, landing Isiah Bond of Alabama, Silas Bolden of Oregon State, and Matthew Golden of Houston in the transfer portal. They return 4 starting offensive linemen and have two running backs ready to play feature roles in Jaydon Blue and CJ Baxter. Even with the losses from last year’s squad, this offense should be formidable.
Defense:
The NFL raided some of the Longhorn’s best defensive players, but there is plenty of talent and experience returning. Most of the replacements are along the front seven, but freshman All-American Anthony Hill Jr. Is back and looks like he will move to middle linebacker this season to anchor that unit. The secondary is experienced from top to bottom, but the defensive line is counting on young players and portal recruits to step up. We all know how important the line of scrimmage is in the SEC. Last season’s front four seemed up to the task, which is an unknown in 2024.
Special Teams:
True freshman Michael Kern will take over at punter, while junior Bert Auburn returns after a strong 2023 campaign. Isiah Bond could be a weapon in the return game.
Final Thoughts:
I could be way off on my projection here, but I don’t think Michigan will be able to maintain what they accomplished last year. That game could go the other way early in the season and if the Longhorns defensive line doesn’t gel, there could be a few other losses on this schedule. They get Georgia and Florida in Austin, Oklahoma is a neutral site game and I’m sure College Station will be rocking for the last game of the regular season, but overall, the schedule is pretty friendly and the talent is there. I’d be shocked if they aren’t in the playoffs.
