'Loaded' Longhorns Atop On3's Post-Spring Big 12 Power Rankings

The Texas Longhorns have talent on both sides of the ball and, with growth from quarterback Quinn Ewers, are in prime position to win the Big 12.

© Kirby Lee, USA TODAY

There are a lot of expectations for the Texas Longhorns in 2023, and, with only one 10-win season since 2010, a lot of questions.

"Can Steve Sarkisian finally win 10 games? Can Texas stop squandering second-half leads? Will the Longhorns write their Big 12 swan song and win the league in their final season in the conference?" On3's Jesse Simonton wrote. "They should."

Texas tops the Big 12 post-spring power rankings, as defending conference winner Kansas State, national championship runner-up TCU, rival Oklahoma, and Texas Tech round out the top five, all looking up at the Longhorns.

"Texas is loaded, returning of the better offensive lines, tight ends and receiver rooms in the country, plus Sarkisian likes the development he’s seen from quarterback Quinn Ewers this offseason," Simonton said. "They bring back six starters on defense, too, led by All-American linebacker Jaylan Ford."

The Longhorns have not won the Big 12 since 2009 when they beat Nebraska 13-12 in the old division format of the North vs. South conference championship. The only other Big 12 Championships that have been brought back to Austin were in 1996 and 2005 — which was also the last year the Longhorns won the national championship.

In 2017, the Big 12 Championship returned with a format of the top-two seeds at the conclusion of the regular season playing each other for the conference title. Since then, Texas has made one appearance in 2018 and lost 39-27 to Oklahoma.

This feels like a conference-championship-or-bust season upcoming in Austin.

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You can follow Casey Smith on Twitter @casey_smith2419

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