Texas With Best 2023 National Championship Odds Of Any Big 12 Team

There are big expectations in Austin, as the Texas Longhorns have the offensive firepower to carry them to a Big 12 Championship and compete for their first-ever College Football Playoff appearance.

Last season, the Texas Longhorns lost five games all within a touchdown, including a one-point loss to then-No. 1 Alabama, all while quarterback Quinn Ewers struggled to find a rhythm.

Las Vegas recognized Texas knocking on the doorstep all last season, and SI Sportsbook gave it the 10th-best odds in the Football Bowl Subdivision and the best chances in the Big 12 to hoist the national championship trophy. The Longhorns' +2200 trail Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan, Florida State, LSU, USC, Penn State and Clemson, respectively.

Though there's big shoes to fill with the departures of No. 8 overall draft pick in running back Bijan Robinson and Chicago Bears fourth-round pick Roschon Johnson, but Jonathon Brooks and Keilan Robinson both showed flashes last season.

In 11 career games, Brooks has rushed for 340 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 6.7 yards per carry. Keilan Robinson didn't have the same success on the ground that Brooks did, but provided a nice pass-catching option out of the backfield with 20 receptions for 219 yards and three touchdowns in 2022.

Then don't leave the top running back in the class of 2023 and the fourth-best ball-carrying recruit Texas has ever gotten in CJ Baxter out of the conversation either. Coming out of Edgewater High School in Orlando, FL. Baxter received comparisons to Joe Mixon and Brian Robinson.

That's the make-or-break position on this loaded Texas offense, according to ESPN, because the Longhorns have explosive pass-catching options in wide receivers Xavier Worthy and Adonai Mitchell and tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders at Ewers' disposal.

This is the best batch of talent head coach Steve Sarkisian has had since taking over the job in 2021, but he will need to help put it all together if the Longhorns want to make their first College Football Playoff appearance ever.

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You can follow Casey Smith on Twitter @casey_smith2419

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