Longhorns Debut Outside Top-10 in Preseason AP Poll

When the Texas Longhorns open the 2023 regular season at home against Rice, they will do so without a top-10 preseason ranking.

One of the last roadblocks on the way to the start of the college football season is out of the way with the release of the AP Poll. So where did the Texas Longhorns rank in the eyes of the Associated Press heading into the 2023 regular season? 

The Longhorns opened just outside of the top-10 at No. 11. This ranking, while it certainly isn't satisfying for fans who have hopes of Texas competing for a spot in the college football playoffs, does make them the highest-ranked team out of the Big 12. 

Only three other Big-12 teams made the cut for the preseason poll, with Kansas State at No. 16, TCU at No. 17, and Oklahoma at No. 20, all of which will play the Longhorns this season. 

As for the rest of Texas's schedule, Alabama is their only other opponent ranked by the AP, as the Crimson Tide were ranked at No. 4 overall, only trailing Georgia, Michigan, and Ohio State. 

With both the Longhorns and Crimson Tide set to be heavy favorites in their season-openers against Rice and Middle Tennessee State, respectively, it is possible that the AP could move Texas into the top-10 heading into Week 2 if they handle business as expected against Rice. 

After an 8-5 season which included a loss to now No. 10 ranked Washington in the Alamo Bowl, expectations are high for the Longhorns heading into coach Steve Sarkisian's third year on the job. With the return of 10 offensive starters, including quarterback Quinn Ewers, making it to AT&T Stadium is the goal come the end of the regular season. 

AP Top 25 

1. Georgia 
2. Michigan 
3. Ohio State 
4. Alabama 
5. LSU
6. USC 
7. Penn State
8. Florida State 
9. Clemson 
10. Washington
11. Texas
12. Tennessee
13. Notre Dame 
14. Utah
15. Oregon 
16. Kansas State 
17. TCU
18. Oregon State 
19. Wisconsin 
20. Oklahoma 
21. North Carolina
22. Ole Miss
23. Texas A&M
24. Tulane 
25. Iowa 

The Longhorns will open their season at home versus Rice on September 2nd, with kickoff scheduled for 2:30 p.m. (CT).

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