PRESS PICKS (Week 3): Look out, here comes the Longhorns, the most bloviated team in the country
STAFF REPORT
Joe Tessitore’s famous uttering of “Texas is back” after beating Notre Dame in 2016 is the epitome of what we put up with every year when it comes to the Longhorns. It’s almost a rite of passage for this program.
The aphorism is on the tongue of anyone paying attention to the Horns’ battle with Alabama this weekend. And it’s said with utter confidence.
Besides, it should have happened last year - that is, Texas taking down Bama and returning to the throne.
Want proof?
In a column on the Saturday Down South website, blogger Cory Nightingale writes, had Quinn Ewers not gotten hurt in last year’s matchup in Austin, it ended what could have launched Texas back “to its rightful place in the college football stratosphere,”… huh?
More wishful thinking but please allow some evidence to provide proof that Texas is “back” and hasn’t been “back” for decades.
To keep it within the Big 12 cosmos, the Horns haven’t won a conference title since 2008, which was followed by a thrashing from Alabama in the BCS national championship game (Yeah, they lost their quarterback in that one, too, and still blames it on the loss).
That was also the last year Texas was in any discussion for a championship. Since then, they have finished in the top 10 (AP/Coaches) once and been ranked overall just three times.
The last time Texas was ranked No. 1 in the regular season - 2008
The record in the last five games against Top 5 opponents? That would be 0-5 and 6-13 overall with the last win coming in the championship game against USC, their last national title and only national title since 1970.
Since moving into the Big 12, Texas has played in a conference championship game just five times in 25 years and once in the last 10 years.
Yet, every season, Texas can usually be found in the preseason polls. In the last 10 seasons, the Longhorns have started the season ranked in the Top 25 all but two years and all but three seasons since the turn of the century.
Ironically, they have never been ranked preseason No. 1 by AP. Their best finish since 2009 - ninth in 2018.
But we are supposed to bow at the hooves of Bevo every time the name is mentioned.
The stage is set again this season. The Longhorns are a seven-point underdog going to Tuscaloosa but have been pegged to do what no non-conference opponent has done against Alabama since Nick Saban’s first season with the Tide - win in Bryant-Denny.
Why? Because they are Texas. They talk big and wear big cowboy hats. There is no reason to doubt them.
Unless you look at the history.
But, hey, that could all change Saturday, couldn’t it not?
Wesley Lyle and Graham Dunn moved to the top of the standings after two weeks of picks.
2023 Overall Standings (Last week)
1. Wesley Lyle 24-6 (12-3) .800
Graham Dunn 24-6 (13-2) .800
3. Doug Amos 23-7 (10-5) .767
Lindsey Bonner 23-7 (12-3) .767
Mike Peacock 23-7 (13-2) .767
6. Tim Gayle 20-10 (12-3) .667
Michael Butler 20-10 (12-3) .667
8. Rosie Langello 19-11 (11-4) .633
9. Barry McKnight 16-14 (8-7) .533
10. Rick Hendrick 15-15 (7-8) .500
Wesley Lyle (River Region Sports & al.com)
24-6 (12-3) .800
G.W. Carver vs. Park Crossing - Carver
JAG vs. Lanier (Thur) - JAG
Pike Road at Wetumpka - Pike Road
BT Washington at Catholic - Catholic
Hooper Aca at Macon East - Hooper Academy
Texas at Alabama - Alabama
Auburn at Cal - Auburn
Troy at Kansas St - Kansas St
Miles at Alabama St - Alabama St
Ole Miss at Tulane - Ole Miss
Texas A&M at Miami (Fla.) - Texas A&M
Vanderbilt at Wake Forest - Wake Forest
Nebraska at Colorado - Colorado
Iowa at Iowa St - Iowa
Notre Dame at NC State - Notre Dame
Graham Dunn (River Region Sports/Voice of Alabama State Hornets)
24-6 (13-2) .800
G.W. Carver vs. Park Crossing - Carver
JAG vs. Lanier (Thur) - JAG
Pike Road at Wetumpka - Wetumpka
BT Washington at Catholic - Catholic
Hooper Aca at Macon East - Macon East
Texas at Alabama - Alabama
Auburn at Cal - Auburn
Troy at Kansas St - Kansas St
Miles at Alabama St - Alabama St
Ole Miss at Tulane - Ole Miss
Texas A&M at Miami (Fla.) - Texas A&M
Vanderbilt at Wake Forest - Wake Forest
Nebraska at Colorado - Colorado
Iowa at Iowa St - Iowa St
Notre Dame at NC State - Notre Dame
Lindsey Bonner (Sports Director WAKA Ch. 8)
23-7 (12-3) .767
G.W. Carver vs. Park Crossing - Carver
JAG vs. Lanier (Thur) - Lanier
Pike Road at Wetumpka - Pike Road
BT Washington at Catholic - Catholic
Hooper Aca at Macon East - Macon East
Texas at Alabama - Alabama
Auburn at Cal - Auburn
Troy at Kansas St - Kansas St
Miles at Alabama St - Alabama St
Ole Miss at Tulane - Ole Miss
Texas A&M at Miami (Fla.) - Texas A&M
Vanderbilt at Wake Forest - Vanderbilt
Nebraska at Colorado - Colorado
Iowa at Iowa St - Iowa
Notre Dame at NC State - Notre Dame
Doug Amos (ESPN The Ticket)
23-7 (10-5) .767
G.W. Carver vs. Park Crossing - Carver
JAG vs. Lanier (Thur) - JAG
Pike Road at Wetumpka - Pike Road
BT Washington at Catholic - Catholic
Hooper Aca at Macon East - Macon East
Texas at Alabama - Alabama
Auburn at Cal - Auburn
Troy at Kansas St - Kansas St
Miles at Alabama St - Alabama St
Ole Miss at Tulane - Ole Miss
Texas A&M at Miami (Fla.) - Texas A&M
Vanderbilt at Wake Forest - Wake Forest
Nebraska at Colorado - Colorado
Iowa at Iowa St - Iowa
Notre Dame at NC State - Notre Dame
Mike Peacock (River Region Sports)
23-7 (13-2) .767
G.W. Carver vs. Park Crossing - Carver
JAG vs. Lanier (Thur) - JAG
Pike Road at Wetumpka - Wetumpka
BT Washington at Catholic - Catholic
Hooper Aca at Macon East - Hooper
Texas at Alabama - Alabama
Auburn at Cal - Auburn
Troy at Kansas St - Kansas St
Miles at Alabama St - Alabama St
Ole Miss at Tulane - Ole Miss
Texas A&M at Miami (Fla.) - Miami
Vanderbilt at Wake Forest - Wake Forest
Nebraska at Colorado - Colorado
Iowa at Iowa St - Iowa
Notre Dame at NC State - Notre Dame
Michael Butler (WTLS 106.9&94.7 FM/1300 AM/Tallassee Times)
20-10 (12-3) .667
G.W. Carver vs. Park Crossing - Carver
JAG vs. Lanier (Thur) - JAG
Pike Road at Wetumpka - Wetumpka
BT Washington at Catholic - Catholic
Hooper Aca at Macon East - Macon East
Texas at Alabama - Alabama
Auburn at Cal - Auburn
Troy at Kansas St - Kansas St
Miles at Alabama St - Alabama St
Ole Miss at Tulane - Ole Miss
Texas A&M at Miami (Fla.) - Texas A&M
Vanderbilt at Wake Forest - Vanderbilt
Nebraska at Colorado - Colorado
Iowa at Iowa St - Iowa
Notre Dame at NC State - Notre Dame
Tim Gayle (River Region Sports/Montgomery Independent)
20-10 (12-3) .667
G.W. Carver vs. Park Crossing - Carver
JAG vs. Lanier (Thur) - JAG
Pike Road at Wetumpka - Pike Road
BT Washington at Catholic - Catholic
Hooper Aca at Macon East - Hooper Academy
Texas at Alabama - Alabama
Auburn at Cal - Auburn
Troy at Kansas St - Kansas St
Miles at Alabama St - Alabama St
Ole Miss at Tulane - Ole Miss
Texas A&M at Miami (Fla.) - Texas A&M
Vanderbilt at Wake Forest - Vanderbilt
Nebraska at Colorado - Colorado
Iowa at Iowa St - Iowa
Notre Dame at NC State - Notre Dame
Rosie Langello (Sports Director - WSFA Ch. 12)
19-11 (11-4) .633
G.W. Carver vs. Park Crossing - Carver
JAG vs. Lanier (Thur) - Lanier
Pike Road at Wetumpka - Pike Road
BT Washington at Catholic - Catholic
Hooper Aca at Macon East - Macon East
Texas at Alabama - Alabama
Auburn at Cal - Auburn
Troy at Kansas St - Troy
Miles at Alabama St - Alabama St
Ole Miss at Tulane - Ole Miss
Texas A&M at Miami (Fla.) - Texas A&M
Vanderbilt at Wake Forest - Wake Forest
Nebraska at Colorado - Colorado
Iowa at Iowa St - Iowa
Notre Dame at NC State - Notre Dame
Barry McKnight (SportsRadio 740 /Voice of Troy Trojans)
16-14 (8-7) .533
G.W. Carver vs. Park Crossing - Park Crossing
JAG vs. Lanier (Thur) - JAG
Pike Road at Wetumpka - Wetumpka
BT Washington at Catholic - Catholic
Hooper Aca at Macon East - Hooper
Texas at Alabama - Texas
Auburn at Cal - Auburn
Troy at Kansas St - Troy
Miles at Alabama St - Alabama St
Ole Miss at Tulane - Ole Miss
Texas A&M at Miami (Fla.) - Texas A&M
Vanderbilt at Wake Forest - Wake Forest
Nebraska at Colorado - Nebraska
Iowa at Iowa St - Iowa St
Notre Dame at NC State - Notre Dame
Rick Hendrick (WXFS 95.1 The Fox/PA Montgomery Biscuits)
15-15 (7-8) .500
G.W. Carver vs. Park Crossing - Park Crossing
JAG vs. Lanier (Thur) - JaG
Pike Road at Wetumpka - Pike Road
BT Washington at Catholic - Catholic
Hooper Aca at Macon East - Macon East
Texas at Alabama - Alabama
Auburn at Cal - Auburn
Troy at Kansas St - Kansas St
Miles at Alabama St - Alabama St
Ole Miss at Tulane - Ole Miss
Texas A&M at Miami (Fla.) - Texas A&M
Vanderbilt at Wake Forest - Wake Forest
Nebraska at Colorado - Colorado
Iowa at Iowa St - Iowa St
Notre Dame at NC State - Notre Dame