Longhorns Ranked #15 in the first AP Poll

by Vasherized on Aug 18, 2025 11:12 AM CDT

Same spot as the Coaches Poll. And other than a shake-up at the top, with top-ranked USC swapping spots with third-ranked LSU, most of the top 15 is the same.

A few thoughts after the jump...

The writers aren't as impressed with TCU as the coaches, nor should you be.

I like Michigan State as a sleeper to win the Big 10.

South Carolina will be fun to watch. The D line would make death row inmates nervous and Spurrier finally has sober, competent play at QB in Davey O'Brien candidate Connor Shaw.

The Big 12 had six out of the top 13 offenses in the country last year. Don't expect a repeat of that ridiculous stat.

Texas will complete a forward pass. Many of them. Even a few for touchdowns. The Horns will finish in the top 10 for the first time since 2009.

Mark Nov. 3 on your calendar for Oregon at USC and Bama at LSU. Whoaaaa, Nellie!

OU ranked fourth is starting to look comical. Is Mike Stoops bringing any linemen with him? Who will be the next player to get dismissed for violating team rules only to conveniently get reinstated the first week in October? We need to find out who gave the Sooners that lone first place vote and mock him relentlessly.

If Collin Klein makes it through another season without injury, he needs to be sent to be preserved in a lab for further study.

Will Muschamp and the Gators need to have a good year. Or at least beat a surging Florida State.

1.	USC
2.	Alabama
3.	LSU
4.	Oklahoma
5.	Oregon
6.	Georgia
7.	Florida State
8.	Michigan
9.	South Carolina
10.	Arkansas
11.	West Virginia
12.	Wisconsin
13.	Michigan State
14.	Clemson
15.	Texas
16.	Virginia Tech
17.	Nebraska
18.	Ohio State
19.	Oklahoma State
20.	TCU
21.	Stanford
22.	Kansas State
23.	Florida
24.	Boise State
25.	Louisville

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Read More: 2012appoll, Collin Klein (QB - Kansas St.), Oregon Ducks, Texas Longhorns, Oklahoma Sooners, South Carolina Gamecocks, USC Trojans

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Desean Hales to forego Gaskamp award

Austin — Texas senior WR DeSean Hales has announced he will forego his final season of eligibility and focus on completing his degree. Hales will remain with the team and gain experience as a student coach while he completes the final three classes he needs to graduate this fall.

Announcement

Room for another kicker transfer?

by Horncasting on Aug 18, 2025 12:06 PM CDT reply actions

Meant to add....Good stuff Vasherized

Thanks for the post.

Agree that UT ends up in the top 10, although still not bullish on beating OU.

by Horncasting on Aug 18, 2025 12:09 PM CDT up reply actions

Are you bearish on beating OU?

Not a wall street guy, is there a term for neither Bull nor Bear.

If Texas surprises and runs the early gauntlet and is undefeated after the RRR how would you feel then?

"I drank what?" ~ Socrates

by Ese-De-SA on Aug 18, 2025 2:42 PM CDT up reply actions

If it were a stock it would be a neutral/hold

by Horncasting on Aug 18, 2025 3:15 PM CDT up reply actions

neutral/hold

Neutral is a lot easier than holding! I can always forger that I didn’t buy, but can never forget when I didn’t sell. Anyway, I bought this stock when I was eighteen and, even though I’ve tried to dump it once and a while, I seem to still own it. It ain’t crashed to a penny stock even after the last two years, so I’ll ride this one out.

by J-M-M on Aug 18, 2025 4:38 PM CDT up reply actions

Wha...? No Bull No Bear, No Pig?

No other crazy animal. Just neutral/hold

"I drank what?" ~ Socrates

by Ese-De-SA on Aug 18, 2025 4:56 PM CDT up reply actions

A Dog

By late afternoon on Oct 6, I’ll be a dog. I won’t know if it is a wimpy Pomeranian or a Pit Bull until halftime late that Saturday.

by J-M-M on Aug 18, 2025 6:44 PM CDT up reply actions

hmmm

If Texas surprises and runs the early gauntlet and is undefeated after the RRR how would you feel then?

I guessing quite drunk

by codaxx on Aug 18, 2025 3:54 PM CDT up reply actions

I would be madly booking flights and buying tickets to the KSU game.

If Texas surprises and runs the early gauntlet and is undefeated after the RRR how would you feel then?

Because if we’re undefeated after OU, we’re undefeated going into KSU…and I can’t afford tickets to the MNC game.

To err is human...but humans have such low standards.

by adt2 on Aug 19, 2025 8:33 AM CDT up reply actions

good move, DeSean

Considering he got passed up on the depth chart by incoming freshmen since his sophomore year.

At least he’ll always have this play.

by Vasherized on Aug 18, 2025 1:58 PM CDT up reply actions

Do you think he might have had a better chance of doing something in college if he had played more of a scat back role or put on a little weight to play a traditional tailback role? He obviously has moves and speed, but never really broke out as wide receiver. Was he miscast?

by BurntOrangeJuice on Aug 18, 2025 2:47 PM CDT up reply actions

Hales is a small guy who was hell in high school to catch in the open field, but

I can’t ever recall him running a real pass route and it wasn’t uncommon for him to have a group of short carries and then a big run. Truth be told he wasn’t even the primary ball carrier for Oak his senior season.

He fits into your offense if you are UO and after that if you don’t have a specific package for him he really doesn’t fit into a more traditional role.

Oak has a kid who is a junior who is even more explosive than Hales was in high school, but he is even smaller and I am not sure where he will fit in college.

by davey o'brien on Aug 18, 2025 8:21 PM CDT up reply actions

I always thought he should have been used like DJ

It could have helped us last year when all the backs went down. The guy had some serious wiggle in him in HS.

by 55f100tx on Aug 18, 2025 8:35 PM CDT up reply actions

Agree that OU shouldn't be fourth

but aside from Oregon, I don’t trust any of the teams between OU and Texas to actually live up to the potential. Any of them could, I suppose, but trusting the likes of Clemson or Florida State to not inexplicably blow a few games seems dubious at best. This is why preseason polls are sort of silly.

As a blatant homerist, I firmly believe Texas will finish in the top seven (with a good shot at top 3-5). Given the questions on offense, however, it would be premature to put them there now. So the writers basically fill in a top ten as best they can based on reputation and presumption. A job I don’t want.

by Flipteach on Aug 18, 2025 12:27 PM CDT reply actions

Check out the long term forecast in Austin

cool front arriving next week with rain and highs in the mid 80s.

High of 89 on Sat. Sep 1.

This has to be some kind of sick joke.

by Vasherized on Aug 18, 2025 1:08 PM CDT reply actions

The rains came!

Don’t know why that is a metaphor for bad things happening, fools never been through a drought.

My plants loved it, and I stood on the porch just to smell it, but it only lasted about an hour and did get up into the nineties before the water knocked things back to the 70s. (Won’t say too much, tropical storms do reach Austin, I’ve seen it, so, you know, the “watch what you wish for” thing.)

by J-M-M on Aug 18, 2025 3:24 PM CDT up reply actions

I have a question for you guys

If Texas played every team on that list 3 times, which teams would beat us 2/3 or 3/3?

by vinceyoungismyhero on Aug 18, 2025 1:19 PM CDT reply actions

Arkansas is the team I can't see in the Top 10

I know their QB is all everything . . . but I remember Dan Marino was all everything after his junior year. Jackie Sherrill left and Foge Fazio took over . . . Pitt finished unranked and Fazio benched Marino before the end of the year.

As for Arkansas, can’t remember but it was either two or three years ago they had the lowest ranked recruiting class in the SEC. A lot of their success has been Petrino coaching them up. If the Hogs lose a couple early, interim coach John L. Smith may have a tough time keeping those guys focused.

Horns will finish wherever a 10-2 record puts them. You have to figure a loss to OU. I like Texas at home against WVU . . . also figure there will be one WTF loss to somebody just because of the team’s youth.

by Cirque Du Salado on Aug 18, 2025 1:29 PM CDT reply actions

I think K-State

is criminally under-rated in both polls.

by Big(g) Ern on Aug 18, 2025 1:49 PM CDT reply actions

My thoughts...

I’d flip OU and South Carolina in that poll.

The writers love Urban.

K-State should be in the 12-15 range. The schedule doesn’t do them favors this year with trips to Norman and Morgantown, but I really like that team.

I’m very meh on Okie State and TCU.

Where is Utah?

Human Person @jimmygards

by ColoradoAg on Aug 18, 2025 1:53 PM CDT reply actions

15th at preseason - What will we be by Game 4

Who ahead of us might lose in the first three games? I think we will be Lucky 13th by game 4.

hookem

by HookemZ06bandit on Aug 18, 2025 2:19 PM CDT reply actions

By game four we'll be 10 or 11

by edsp on Aug 18, 2025 2:36 PM CDT up reply actions

im gonna go with #11 by week 4.

from week 1

im thinking (RV) auburn MIGHT have something in the tank to slow down #14 clemson. if they do, that would be a spot to move up.

idk if a #8 michigan loss to #2 bama will drop them enough for Texas to jump them in the polls. a #2 bama loss likely doesnt drop them out of the top 10 either.

nothing in week 2

week 3

bama beats #10 arky and im confident that #22 standford wont have enough talent for harbaugh to coach up to get them over #1 usc (west)

im assuming you are asking for rankings after week 4 games are played and polls come out on monday, so im adding week 4 wins/losses to this:

i doubt #8 michigan will lose to the (RV) domers, and #11 west vigrinia will be able to overcome the gaudy uniforms maryland will put on again.

also, mizzou wont be able to overcome #9 usc (east).

so no losses in week 4 that should be lost by higher ranked than Texas teams.

If You See Kay, Oh You

by texfan23 on Aug 18, 2025 3:05 PM CDT up reply actions

Possibly even better by our week 5

WVU will likely be undefeated in Top 10 when we play them.

by triplehorn on Aug 18, 2025 8:29 PM CDT up reply actions

that is supposed to be #2 bama where the system auto-indented. fml.

If You See Kay, Oh You

by texfan23 on Aug 18, 2025 3:06 PM CDT reply actions

The Big 12 has a horrible non con schedule. I went through to see what I’d be treated to, and it is a big steaming pile. The 10 teams in the Big 12 will play a total of 6 BCS teams and Notre Dame. One of those BCS teams is Ole Miss, and another is Maryland…. That is pretty sad. How the hell did we get an increase in TV money as a conference with schedules like this?

by UT_BKC on Aug 18, 2025 3:14 PM CDT reply actions

Wow, I also just took a look at the standings on ESPN, and before play has even started, there are Xs beside 4 teams: UCF, UNC, OSU, Penn. Expect even more 6-6 teams in bowl games this year.

by UT_BKC on Aug 18, 2025 3:19 PM CDT up reply actions

Agreed

The Big-12 generally does a poor job of non-conference scheduling. Although, so does the SEC. However the Big-12, now with 9 conference games being played presents a brutal conference schedule, also similar to the SEC. Look at the last 9 games of Baylors schedule or the last 5 of TCUs.

by HookemSpurs on Aug 19, 2025 1:07 PM CDT up reply actions

I thought the SEC was doing 8 conference games

I think we’re the only boat in the 9 games race

by notsofst on Aug 20, 2025 12:05 AM CDT up reply actions

Interesting when you look at that list and then pose the question which teams won't

finish near where they start in the in rankings?

LSU - I just get this feeling things are about to come apart for Les.
OU - multiple injuries, a couple of recent suspensions, and I think letting Reynolds back on the team bites them in the ass in the locker room.
Florida State - I know one year they will finally play at a level that matches the talent, but not only have they gotten manhandled by OU the past two years they have had at least a 2-game winning streak in the ACC in each of the last three years.
MIchigan - the token Big 10 team when in the end Wisconsin will somehow, someway win the conference.
Arkansas - agree with Cirque. They got their asses pounded by LSU and Bama and struggled againt a mediocre A&M team.
Clemson - see FSU.
TCU - everyone points to the four bounced in the drug busts, but grade issues and some key injuries have this shaping up to Gary’s youngest team since 2005.

by davey o'brien on Aug 18, 2025 8:36 PM CDT reply actions

One thing about LSU

Tigers finally have a QB. If Mettenberg hadn’t got into trouble with the law, he’d be entering his third year as a starter at Georgia as he beat out Aaron Murray when both were freshmen. Tigers’ offense should be more balanced, if nothing else.

by Cirque Du Salado on Aug 18, 2025 9:25 PM CDT up reply actions

but

if Mett was so good how come he did not play last yr?

by codaxx on Aug 19, 2025 10:26 AM CDT up reply actions

Last year was his first in Baton Rouge . . . Not sure what the LSU coaches were thinking but there are a lot of people with their eyes on him.

by Cirque Du Salado on Aug 19, 2025 1:34 PM CDT up reply actions

To be fair to Aggiess

That was a Championship A&M team in the first half

by vinceyoungismyhero on Aug 19, 2025 12:31 AM CDT up reply actions

Sigh

I would bet my life savings that only one team out of Georgia, South Carolina and Arkansas will be in the top 10 at the end of the year. The media love for the SEC is ridiculous.

by HookemSpurs on Aug 18, 2025 11:02 PM CDT via mobile reply actions

Actually...

I doubt any of them will be.

by HookemSpurs on Aug 18, 2025 11:04 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions

How?

The best teams in that league are really, really good.

Human Person @jimmygards

by ColoradoAg on Aug 18, 2025 11:36 PM CDT up reply actions

the difference this year

is that the usual middle of the pack SEC teams are all pretty good. The conference is loaded once again.

Both the Big 12 and SEC have six ranked teams but they’re top heavy (five of the top 10) whereas the Big 12’s constituents are well dispersed throughout the top 25. And it’s highest ranked team is overrated by about 6-8 spots.

by Vasherized on Aug 19, 2025 12:54 AM CDT up reply actions

If the SEC is good top to bottom

Then that further reinforces the point that it should be hard for 5 teams to finish in the top 10. I never buy South Carolina as a top 10 team, Arkansas is probably overrated, and while I think Georgia probably is a top 10 team they could easily drop a few games. To make this happen the SEC would also (most likely) need to go 5-0 in bowl games which is no small feat.

by HookemSpurs on Aug 19, 2025 1:01 PM CDT up reply actions

I've never bought into the Cocks either

Except they finally have a stout D and solid QB play for the first time in ages. Sure, they’ll miss Alshon Jeffery but Lattimore should be back at full strength by conference play and Clowney is a fucking gamechanger.

The question is how many rounds at Augusta Spurrier is willing to give up each week to keep the team focused and motivated.

I think SC takes down Georgia.

by Vasherized on Aug 19, 2025 7:50 PM CDT up reply actions

Georgia's schedule is ridiculously easy

If Dogs survive early season suspension to Ogletree and Rambo, they should breeze to 10 wins or better. In the SEC, that should be top 10.

by Cirque Du Salado on Aug 19, 2025 12:54 AM CDT up reply actions

It is easy

But on the road against South Carolina is a tough game, as could be Florida at home. Georgia is in a tough spot because if they lose one of those games their SoS could cost them some BCS points.

by HookemSpurs on Aug 19, 2025 1:02 PM CDT up reply actions

Let’s say Dogs lose to both South Carolina and Florida. Who gives them the third loss? Maybe Mizzou because of the early season suspensions? Auburn? Tennessee? Vandy? Ole Miss? It’s hard to have an SEC schedule with fewer minefields than Georgia has this year.

by Cirque Du Salado on Aug 19, 2025 1:41 PM CDT up reply actions

florida

is a neutral site. Worlds largest Cocktail party

by codaxx on Aug 19, 2025 2:16 PM CDT up reply actions

Additionally, Georgia underachieves in that game like nobody’s business. You can understand Spurrier and Meyer having success but the pedestrian Ron Zook was 2-1 against Mark Richt during the Zooker’s brief tenure. However, last year in Muschamp’s first Cocktail Party, Georgia came up with a bunch of clutch plays (i.e. long third down conversions, big 3rd down stops) so perhaps the current crop of Bulldogs won’t self-destruct.

by Cirque Du Salado on Aug 19, 2025 2:53 PM CDT up reply actions