Where Do The Longhorns Fall In SI's Preseason College Football Rankings?

If you like change and uncertainty, then college football preseason and regular season rankings are for you.

Sports Illustrated's Pat Forde released his Preseason College Football Rankings and there are surprises at the top and near the bottom.

Last season, the Longhorns finished the year on a high note, blowing out the Colorado Buffaloes 55-23 in the Alamo Bowl, ending the year 7-3, and ranked No. 20 in the country. 

Unfortunately for former head coach Tom Herman, that was not enough for him to hold on to his job, as losses to TCU, Oklahoma, and Iowa State once again left the Longhorns on the outside looking in as the Sooners took home another Big 12 Title.

With Steve Sarkisian now at the helm, there is new excitement surrounding the program, and though they will be breaking in a new starting QB, expectations are still high. 

So where does Forde think the Longhorns should start in 2021? 

23. Texas

The Longhorns have hogged the 2021 headlines: trap-dooring Tom Herman at great cost, replacing him with Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian, and then blowing up the map with their impending move to the SEC alongside Oklahoma. But after the noise subsides, the same question as usual lingers: Is Texas any good? Sark will add immediate juice to the offense, starting with maximizing running back Bijan Robinson but must turn to an unproven quarterback. The defense needs some new playmakers to step up in the wake of Joseph Ossai’s departure. This much is sure: Sark better be ready from the jump, because the opening two games (Louisiana, at Arkansas) loom large.

Forde's concerns about the new quarterback situation and the defense are founded. However, new defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski should bring a new jolt of energy to a program that has struggled on that side of the ball in recent years. 

As for the quarterback situation, Sarkisian has been pleased with the competition thus far and seems confident in their abilities to lead the team. 

Either way, Texas will have a lot to prove in the 2021 season.

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