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The release of the preseason coaches poll on Tuesday added another layer of confirmation to what many already suspected: the Texas Longhorns will navigate one of the most challenging schedules in college football this season. The Longhorns were slotted at No. 4 in the initial rankings, trailing only Ohio State, Georgia, and Oregon.
Interestingly, the Buckeyes, who sit atop the poll, are one of Texas' opponents this year. But that is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to ranked opposition on the Longhorns' docket. The coaches poll revealed that Texas will face a total of seven teams ranked in the top 25, the most of any program in the country. That list includes four top-10 squads: No. 1 Ohio State, No. 8 Texas A&M, No. 9 Oklahoma, and No. 10 Ole Miss.
Beyond those formidable foes, the Longhorns will also clash with No. 13 LSU, No. 18 Tennessee, and No. 25 Missouri. Notably, Texas managed to avoid SEC powerhouse Georgia, but the schedule still presents a relentless gauntlet of conference and non-conference challenges.
Home-Field Disadvantage
Perhaps the most daunting aspect of the schedule is the lack of home games against these ranked opponents. Of the seven top-25 teams Texas will face, only two will travel to Austin: Ohio State in Week 2 and Ole Miss on October 24. The remaining five contests will be played on the road or at neutral sites.
Texas will travel to Knoxville to face Tennessee, then head to the Cotton Bowl in Dallas for the annual Red River Showdown against Oklahoma. November brings a brutal road stretch with games at Missouri, LSU, and Texas A&M, capping off what many are calling a minefield of a schedule.
With championship aspirations firmly in place, the Longhorns will need to navigate this treacherous path. Beyond the seven ranked opponents, they also face a talented Florida squad and a dangerous Mississippi State team led by quarterback Kamario Taylor. If Texas must finish 10-2 to secure a College Football Playoff berth, as they did last season, they may need to defeat five or more ranked teams along the way.
Originally reported by yahoo.