For the initial occasion, the Lone Star State squad will commence a collegiate gridiron campaign holding the top spot in The Associated Press Top 25 rankings.
The Longhorns hardly possess an outright claim in the survey unveiled on Monday: They marginally surpassed the Keystone State squad by a mere five points in the tightest preseason voting outcome observed since 1998.
The Texas contingent garnered 25 first-place votes, amassing 1,552 points, thus bestowing upon the Southeastern Conference the preseason No. 1 team distinction for a record-extending fifth consecutive year. The Nittany Lions secured 23 first-place votes, accumulating 1,547 points, attaining their highest preseason placement since they were designated No. 1 at the outset of the 1997 season.
The Longhorns are set to encounter a substantial examination from the get-go. Their August 30th curtain-raiser at the reigning titleholder and third-ranked Ohio State constitutes a rematch of the preceding season’s College Football Playoff semifinal, culminating in a 28-14 triumph for the Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl.
The Buckeyes garnered 11 first-place votes from the assembly of 65 media representatives who provide coverage for collegiate gridiron competition. No. 4 Clemson procured four first-place votes, while No. 5 Georgia obtained one.
Notre Dame, Oregon (which received the final first-place vote), Alabama, LSU, and Miami finalize the top 10 selections.
The SEC presides over all conferences, boasting 10 teams within the preseason Top 25, marking the highest tally ever amassed by a conference, surpassing the count from the previous year by one. The SEC showcases four teams nestled within the top 10 for the second successive year.
The Big Ten, having secured the past two national championships, parades two of the foremost three teams in the poll for the third consecutive year and fields six in the Top 25 for the third straight year.
Four Big 12 teams are ranked, with the defending conference champion Arizona State claiming the highest rank at No. 11. The Atlantic Coast Conference features three, spearheaded by Clemson.
The Longhorns have been charting an ascendant path since their 5-7 showing in 2021, Steve Sarkisian’s inaugural season. They have triumphed in 25 out of their last 30 contests and have secured berths in two consecutive CFP semifinals. In the previous year, they held the No. 1 ranking for four out of five weeks, spanning from mid-September to mid-October, and they clinched a spot in the SEC championship game during their inaugural season within the conference.
“However, this signifies a fresh year, novel faces, a new team, and, undeniably, expectations are elevated for our program,” Sarkisian conveyed during SEC media days. “I remain cognizant of this reality. I do not bury my head in the sand; expectations loom large. Nevertheless, I also contend that we represent the University of Texas, where the standard remains unwavering, encompassing the pursuit of championships year after year.”
Twelve Texas players were selected in the NFL draft, encompassing three first-round picks, yet exceptional recruiting endeavors and acquisitions from the transfer portal ought to mitigate concerns pertaining to losses along the offensive line and at the receiver position. The defense welcomes back an abundance of talent.
Nonetheless, Texas garnered merely 38.5% of the first-place votes (25 out of 65), constituting the smallest proportion for a No. 1 team in the preseason poll since Georgia secured 33.9% (22 out of 65) in 2008.
The Longhorns have concluded a season at No. 1 in the AP poll on three occasions (1963, 1969, 2005), but until now, they had never commenced a season higher than No. 2 (1962, 1965, 1970, 2005, 2009).
The second-ranked Nittany Lions not only trail by a mere six points from the No. 1 position but also maintain a 75-point advantage over the Buckeyes, which may be interpreted as a slight to the national champions.
Penn State will showcase Drew Allar under center once more, amid what many perceive as a manageable schedule leading up to a late September encounter with Oregon, preceding a November 1st showdown against Ohio State.
The Buckeyes, featuring in the preseason top five for the ninth consecutive year and the 12th time in the past 13, will exhibit a revamped appearance, with only five starters returning on offense and three on defense.
“This team possesses its own distinct identity,” coach Ryan Day remarked. “It aspires to cultivate its unique identity, while simultaneously striving to become the inaugural Ohio State team to clinch back-to-back national championships.”
The curtain-raiser against Texas will afford the Buckeyes a valuable gauge of their capabilities. Julian Sayin or Lincoln Kienholz will embody the third new starting quarterback in as many years. Whichever individual secures the role will be tasked with delivering passes to one of the nation’s premier players in Jeremiah Smith.
Day will also gain another opportunity to assess archrival and preseason No. 14 Michigan, which has bested the Buckeyes for four successive years.
• Texas will endeavor to emerge as the 12th team to both commence and conclude at No. 1 since the AP preseason poll debuted in 1950. The most recent team to accomplish this feat was Alabama in 2017.
• Notre Dame finds itself in the preseason top 10 for the third occasion in four years. The Fighting Irish will usher in a new quarterback, either CJ Carr or Kenny Minchey. The duo collectively participated in eight snaps during the previous season, as Notre Dame advanced all the way to the CFP title game, ultimately won by Ohio State.
• With Boise State positioned at No. 25, all 12 teams participating in the 2024 College Football Playoff are ranked in the preseason. The Mountain West’s Broncos represent the inaugural team from a Group of Five conference to infiltrate the preseason Top 25 since Tulane claimed the No. 24 spot in 2023.
• No. 16 SMU, welcoming back quarterback Kevin Jennings from its CFP team, secures its first appearance in the preseason Top 25 in four decades. The 1985 team stood at No. 3, ultimately finishing with a 6-5 record and without a ranking.
