2018 was a fucking amazing season after wandering the desert for nearly a decade. Texas is back. Yes we are. I haven't been this excited for what's to come since probably the 2008 off season. That said, fuck the off season. But now seems as good of a time as any to look forward into our 2019 football schedule and talk a little bit about what we should expect to see. So here it is:
Aug. 31 - Louisiana Tech
This is our home opener, and believe me our team will still be riding the high from their win over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. We're going to prepare well and we will win this one comfortably. This will be the first time we've comfortably won an opener since... 2014.
Sep. 7 - LSU
This is the game. LSU will be ranked top 10 to start next season. But so will we. This is the game that will put us squarely in the discussion for a CFP appearance, or will take us out of that discussion completely. I really hope that our players treat this game like our 2005 players treated the Ohio State game. The parallels are there. Ehlinger confidently declared in front of the country on Jan. 1, 2019, that "we're back." I'd love for him to take another page from VY's playbook this summer, before two-a-days begin, and write on the locker room white board something similar to "Anyone who wants to beat (LSU), meet me at (practice location) for drills."
Sep. 14 - @Rice (NRG Stadium)
This will be a workman's win. Rice does not have the horses to compete.
Sep. 21 - Oklahoma State
This game is actually huge. We have not beaten OkSt since the 2014 season. If we're going to make a splash next season, we absolutely have to win this game. It will set the tone for conference play. OkSt will be breaking in a new quarterback, as their veteran Cornelius will be out of eligibility. If we complete this first stretch 4-0, we can start to be very giddy about the rest to come.
Sep. 28 - BYE
A much needed bye week to prepare us for a test in Morgantown before the RRS.
Oct. 5 - @West Virginia
Like OkSt, WVU will be breaking in a new quarterback (and possibly a new coach if the UH rumors are true). WVU has looked pedestrian without Grier, and we will be favored. Our team will want to leave no doubt this year after the way WVU conducted themselves last year in Austin. No doubt that Ehlinger has this one circled on his calendar.
Oct. 12 - Oklahoma (Cotton Bowl)
This is the other game. Like OkSt and WVU, OU will be breaking in a new quarterback (and also possibly a new coach if the NFL rumors are true). We will be favored, but nothing is guaranteed against OU. This is our rival and we will need to play our very best to get it done. Fortunately, I feel more confident playing OU under Herman than I have under any other Texas coach in the past 20 years.
Oct. 19 - Kansas
This will be another workman's win.
Oct. 26 - @TCU
Although TCU still has a big question mark at quarterback, Patterson won't stay down for long, and he will have TCU ready to play us. This game represents the finale of the second act of our season, and I expect our team to leave it all on the field and play well enough to win.
Nov. 2 - BYE
Another much needed (and rare) additional bye week for the season to prepare us for the final stretch.
Nov. 9 - Kansas State
KSU will be breaking in a new coach, and we get them in Austin. We will be favored.
Nov. 16 - @Iowa State
This is going to be the toughest game in the last stretch of our season. ISU can beat anyone in Ames. Fortunately, we match up very well against prostyle teams like ISU, and Herman has a wonderful track record so far against this squad.
Nov. 23 - @Baylor
At this point in the season, we will just need to not fuck up. We'll be big favorites in our final two games. Stay focused and play well.
Nov. 29 - Texas Tech
Ditto.
What's most interesting about next season is the way it's broken down... we have two bye weeks, which essentially trifurcate our season into 3 four-game mini-seasons. That's how the team and coaching staff will approach them, anyway. And I think it will work to our advantage. We should also be favored in every game we play. That hasn't happened since 2009. The Big XII overall will be down. Our defense will probably take a step back next season with the loss of so many seniors, but our offense should be better with a continually improving offensive line, and it will be scary good if LJH and CJ both return. I think Ehlinger will play a big part in convincing those two to stay.
The bottom line is that we proved ourselves as a very good team this year, and we are returning most of those pieces next season. While we are good and only improving, our competition will be slightly worse and rebuilding. This is a prime opportunity to make a serious run at the conference title, and even a CFP berth. We have a realistic shot at making the CFP next year for these reasons. Will we be as good as Clemson and Bama? No way. But we have a favorable schedule and enough talent and grit to run the table and slide into one of the CFP slots, hinging on how we perform in the LSU game.
Frankly, anything less than a conference title next season will be a disappointment. And I am looking for us to make noise in the CFP discussion as well. Happy New Year, everybody.