Arch Manning’s Heisman pursuit and a top-ranked roster have Austin dreaming big. With favorable odds and a clear road to the playoffs, double-glory is finally within reach.
Now that the Texas Longhorns have escaped Ohio State and side-stepped Holly Rowe, is there any doubt that this - finally - is their year?
In August I predicted quarterback Arch Manning would win the Heisman Trophy and lead the ‘Horns to their first National Championship since the Vince Young squad in 2005.
Down 23-3 to the Buckeyes in the fourth quarter and with Arch "inappropriately'' laughing at Rowe being (cartoonishly) slapped by head coach Steve Sarkisian, it got dicey.
Oh, and the stumbling blocks never quite go away, as evidenced by Longhorns co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Johnny Nansen having been arrested on DWI charges in Austin on Wednesday evening.
Nansen, 52, was involved in a three-car crash in west Austin and subsequently showed signs of impairment, per multiple reports. He is charged with a Class B misdemeanor.
But through it all ...
The Heisman Trophy. And a National Title.
I’m sticking with both picks.
Entering mid-September, Texas is ranked No. 1 and Manning has the second-best odds to bring the first Heisman to Austin since Ricky Williams in 1998. There are a couple of potential potholes along the way in Baton Rouge and College Station, but the path to double-glory is essentially paved.
Texas will leave the state only once before November, and - as of current odds - will be favored in all of its remaining games. November will be the telling month, with road games at ranked SEC rivals Missouri, LSU and Texas A&M.
The ‘Horns’ remaining schedule and projected odds:
Sept. 19 UTSA -30.5
Sept. 26 at Tennessee -4.5
Oct. 10 Oklahoma (Dallas) -6.5
Oct. 17 Florida -7
Oct. 24 Mississippi -4.5
Oct. 31 Mississippi State - 8.5
Nov. 7 at Missouri -6
Nov. 14 at LSU - 2.5
Nov. 21 Arkansas - 7.5
Nov. 27 at Texas A&M - 3
Again, I'm not predicting a series of "cupcake'' wins over the next 10 games. But the oddsmakers are predicting wins, and are justified in doing so.
What happens after that? More challenge would await, obviously, come the College Football Playoffs - which last year, the Longhorns - controversially to some observers - failed to even qualify for.
But for now? The path to the playoffs is clear.
And the path to perfection is in play.
