Last year, for the first time in program history, Texas football was the No. 1 team in the preseason AP Top 25 ranking. The Longhorns were also the No. 1 team in the US LBM Coaches Poll. In hindsight, it wasn’t realistic with inexperience at several key positions, including quarterback. But UT has improved, in both experience and roster. Will the Horns repeat as Preseason No. 1? College football expert Josh Pate thinks they will.
“I think it’s time for us to look ahead to the upcoming AP Poll. So who do you think the No. 1 team in the country is gonna be? I think Texas is going to be No. 1. … Was Texas No. 1 last year, preseason? I think they’re gonna go repeat of the No. 1 team they had last year, which ended up not making the playoff by the way. I’d have Notre Dame No. 1, for the record right now. But I think Texas is gonna be No. 1.” – Josh Pate
Pate attempted to predict the entire AP Top 25 ranking. He has Texas No. 1, Notre Dame No. 2, followed by Indiana, Oregon and Ohio State. Pate believes there will be 10 SEC teams in the first ranking, but the Longhorns are the only conference team he places in the top five.
Best guess at AP Preseason top 25 poll pic.twitter.com/XWHUWWguCv
— Josh Pate (@JoshPateCFB) July 1, 2026
Eight of the twelve teams on the Longhorns schedule are ranked in Pate’s predicted Top 25. The only opponents Texas plays that aren’t ranked are Texas State, UTSA, Mississippi State and Arkansas. Texas has five games against Top 10 opponents.
There’s a reason Texas has, what is considered by most, the toughest schedule in college football.
MARLER: 2026 SEC Strength of Schedule Rankings 🏈📊
Which SEC teams have the toughest paths in 2026?? #CFB
READ: https://t.co/cgVtdNSdFIpic.twitter.com/BS0dbTUcT3
— Chris Marler (@Vern_Funquist) June 27, 2026
Rival Texas A&M is ranked No. 8 in Pate’s AP forecast and Oklahoma checks in at No. 13. Within the state of Texas, the Red Raiders are projected to be ranked No. 12 and SMU is tabbed to come in at No. 20.
The Coaches Poll and AP Top 25 both are scheduled to come out in early August. We’ll see how Pate does in his projection.
Follow us on X/Twitter at @LonghornsWire and @TreyLuerssen for more.
This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Josh Pate says Texas Football will be No. 1 in preseason AP Top 25
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