Reporters love to make preseason predictions, but never talk about them again. As Texas prepares to play in the Big 12 Championship Game, I thought this would be a good time to hold myself accountable for things I thought might happen prior to the season.
Here you go:
Preseason Predictions
Texas' record in 2018: 8-4
Comment: I was only one game off, but definitely whiffed on the losses. I predicted losses against USC, TCU, Kansas State and Iowa State. Swing and a miss.
Big 12 standings
1. West Virginia (10-2, 7-2) – Not the most complete team, but with a ton of transfers and Grier, this is the squad to beat.
2. TCU (9-3, 6-3) – This team is expected to have an explosive offense. I will not bet against Gary Patterson
3. Oklahoma (9-3, 6-3) – A predictable drop off after Baker Mayfield, but RB Rodney Anderson takes pressure off Kyler Murray.
4. Texas (8-4, 6-3) – Longhorns could finish higher with a more productive offense.
5. Iowa State (7-5, 5-4) – Running back David Montgomery will be a hot name toward the end of this season
6. Oklahoma State (7-5, 5-4) – Hard to replace quarterback Mason Rudolph and receiver James Washington.
7. Kansas State (6-6, 4-5) – Bill Snyder does not have a quarterback I believe in.
8. Texas Tech (5-7, 3-6) – Ironically, Kliff Kingsbury might get fired because of his offense.
9. Baylor (4-8, 2-7) – Outside of quarterback Charlie Brewer, this team is still rebuilding.
10. Kansas (2-10, 0-9) – David Beaty is under contract until 2021 and will earn $1.8 million this year. I cannot see Kansas eating that contract for football.
Comment: Next year I will predict the order without a conference record since I screwed up the numbers. I really gave TCU too much credit. Ouch. Overall, I was definitely in the ballpark, and Texas did have a better offense that resulted in a higher finish.
More preseason predictions:
Texas will appear in this bowl game: Valero Alamo Bowl
Comment: Glad to be wrong about this one
Big 12 Champion: West Virginia
Comment: Nope
Worst team in the Big 12: Kansas
Comment: That was too easy
Texas offensive MVP: Tre Watson, RB
Comment: That award goes to Lil’Jordan Humphrey
Texas defensive MVP: Kris Boyd, DB
Comment: He is definitely in the conversation
Texas special teams MVP: Ryan Bujcevski, P
Comment: Seriously, who wins this award?
Texas Freshman of the Year: Caden Sterns, S
Comment: Nailed it ... unless you want to make a case for Keaontay Ingram
Texas RB with most rushing yards: Watson (815 yards and six touchdowns)
Comment: He has 668 rushing yards and three touchdowns. I did not anticipate a running back by committee approach.
Texas leader in TD receptions: Lil’ Jordan Humphrey (five)
Comment: He exceeded my expectations and has eight
Texas leader in sacks: Breckyn Hager (eight)
Comment: Charles Omenihu had a breakout season with 8.5 sacks. Hager has 2.5. I was definitely off.
Texas leader in interceptions: Davante Davis (four)
Comment: Sterns leads the team with four interceptions. Davis has been solid.
Texas leader in tackles: Gary Johnson (115)
Comment: Johnson leads the team with 74 tackles, but did not come close to Malik Jefferson’s 110 last season.
Longest FG made: 47
Comment: Cameron Dicker made a 52-yarder against Texas Tech
# of passing yards/TDs by Sam Ehlinger: (2,850/21)
Comment: He currently has 2,774 yards and 23 touchdowns. My preseason prediction was within 76 yards of his current total, and I almost nailed Ehlinger’s touchdown mark.
# of times fans ask about Shane Buechele transferring: 158
Comment: I had to be close
# of times the OB staff engages in a Twitter war: 2
Comment: Ketch got into it with somebody from Sooner Scoop recently, but I cannot remember another Twitter fight
Texas scores most points against: Tulsa
Comment: Texas dropped 48 against Oklahoma
Texas scores fewest points against: TCU
Comment: Actually, 19 points against Kansas State was the lowest total
Texas allows most points against: West Virginia
Comment: I was close. Oklahoma scored 45 points, while West Virginia had 42
Texas allows fewest points against: Tulsa
Comment: Texas held Kansas State and USC to 14 points
# of team sacks allowed: 25
Comment: I was close. Texas has 28 sacks
First loss by Texas in 2018: USC
Comment: Maryland, again
Nobody will see this coming: Texas defeats Oklahoma by two touchdowns this season
Comment: I thought Texas was better than Oklahoma before the season started, and maintained that stance before both teams faced each other. Heck, my prediction was correct for three quarters, but I was wrong.
I do not anticipate changing my point of view prior to Saturday.
Photo via HookEm.com
Here you go:
Preseason Predictions
Texas' record in 2018: 8-4
Comment: I was only one game off, but definitely whiffed on the losses. I predicted losses against USC, TCU, Kansas State and Iowa State. Swing and a miss.
Big 12 standings
1. West Virginia (10-2, 7-2) – Not the most complete team, but with a ton of transfers and Grier, this is the squad to beat.
2. TCU (9-3, 6-3) – This team is expected to have an explosive offense. I will not bet against Gary Patterson
3. Oklahoma (9-3, 6-3) – A predictable drop off after Baker Mayfield, but RB Rodney Anderson takes pressure off Kyler Murray.
4. Texas (8-4, 6-3) – Longhorns could finish higher with a more productive offense.
5. Iowa State (7-5, 5-4) – Running back David Montgomery will be a hot name toward the end of this season
6. Oklahoma State (7-5, 5-4) – Hard to replace quarterback Mason Rudolph and receiver James Washington.
7. Kansas State (6-6, 4-5) – Bill Snyder does not have a quarterback I believe in.
8. Texas Tech (5-7, 3-6) – Ironically, Kliff Kingsbury might get fired because of his offense.
9. Baylor (4-8, 2-7) – Outside of quarterback Charlie Brewer, this team is still rebuilding.
10. Kansas (2-10, 0-9) – David Beaty is under contract until 2021 and will earn $1.8 million this year. I cannot see Kansas eating that contract for football.
Comment: Next year I will predict the order without a conference record since I screwed up the numbers. I really gave TCU too much credit. Ouch. Overall, I was definitely in the ballpark, and Texas did have a better offense that resulted in a higher finish.
More preseason predictions:
Texas will appear in this bowl game: Valero Alamo Bowl
Comment: Glad to be wrong about this one
Big 12 Champion: West Virginia
Comment: Nope
Worst team in the Big 12: Kansas
Comment: That was too easy
Texas offensive MVP: Tre Watson, RB
Comment: That award goes to Lil’Jordan Humphrey
Texas defensive MVP: Kris Boyd, DB
Comment: He is definitely in the conversation
Texas special teams MVP: Ryan Bujcevski, P
Comment: Seriously, who wins this award?
Texas Freshman of the Year: Caden Sterns, S
Comment: Nailed it ... unless you want to make a case for Keaontay Ingram
Texas RB with most rushing yards: Watson (815 yards and six touchdowns)
Comment: He has 668 rushing yards and three touchdowns. I did not anticipate a running back by committee approach.
Texas leader in TD receptions: Lil’ Jordan Humphrey (five)
Comment: He exceeded my expectations and has eight
Texas leader in sacks: Breckyn Hager (eight)
Comment: Charles Omenihu had a breakout season with 8.5 sacks. Hager has 2.5. I was definitely off.
Texas leader in interceptions: Davante Davis (four)
Comment: Sterns leads the team with four interceptions. Davis has been solid.
Texas leader in tackles: Gary Johnson (115)
Comment: Johnson leads the team with 74 tackles, but did not come close to Malik Jefferson’s 110 last season.
Longest FG made: 47
Comment: Cameron Dicker made a 52-yarder against Texas Tech
# of passing yards/TDs by Sam Ehlinger: (2,850/21)
Comment: He currently has 2,774 yards and 23 touchdowns. My preseason prediction was within 76 yards of his current total, and I almost nailed Ehlinger’s touchdown mark.
# of times fans ask about Shane Buechele transferring: 158
Comment: I had to be close
# of times the OB staff engages in a Twitter war: 2
Comment: Ketch got into it with somebody from Sooner Scoop recently, but I cannot remember another Twitter fight
Texas scores most points against: Tulsa
Comment: Texas dropped 48 against Oklahoma
Texas scores fewest points against: TCU
Comment: Actually, 19 points against Kansas State was the lowest total
Texas allows most points against: West Virginia
Comment: I was close. Oklahoma scored 45 points, while West Virginia had 42
Texas allows fewest points against: Tulsa
Comment: Texas held Kansas State and USC to 14 points
# of team sacks allowed: 25
Comment: I was close. Texas has 28 sacks
First loss by Texas in 2018: USC
Comment: Maryland, again
Nobody will see this coming: Texas defeats Oklahoma by two touchdowns this season
Comment: I thought Texas was better than Oklahoma before the season started, and maintained that stance before both teams faced each other. Heck, my prediction was correct for three quarters, but I was wrong.
I do not anticipate changing my point of view prior to Saturday.
Photo via HookEm.com
