texas is clearly one of the top 3 programs the past 2 years. If you look at metrics and betting odds, I believe I read somewhere that the would be favored over any team on a neutral field including Oregon.
Currently texas is #1 in FPI and its my understanding lines up with betting lines on a neutral field.
Our greatest advantage was being in the SEC and players going to the NFL which is now gone. texas is an easy place to win if you get the right coach. They have the name, NIL, SEC, attractive to portal players, NFL pipeline. With the NIL $$$, they just will reload just like when they lost all of their top WRs. They just raided other team's top WRs.
They will be sending 2 OL likely in the 1st round. They have a freshman that slotted well when Banks got hurt with little drop off. they have multiple NFL early round pics on the defensive side who are freshmen.
I see 4 teams that will just continue to reload in this order moving forward
1. texas - Blue blood, top line NIL, top conference, Top state HS
2. Oregon - #1 Nil, Top Conference
3. Ga - Strong NIL, top conference, Blue Blood, recent history
4. tOSU - Top Nil, conference, blue blood
We should be able to crack the top 5. All we need is a good coach b/c we have everything else texas has other than history.
Watch Bama drop out of the top 3 SEC going forward b/c they are a relatively poor NIL program when compared to LSU/texas/A&M/Fla/Ga. THIS IS WHY SABAN LEFT. He knew Bama doesn't have the $$$ to compete with the top SEC.
Bottom line is we have zero reason to not be a top 5 program going forward regardless of what anyone else does.