Texas A&M ranks No. 6 and Texas sits at No. 21 in the Preseason AP Top 25, which was released on Monday morning.
The Aggies' ranking is the program's highest preseason ranking since R.C. Slocum's 1995 squad started the season No. 3 in 1995. Texas A&M is fresh off a top-four finish in the AP Top 25, the highest AP ranking since Homer Norton led Texas A&M to its lone AP national championship in 1939.
This is the fourth straight season that Texas has begun the season ranked in the AP Top 25. In three of those seasons, the Longhorns finished the postseason poll ranked lower than where they started. The 2021 season is Steve Sarkisian's first year as head coach of the program.
In addition to the two ranked teams, two other Texas schools received votes in the preseason poll. TCU ranked No. 28 with 40 votes, while Houston ranks No. 38 with five votes. Additionally, Texas nonconference opponent Louisiana ranks No. 23 in the nation.
Defending national champion Alabama received 47 of the 63 first place votes in the preseason AP poll to start the year No. 1 for the fifth time under Nick Saban. No. 2 Oklahoma, No. 3 Clemson, No. 4 Ohio State and No. 5 Georgia all received first place votes as well.
Here is the full preseason AP Top 25 –
- Alabama (47)
- Oklahoma (6)
- Clemson (6)
- Ohio State (1)
- Georgia (3)
- Texas A&M
- Iowa State
- Cincinnati
- Notre Dame
- North Carolina
- Oregon
- Wisconsin
- Florida
- Miami
- USC
- LSU
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Penn State
- Washington
- Texas
- Coastal Carolina
- Louisiana
- Utah
- Arizona State
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