Are The Texas Longhorns BCS Bowl Bound?

    Do the Texas Longhorns have a chance to reach and maybe win a BCS bowl? The only thing the roster shows is a team inferior to last year's underwhelming 10-3 team.

    I guess they were the champions of a bowl. Oh, yeah. It was the Holiday Bowl. However, this team seems much improved, and I will show you why Longhorn fans have a reason to believe.

    First, many of the "slow linebackers" from last year's corps have now graduated and moved on, opening the door for such talents as Roddrick Muckleroy and 2006's number five recruit (Rivals) Sergio Kindle. This will add talent and speed to a defense that needed it desperately, especially when you look at the big runs allowed in the Texas A&M game.

    Also, this team has a totally new level of mental toughness. Between the pathetic A&M game and the proud Holiday Bowl, Coach Mack Brown held 6 AM practices and held all positions up for grabs. This added a sense of urgency, and upped the effort for the whole team.

    An addition more valuable than any recruit is new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp. The stats speak for themselves; his past defenses have been among the country's best. The team will most certainly learn a bunch from him and his incredible past.

    The most important player on the field, for better or for worse, will be quarterback Colt McCoy. Trust me, this year it will be for better. My prediction is that last year's average performance was a combination of a sophomore slump and a nagging pinched nerve suffered during the road loss to Kansas State in 2006. He will record numbers more like his freshman season than his sophomore season.

    Finally, the schedule and my prediction. Keep in mind that for a realistic chance at a BCS Bowl game, Texas must either win the conference, or record two or less losses.

Florida Atlantic- The 'Horns need to watch out. This should-be-patsy recorded the program's first bowl win last year. However, with vastly superior talent, Texas wins this easily. W

at UTEP- Although it is an away game, any Texas game in the state of Texas that isn't against Tech or A&M is a virtual home game. UTEP won't keep up. W

Arkansas- With the departure of star running backs Darren McFadden and Felix Jones, Arkansas QB Casey Dick must show something special for the Razorbacks to win this one. W

Rice- B-L-O-W-O-U-T. They have no chance against a vastly superior team. This will be the easiest game of the year. W

at Colorado- This will be a real challenge vs. up-and-coming Colorado. In a very hostile environment, the Longhorns pull through in the 4th quarter to win by two touchdowns. W

vs. Oklahoma (in Dallas)- This year's Red River Shootout will be better than ones in past history. It will be a close game the whole way through, and it will be decided in the trenches.

With Oklahoma's first class offensive line blocking NFL Draft first round prospect Brian Orakpo and the Bednarik Award watch list's Roy Miller, it should be interesting. Look for sophomore DE Sam Acho (#81) to make a big impact on this game.

If he or another young, unknown player steps up on defense, Texas will win. Barely. If not, OU takes this one due to the huge running lanes open for sophomore phenom DeMarco Murray. Sorry, but for now, this one goes to OU. L

Missouri- Thank god this is a home game. In a tight game, the whole way through, Texas takes advantage of the home stadium and wins. W

Oklahoma State- They can get up by 10. Or 20. Or 100. It doesn't matter, because Texas still wins this one. W

at Texas Tech- Texas Tech will be good, but not as good as they hoped. The home field will be hugely important, as will Mike Leach's liberal play calling. Texas, however, stops Michael Crabtree, and wins in Lubbock. W

Baylor- This one is never tough, especially not at home. The Bears are sent home crushed. W

at Kansas- The Longhorns will march into the stadium with a chip on their shoulder due to the loss at Tech. Colt McCoy recently said, "We're more of a team than at any time since I've been here, which is saying a lot." That is saying a lot, especially sense he was here for our championship run. The Longhorns fight as a team and win in Lawrence. W

Texas A&M- This one is too close to call. The Horns should win. They have more talent, a better coach, and a better bench. But that was the story the last two years. I'm going to leave this one alone. W/L

BCS Predictions

BCS National Championship Game: Georgia Bulldogs vs. USC Trojans

Rose Bowl presented by Citi: Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Arizona State Sun Devils

Allstate Sugar Bowl- Florida Gators vs. Texas Longhorns

FedEx Orange Bowl- Clemson Tigers vs. West Virginia Mountaineers

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl- Oklahoma Sooners vs. Wisconsin Badgers

note: These are not necessarily who should go to these bowls, these are who I thing will go.