2016 Texas Longhorns Football Predictions and Season Win Total Picks

by Robert Ferringo - 8/16/2016

2015 Record: 5-7

2016 Las Vegas Season Win Total: 7.0

2016 Season Win Total Picks NCAA Football: 'Over'

It is always tough to handicap a powerhouse program that has fallen on hard times. On the one hand, you have to know that big-name programs are always going to be overvalued by the books and the public, so we should pick the bones clean while a team is down. On the other hand, it is hard not to assume that these top-tier schools with big budgets and loaded recruiting classes are just one season away from getting back on top.

Charlie Strong's seat is certainly heating up in Austin as Texas tries to regain its footing at the top of the Big 12. Strong wasn't a popular hire, and his 11-14 record the past two seasons hasn't been encouraging. But Strong has been weeding out the non-hackers and reshaping the program in his hard-nosed, no-nonsense image. Now it is time to see some dividends.

Texas's defense, which was supposed to be Strong's suit, so to speak, fell off the map last year. They were No. 106 overall and No. 111 against the run, and it was the worst stop unit the Longhorns have fielded in over a decade. They have seven returning starters, including star sophomore Malik Jefferson, and they are in the third year of Vance Bedford's schemes. Texas is still young. More than half of their starters will be sophomores or younger. But the talent is there.

Offensively, Strong brought in former Tulsa OC Sterlin Gilbert. The first thing he'll need to do is find a quarterback between freshman Shane Buechele and last year's jokers, senior Ty Swoopes and sophomore Jerrod Heard. I expect the Longhorns to throw the ball a lot more this season after finishing No. 117 in passing last season. But they need some playmakers to emerge on this side of the ball.

By my count 14 of Texas' 22 starters in Week 1 will be either freshmen or sophomores. Texas fans need to be patient as Strong recruits and brings his guys along. I think predictions of Texas competing for the Big 12 title this year are way premature. They are at least a year away, and next season could be something special. This year's team will have to settle for a mid-level bowl game as I can see them getting to seven or eight wins.

2016 Texas Longhorns Schedule

DATE OPPONENT TIME (ET) Location

Sun, Sep 4th, 2016 Notre Dame 07:30 PM Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memoria

Sat, Sep 10th, 2016 UTEP 07:00 PM Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memoria

Sat, Sep 17th, 2016 at California 10:30 PM Kabam Field at Memorial Stadiu

Sat, Oct 1st, 2016 at Oklahoma St.01:00 PM Boone Pickens Stadium

Sat, Oct 8th, 2016 Oklahoma 01:00 PM Cotton Bowl

Sat, Oct 15th, 2016 Iowa State 01:00 PM Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memoria

Sat, Oct 22nd, 2016 at Kansas St. 01:00 PM Bill Snyder Family Stadium

Sat, Oct 29th, 2016 Baylor 01:00 PM Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memoria

Sat, Nov 5th, 2016 at Texas Tech 01:00 PM Jones AT&T Stadium

Sat, Nov 19th, 2016 at Kansas 01:00 PM Kivisto Field at Memorial Stad

Fri, Nov 25th, 2016 TCU 03:30 PM Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memoria

All Times EST

*Season Win Total Odds from 5Dimes Sportsbook.

Robert Ferringo has been the top football handicapper in the country the past five years, earning nearly $13,000 in total football profit with four of six winning seasons. Robert tallied over $20,000 in football profit between 2011 and 2016, including his amazing 2013 NFL season in which he hit 62.1 percent (95-58). Robert has produced 14 of 22 winning football months and an amazing 37 of 57 winning football months over the past decade. Robert has eight of nine winning NFL preseasons and he is at nearly 60 percent winners over his last 750 totals picks. Also, Robert's proprietary KING College Football Betting System has posted three of four winning seasons and is 122-92 over the last three years (57.0 percent).

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