Well, we certainly didn't see that pick coming.
ESPN's Tom Luginbill was picking the Top 5 in the Big 12 for ESPNU on Tuesday, and you have all of the regular names up on the board: TCU, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State... you get the picture.
However, none of those teams were Luginbill's pick to win the conference. Instead, the analyst went out and made one of the boldest picks we have seen this offseason: Texas.
Yep, the same Texas that was 5-7 in 2015 and had several rumors erupt about them possibly firing head coach Charlie Strong.
"This team is really talented on defense," Luginbill said. "They've got weapons on the perimeter, they have a talented offensive and defensive front, they can run the football, and they are going to be dramatically improved at quarterback as long as Tyrone Swoopes is not the quarterback under center."
RELATED: Big 12's Bob Bowlsby gives tone-deaf reason sexual assaults happen on campuses
Freshman Shane Buechele has been the talk of the Longhorns' spring as the solution at quarterback, and there is a good chance he is an improvement over Swoopes and sophomore Jerrod Heard.
If Texas is going to make a jump, it will be because of improve play at quarterback and more timely play on defense. Texas was one of the worst defensive teams in college football on third downs last season — 44.2% third downs converted, 105th in the nation — and that is what really killed their defense. They actually rated well in not giving up big plays — 27th in opponents plays of 20-plus yards — but they simply could not get off the field when it mattered the most.
Luginbill did pick Oklahoma to win the Big 12 in 2015, which is something that not a ton of people had. This pick, though, might be a little to far out there to work.
[H/T College Spun]
*stats courtesy of CFBstats.com*
