Texas Longhorns Running Middle Of The Pack In Way-Too-Early Bracketology

The Longhorns are projected to have an interesting first season under Sean Miller.

Xavier coach Sean Miller watch his team play against Texas during their game in the First Four of the NCAA men's tournament at University of Dayton Arena. | Sam Greene / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Rodney Terry's final season in the Forty Acres was an eventful one in 2024, starting off 11-2 in non-conference games before getting blown out by rivals Texas A&M to start conference play.

The team would end up finishing 6-12 in conference play, and in the SEC Tournament defeated Vanderbilt and Texas A&M, the latter in two overtimes, before falling short to the Tennessee Volunteers, giving the struggling Burnt Orange a chance to make the NCAA Tournament, which they did as a "First Four Out" team.

The team would fall short to Xavier and their head coach Sean Miller by a score of 86-80, ending their tournament hopes before they really even began.

Mar 19, 2025; Dayton, OH, USA; Texas Longhorns guard Tre Johnson (20) dribbles pressured by Xavier Musketeers guard Dailyn Swain (3) in the first half at UD Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Fast forward not even a week later, and now Sean Miller, the same man that led the team that knocked the Longhorns out of the tournament, was on staff in Austin as the men's basketball coach, many seeing the signing as a massive improvement over what the team had with Rodney Terry at the helm.

On top of the signing, the Longhorns were able to retain a majority of their 2024 squad, with guard Tre Johnson still riding the fence of going to the NBA or returning to the Texas capital city.

But with all the hype surrounding the Longhorns on the hardwood, how successful will the team be in 2025 with Sean Miller leading the charge?

According to Joe Lunardi's updated Bracketology report, the Longhorns could be in good shape, as they team was ranked as a No. 8 seed, pitted against fellow Lone Star school Baylor in the Eastern portion of the bracket.

Much like their College Station counterparts, the Longhorns will be adjusting to a new coaching system, but unlike the Aggies, the Longhorns actually retained most of their lineup from 2024, and so it's reasonable to believe that the Longhorns could make a drastic improvement in the 2025 season and 2026 NCAA Tournament, as the player chemistry continues to grow with each minute on the floor.