Texas basketball enters the season ranked No. 7 in the nation by The Associated Press, which marks the program's highest preseason ranking since the 2021-22 team began the year at No. 5.
And second-year coach Sean Miller says bring on the hype.
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"We signed up for high expectations," Miller told reporters Monday during a news conference on the University of Texas campus. "Why would you ever want to go to a program that has to trip over themselves to apologize about what they can't do, what they don't have, what they have to overcome? Why would you go there? At the University of Texas, we have that high-expectation environment. We have to embrace it, go for it, be about it, not run from it."
Miller did his part to raise those expectations by following an 18-13 regular-season record a year ago with a run to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament. Miller and his staff then brought in 11 newcomers to the roster, including five transfers and six freshmen. Combined, those new players rank as the No. 1 overall class in the 2026 recruiting and portal cycle, according to 247 Sports.
Texas has now made 22 appearances in school history in the AP preseason poll, including six of the last seven years. Eight of those preseason rankings have been in the top 10, including No. 6 in 1978-79, No. 4 in 2002-03, No. 2 in 2005-06, No. 7 in 2008-09, No. 3 in 2009-10, No. 10 in 2014-15, No. 5 in 2021-22 and this season.
Texas opens the 2026-27 season with a home contest at 8 p.m. Nov. 2 against visiting Chicago State in Moody Center.
The Associated Press' 2026-27 preseason Top 25
Rank | Team (First-Place Votes) | Points |
1. | Florida (47) | 1,461 |
2. | Duke (10) | 1,411 |
3. | Illinois (2) | 1,342 |
4. | UConn | 1,241 |
5. | Arizona | 1,214 |
6. | Michigan State | 1,203 |
7. | TEXAS | 1,040 |
8. | Tennessee | 932 |
9. | Virginia | 874 |
10. | Houston | 829 |
11. | Louisville | 822 |
12. | Arkansas | 760 |
13. | St. John's | 669 |
14. | Miami, Fla. | 650 |
15. | Gonzaga | 637 |
16. | Michigan | 605 |
17. | Kansas | 504 |
18. | Iowa State | 475 |
19. | Texas Tech | 466 |
20. | Alabama | 374 |
21. | USC | 306 |
22. | UCLA | 250 |
23. | Kentucky | 243 |
24. | Vanderbilt | 241 |
25. | BYU | 179 |
Others receiving votes:
Missouri 167, Nebraska 70, Purdue 53, Ohio State 39, North Carolina 20, TCU 17, Saint Louis 13, VCU 12, Iowa 12, Virginia Tech 10, Indiana 8, Texas A&M 6, Villanova 6, Auburn 4, Marquette 3, Nevada 2, Grand Canyon 2, Utah State 2, Santa Clara 1
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This article originally published at Texas basketball draws top-10 ranking in AP preseason poll.