Bracketology 2021: 10 biggest winners from opening month of season

9. Texas

When the season began, a lot of pundits were ready to write off Shaka Smart and Texas before things really got going. Since his arrival in 2015, this Longhorns program has been an underwhelming disappointment instead of a legitimate threat, whether in the Big 12 or on the national stage. They began this year just inside the top 25 and with plenty of talent on the roster; they seem to finally be putting all the pieces together.

The Longhorns got their season going in a major way with their victory in the Maui Invitational, knocking off Davidson, Indiana, and a 14th ranked North Carolina squad. Though they dropped a tough battle with Villanova earlier this month, they sit now at 7-1 and look ready to compete near or at the top of a very competitive Big 12. They’ve yet to play any of the four ranked Big 12 teams; though this will be the true test of how far this team has come.

This Texas team has performed consistently this season, even in their loss to the Wildcats. They’re getting double-digit scoring from Matt Coleman, Courtney Ramey, Greg Brown, and Andrew Jones, while Brown in particular has been a force on both sides of the ball.

Smart’s Texas teams haven’t quite caused the havoc that he instilled at VCU, but this could be the roster that finally puts Texas back on the national map, especially if they can spring an upset over Baylor or Kansas in the coming weeks.