Texas picked to finish third in Big 12 preseason coaches poll

Shaka Smart’s Texas Longhorns were selected to finish third in Thursday’s Big 12 preseason coaches poll, as the ‘Horns were slotted behind league-favorite Kansas and West Virginia.

Bill Self’s Jayhawks were the only team to receive first-place votes, once again slotting the annual power as the favorite for its 13th-straight Big 12 title.

• Kansas - 81 points
• West Virginia - 65 points
• Texas - 59 points
• Iowa State - 56 points
• Baylor - 53 points
• Oklahoma - 40 points
• Oklahoma State - 32 points
• Texas Tech - 32 points
• Kansas State - 20 points
• TCU - 12 points

Despite Smart being tasked with replacing six members from last season’s rotation, the arrival of a fifth-ranked recruiting class and the projected growth of multiple returning contributors has the coaches from around the conference believing in Texas.