Texas vs. Maryland: 3 bold predictions for Week 1 matchup

The 2017 Texas football team face high expectations in year one under head coach Tom Herman, but what will happen against Maryland?

The Texas Longhorns enter the 2017 season as an underdog to win the Big 12 championship. As the 25th ranked team in the preseason AP Poll, the Longhorns return a lot of talent, particularly on defense, to be a good football team.

Their first order of business is head coach DJ Durkin and the Maryland Terrapins. It is the team’s first meeting since 1978 with the Longhorns holding a 3-0 advantage in the all-time series. They’ve shutout the Terrapins in all three games.

A shutout may not be brewing in Week One, but the Texas Longhorns have an opportunity to right the ship and it starts on Sept. 2.

Tom Herman (22-4 overall) has seen quick results already in two seasons as a head coach with the Houston Cougars, but the Longhorns are a different beast. He’ll have quarterback Shane Buechele to work with though, a potential Heisman darkhorse candidate if things go according to plan for Texas.

Buechele threw for 2,958 passing yards, 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 2016. The Longhorns went 5-7 last season but their returning experience should put them back on the winning side of things.

The odds favor a huge turnaround in Austin. Here are three bold predictions for Saturday’s season opener.