UT has it all. A first-class school. A thriving city that caters to the college crowd and sprawls in the middle of a huge, football-crazy state. More money than it knows what to do with. And still 17 years out of the top 10.
Theories aplenty follow the Texas curse.
Increased UT entrance requirements in the '80s, though that argument has grown stale. Parity, which has increased but at last glance hadn't slowed Nebraska or Florida State. The scandals and demise of the Southwest Conference. Finally, some merit. Until recently, Texas schoolboys fled the state like it was a burning house.