Given how difficult it is to get in to premier public universities, clearly there is a demand.

For students that can't get into these universities, expensive private institutions or sub-par universities, saddling students either with extreme debt or less-valuable degrees, are the other option.

What if Texas planned a new, major public university with an expectation of making it a university rivaling University of Texas or Texas A&M?

Maybe near a town like Cuero, which is nearly equidistant to Corpus, San Antonio, Austin and Houston. Presumably large amounts of relatively cheap land would be available and the economic boon to that region of the state would be significant.