The Texas Longhorns football team, despite a strong season, is in a tough spot when it comes to the College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings. They’ve notched big wins over top-10 teams like Texas A&M, Oklahoma, and Vanderbilt, so expectations were high.
Right now, though, they’re sitting at No. 13. With no games left, their playoff hopes are hanging by a thread.
Texas Longhorns’ Season Overview
Head coach Steve Sarkisian has guided the Longhorns through a remarkable run. They managed to take down three top-10 opponents, including that huge win over No. 3 Texas A&M.
Still, their spot in the latest CFP rankings just isn’t where they wanted to be.
Key Victories and Setbacks
The Longhorns’ season was punctuated by wins over:
- No. 3 Texas A&M
- Oklahoma
- Vanderbilt
But it hasn’t all been smooth sailing. Losses to No. 1 Ohio State, No. 3 Georgia, and—most painfully—a rough defeat to Florida have dragged them down.
That Florida game, where Texas was stifled to just 50 yards rushing and picked off twice, really stung. It’s widely seen as the turning point that derailed their CFP chase.
Challenges in the CFP Rankings
The CFP selection committee, led by Hunter Yurachek, has made it clear: Texas’ path to the playoffs is razor-thin. They’re not in the SEC Championship, so their only shot is being one of the top seven at-large teams.
Given where they’re ranked now, that feels like a long shot.
Impact of Losses
Yurachek pointed out that among the top 15 teams, there are 17 total losses—16 of those to ranked opponents. Texas’ loss to an unranked Florida team stands out like a sore thumb.
The committee seems to respect Texas’ schedule, but that Florida loss is just too hard to overlook.
Potential Scenarios for Texas
For Texas to crack the top 10, they’ll need a lot of help. If No. 11 BYU gets blown out by Texas Tech in the Big 12 title game—or if No. 9 Alabama takes a beating from Georgia in the SEC championship—maybe, just maybe, a door opens.
Other Teams’ Influence
Texas A&M, despite losing to Texas, is still sitting pretty at No. 7 and probably hosting a playoff game. Texas Tech, at No. 4, faces BYU in the Big 12 title, and that matchup could shake things up.
Alabama’s performance against Georgia is another wild card. If they stumble, the rankings could get messy.
Conference Championship Implications
These upcoming conference championships are going to be huge for the final CFP rankings. North Texas, Tulane, and James Madison are all lurking, and their results could muddy the waters for Texas even more.
The ACC championship between Virginia and Duke is another one to watch. If Duke pulls off an upset, who knows what happens?
Group of 5 Teams
There’s even a chance two Group of 5 teams sneak into the playoffs, depending on how the weekend shakes out. That would make Texas’ odds even slimmer.
Conclusion
The Texas Longhorns are facing an uphill battle to grab a spot in the College Football Playoff. They’ve had some big wins and a tough schedule, sure, but that loss to Florida really stings.
Right now, they’re sitting at No. 13 in the CFP rankings, which isn’t ideal. The playoff field gets announced on Sunday, so everything hinges on how those conference championship games shake out.
If you want to dig deeper into Texas’ season and their playoff ranking struggles, check out the full article over at the Houston Chronicle.
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