Texas coach Steve Sarkisian didn’t hide his skepticism Thursday when the conversation turned to the SEC’s new nine-game conference schedule and how it might play with the College Football Playoff selection committee.
With every SEC team already having at least one conference loss, Sarkisian pointed to the added strain of another league game and the ripple effect across the standings.
“I think from a coach’s perspective, I think we all had some reservations about going to the ninth conference game for a variety of reasons,” Sarkisian said.
Health is part of that equation, especially for a team trying to survive the grind and still stay in shape for a playoff push. Texas has already had to deal with injuries this season, including offensive lineman Trevor Goosby and edge rushers Colin Simmons and Richard Wesley.
“We all want to be at our best. We all want to be as healthy as we can be. We all have aspirations of making a playoff,” Sarkisian said.
But Sarkisian’s bigger question was how the committee will weigh SEC teams playing an extra conference opponent when it starts lining up records from around the country. He noted that the move creates eight more losses for the league.
“I think the other reservation we had about the ninth game was that’s eight more losses for our conference,” Sarkisian said. “Any way you slice it, it’s eight more losses.”
That issue becomes even more obvious, in his view, when comparing SEC teams with three losses to programs from other leagues sitting at one or two.
“What is it really going to look like when there’s 9-3 SEC teams compared to 10-2 or even 11-1 teams from other conferences?” Sarkisian said.
He added that SEC coaches likely would have preferred to wait until the CFP expanded before taking on the extra conference game.
Still, Sarkisian made clear the path forward is straightforward: win.
“At the end of the day, you got to handle your business and you got to do your job to put your team in the best position to be successful,” Sarkisian said.
No. 11 Texas closes out its second three-game homestand of the season Saturday night against Mississippi State at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
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Texas Pass Rush Just Took Another Hit Before Mississippi State
Texas is heading into its meeting with Mississippi State with more questions on the edge than it would have liked. Colin Simmons, the Longhorns standout pass rusher, was downgraded to doubtful because of an ankle sprain, and Richard Wesley is already out, leaving the front seven thinner than usual at a spot where Texas normally likes to create disruption.
There is some relief on the other side of the availability report, with running back Hollywood Smothers and wide receiver Cam Coleman removed from the injury list and expected to play. Mississippi State, meanwhile, will be missing starting quarterback Kamario Taylor and wide receiver Ayden Williams, so the matchup still comes with some notable absences for both teams as kickoff approaches. [Read more 🡒]
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Raleek Browns 157 rushing yards gave Texas the kind of ground production it needed in a tight SEC-style game, while Michael Terry added 41 yards and a touchdown to keep the pressure on Ole Miss. Even with the win, the Longhorns now have to figure out how much of this offensive success can travel forward if Goosby is out for good and Cojoe remains the answer on the edge. [Read more 🡒]