Texas and Ohio State both came out of the weekend with two losses, but the polls didn’t treat them the same way.
In the AP Top 25, Texas jumped from No. 11 to No. 10 and moved ahead of Ohio State after the Buckeyes were upset by USC in Los Angeles, 30-18. The Coaches Poll took a different view, leaving Texas at No. 11 and sliding Ohio State only to No. 10.
That split is a reminder that head-to-head results do not always carry the day when voters fill out their ballots. Texas beat Ohio State in Austin earlier this year after erasing a 20-point deficit, but that result did not decide the order in both polls.
The coaches may have put more weight on the Longhorns’ two losses to unranked teams, including one at home, than on Ohio State’s pair of road defeats. Ohio State also has a win over Indiana, which is No. 3 in the Coaches Poll. Texas, though, has its own resume points with wins over Tennessee and Ole Miss.
The bigger picture for Texas is still the same: the Longhorns look like they’re sitting right on the edge of the playoff picture, either among the last teams in or just outside it. Either way, they still control their own path with two ranked road games coming up over the next two weeks - No.
19 Missouri and No. 15 LSU.
On Tuesday, the College Football Playoff committee will release its first rankings, and that could keep the debate going.
In Other News...
Texas Took Care Of Mississippi State But Left With A Bigger Problem
Texas handled Mississippi State comfortably on the scoreboard, but the win came with a heavy injury toll that could matter far more in the days ahead. Five key players were hurt during the 31-3 victory, including wide receivers Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo, running back Hollywood Smothers and defensive backs Graceson Littleton and Kade Phillips, leaving a postgame mood that was noticeably more cautious than celebratory.
Sarkisian confirmed the injuries and said the full severity is still unknown, with updates expected midweek. That uncertainty lands at an awkward time for a Texas team already dealing with absences, including offensive tackle Trevor Goosby, who is out for the season, and it turns a routine SEC win into a much bigger health check for the stretch ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Arch Manning Shined But Texas Still Has One Clear Concern
Arch Manning gave Texas exactly the kind of clean, efficient performance the Longhorns have been waiting to see, completing 16 of 20 passes for 220 yards and three touchdowns in a 31-3 win over Mississippi State. The defense did plenty of heavy lifting too, piling up seven sacks and adding a fumble return touchdown to keep the game from ever feeling in doubt.
Even with all that going right, the run game remains the piece Texas still has to sort out. The Longhorns managed only 60 yards on 32 carries, a modest output that stood out in a game otherwise controlled on both sides of the ball. If Texas is going to keep building on this kind of complete performance, finding more consistency on the ground is the obvious next step. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Still Has Something To Prove After Another Poll Slight
Texas handled Mississippi State 31-3 with a performance that looked every bit like a team trying to steady itself in the second half of the season, leaning on a strong defensive effort and three touchdown passes from Arch Manning. The win pushed the Longhorns to 6-2 overall and 3-2 in SEC play, but it still did not move the needle much in the latest US LBM Coaches Poll, where Texas sits at No. 11.
The slight stings a little more because Ohio State remains one spot ahead at No. 10 despite a recent loss, a reminder that the rankings still have not fully caught up to what Texas has put on the field. Other movement around the poll only sharpened the sense that the Longhorns will need to keep piling up convincing wins, especially with the first College Football Playoff rankings still ahead and a clearer verdict on Texas still to come. [Read more 🡒]