Texas and the College Football Playoff: A Case of Too Little, Too Late?
The College Football Playoff conversation is heating up, and once again, Texas is right in the thick of it-this time as a three-loss team trying to elbow its way into the final four. After a statement win over then-No. 3 Texas A&M, the Longhorns have their supporters, including longtime SEC voice Paul Finebaum, who’s gone on record saying Texas belongs in the Playoff.
But let’s take a closer look at the resume-and more importantly, the reality.
The Win That Sparked the Debate
There’s no denying that beating Texas A&M, especially in a rivalry game, is a big-time win. The Longhorns looked sharp, played with urgency, and handed the Aggies a loss that could shake up the rankings. That win pushed Texas to 9-3 on the season and reignited a conversation about their place in the national picture.
Finebaum wasted no time jumping into that conversation, declaring Texas Playoff-worthy. But while the A&M win looks good on paper, it doesn’t erase the rest of the season. And this is where the argument for Texas starts to unravel.
The Loss That Won’t Go Away
Let’s talk about the Florida game. Not the Florida of old, not the Florida of SEC East contention-this year’s Florida team finished 5-7 and just fired its head coach.
They were in freefall when Texas came to town. The Gators had dropped three straight, the fanbase was disengaged, and the program was clearly in transition.
And yet, they beat Texas.
Not in a fluky, last-second fashion. Texas was flat from the opening kickoff-low energy, sloppy execution, and no answers.
That kind of loss doesn’t just sting; it lingers. It’s the kind of blemish the selection committee doesn’t easily overlook, especially when it comes from a team that won’t even sniff a bowl game.
A Resume That Comes Up Short
Let’s lay it out plainly. Texas has three losses:
- To No. 1 Ohio State - understandable.
- To No. 4 Georgia - also understandable, though the 25-point margin raises eyebrows.
- To unranked Florida - this one is the anchor dragging the whole Playoff case down.
And the wins? Yes, the A&M victory was impressive.
But narrow overtime escapes against unranked Kentucky and Mississippi State don’t exactly scream “top four team in the country.” These aren’t signature wins-they’re survival games.
Then there’s the fact that Texas won’t even be playing in the SEC Championship. Georgia, Ole Miss, and Alabama are the ones still in the hunt for the conference crown.
If the Playoff is about rewarding teams that proved it on the field, Texas simply didn’t check enough of those boxes. They didn’t win their division.
They didn’t beat the top-tier teams on their schedule. And they couldn’t avoid a bad loss when it mattered most.
The Bigger Picture
There’s no question Texas is talented. When they’re firing on all cylinders, they look like a team that could hang with anyone.
But the Playoff isn’t about potential-it’s about performance. And the Longhorns’ body of work just doesn’t stack up against other contenders with cleaner résumés and fewer missteps.
That doesn’t mean Texas didn’t have a good season. They showed flashes of what this program is capable of as it adjusts to life in the SEC. But in a year where the margin for error is razor-thin, that stumble in Gainesville is a glaring red flag.
So as the committee weighs the final decisions, Texas may find itself on the outside looking in-not because they’re not good enough, but because they didn’t do enough. And in the world of the College Football Playoff, that’s the difference between a good season and a great one.