After a hot 3-0 start to the 2024 season, the Texas Longhorns are on the rise. Texas is now No. 1 in the AP Poll and No. 2 in the US LBM Coaches Poll. The Horns were 4th in both preseason polls.
That new No. 1 ranking is also influencing playoff projections. There are a couple levels to the college football playoffs. Getting in and getting a bye. The byes are reserved for the four highest ranking conference champions.
Up until now, most writers that do postseason projections have had the Georgia Bulldogs winning the SEC, thus nabbing a first round bye. Texas has generally been the highest seed of the other group that plays in the first round.
But now, ESPN has Texas as the No. 1 seed in the entire tournament and getting that coveted first round bye.
The Longhorns would earn the top seed as the SEC champion and the highest-ranked conference champion. This is based on Texas also being the committee’s No. 1 team on Selection Day. Texas has one of the best wins in the country to date (at Michigan) and continues to roll while last week’s No. 1 seed, Georgia, struggled to beat a mediocre Kentucky team on the road. According to the Allstate Playoff Predictor, Texas is the most likely team to make the playoff (91%) and win it (22%). — Heather Dinich, ESPN Senior Writer
Not everyone agrees. Erick Smith of USA TODAY Sports still has the Longhorns hosting a first round game against Memphis.
Obviously, it will all work itself out on the field.