Finally the biggest draw in the Big XII comes up on our breakdown. Is Texas back? Nearly everyone wanted to declare them so after their Sugar Bowl upset of Georgia last season but after losing one of the season’s most exciting games at home to LSU back in September, the Longhorns just never really hit their stride. Despite CFP aspirations that some had, Texas stumbled the second half of the year, losing to conference foes TCU, Iowa State and Baylor in three of their final five games.
This matchup would be incredibly favorable to Notre Dame in my opinion and it’s against a big-time name opponent, even if the name’s resume isn’t any great shakes this season.
Beating Texas can carry the same weight that beating Notre Dame does for others. Even in years that it shouldn’t really mean a whole lot, the not-so-die-hards see that win and think it’s more significant than it really is and sometimes it changes perception a bit.
The big-name match-up, the perceived big-ish win and a very beatable opponent that went just 1-4 away from their home stadium this year is what I’m rooting for to happen and getting the season-opening loss from 2016 out of my mouth wouldn’t be bad, either, even three years-plus later.
How bad do we want it? (1-10): 10. It’s an imperfect post-season since 10-2 won’t get rewarded with a berth in the New Year’s Six, but a bowl game against Texas to close out the year? Sign me up. The match-up would be very favorable in my eyes and it’d be that name opponent that might help slightly change perception, similar to how beating LSU in a couple of bowl games did even if they weren’t the greatest of LSU teams.
The stars at night, are big and bright.