Texas College Football Playoff – Syndication Server

Social media reacts to Texas making the College Football Playoff

The Texas Longhorns exceeded expectations this year and now have a chance to win the National Championship.

They did it. The Texas Longhorns managed to put themselves in a position to win another National Championship by securing one of the final four spots in the College Football Playoff.

Texas’ biggest win of the year got even more significant on Saturday when the No. 1 ranked Georiga Bulldogs were defeated in the SEC Championship game by the Alabama Crimson Tide. Many were speculating that due to Alabama winning, they would jump Texas in the rankings. Thankfully, the College Football Playoff committee used logic.

Texas’ 34-24 win over the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa was perhaps the most impressive victory of the entire college football season, and Alabama’s triumph on Saturday further validated it. Texas winning by double digits on the road in the most challenging atmosphere in college football is undoubtedly the best win in the country.

The Longhorns now have a chance to win their fifth National Championship, but first must play Washington in the Sugar Bowl.

Here is how social media reacted to College Football Playoff rankings.

How would Texas football fare in a 64-team, March Madness style bracket?

What if the CFP finally decided to expand? Well, ESPN did just that, putting the top teams in the country in a March Madness-style bracket.

Nothing in the sports world compares to March Madness. It’s a postseason that actually makes sense, 68 college basketball teams compete for their right to claim a national championship. Grueling upsets, heartbreak, and pure elation flow for an entire month.

In the world of college football, the madness begins with four teams instead of 64. What if the College Football Playoff finally decided to expand and follow its basketball counterparts?

Well, ESPN did just that, ranking the top teams in the country and putting them in a March Madness-style bracket.

Texas was put on the six seed line with the likes of Notre Dame, Ole Miss, and Michigan. Their first-round matchup was against Arkansas, who will ironically be one of the Longhorns’ Power Five nonconference matchups in 2021. Steve Sarkisian took care of the Hogs with ease according to ESPN, moving onto the Round of 32.

(6) Texas 34, (11) Arkansas 21: In a matchup of old Southwest Conference rivals — and 52 years after their “Game of the Century” — the Longhorns give first-year coach Steve Sarkisian his first NCAA tournament victory in a game that’s never really in doubt after halftime.

If you asked Sarkisian if he would take a 13 point victory over Arkansas on Sept. 11, he would say yes before you finished the sentence.

Moving into the next round, Texas would be going up against Sarkisian and Pete Kwiatkowski’s old stomping grounds with Washington. The Huskies are ranked as a three seed and looking to stick it to their old coach.

Sadly for the city of Seattle, Texas will be moving onto the Sweet 16, but barely. Kwiatkowski backs up his move to Austin with his unit coming in the clutch when needed the most.

(6) Texas 28, (3) Washington 23: Texas paid Sarkisian some serious cash ($34.2 million) to bring him from Alabama to the Forty Acres, and that investment is paying off for the Longhorns in his first season. And this time, it’s the Texas defense that clamps down when it needs to in the fourth quarter.

ESPN has yet to finish the simulation, but the No. 2 seed Miami Hurricanes will be next. Clemson and Utah face off on the other side of the bracket with the winners heading to the Elite Eight.

Texas named sleeper team who can make College Football Playoff

Five teams have made the CFP after beginning the season outside the top 10. 247Sports believes Texas can be the next team to do so.

Since the College Football Playoff was introduced in 2014, five teams who ranked outside the preseason AP top 10 made the final four. The 2019 playoff ended a four-year streak, with LSU, Clemson, Ohio State, and Oklahoma all ranking within the top six.

Texas will be looking to revive that streak, beginning the 2020 season outside of the top 10, coming in at No. 14.

247Sports believes the Longhorns can do just that, naming them as one of the outside top 10 teams that are capable of crashing the CFB Playoff. They laid out criteria to qualify and Texas met all five.

New (or newish) coaches, strong quarterback play, an easy(ish) schedule, offensive, defensive balance, close wins, and luck.

NO. 14 TEXAS LONGHORNS

No lack of new coaches here. Tom Herman replaced his offensive AND defensive coordinator this offseason, bringing in Mike Yurcich from Ohio State and Chris Ash from Rutgers. With four-year starter Sam Ehlinger under center, the offense should be plenty productive. Texas needs a defense that finished 98^th last season in yards allowed per play to make a leap. Ash will bring in a 4-3 scheme that fits the roster’s personnel better, and there are some pieces (Joseph Ossai, Caden Sterns) that are legitimate stars. With a little injury luck – Texas was missing five starters midway through the season – and improved play from the secondary, it’s easy to envision the defense taking a major leap.

The schedule does stack up well for the Longhorns. They shed LSU from their non-conference schedule and will catch Oklahoma early in the year when suspensions and injuries might still be an issue.

A lot will need to go right – A LOT – but this Texas team has the bones of a playoff contender if the pieces fall into place.

When the Big 12 released their revised 2020 schedule, the Longhorns’ conference season got easier. Mainly because there are be no back to back away games on the calendar. Texas will play at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium every other week.

The biggest two obstacles of the season will come from the state of Oklahoma. Of course, the annual Red River Shootout is always a toss-up between the Longhorns and Sooners. This year’s game will be worth more than usual as both teams will be ranked inside of the top 10, barring an early slip-up.

Oklahoma State will poise the second real hurdle for Texas when they travel to Stillwater on Halloween. The Cowboys were predicted to finish second in the Big 12 preseason media poll. The Longhorns have poor recent history on the road against Oklahoma State, losing their last two games.

As 247Sports says, “a lot will need to go right,” in order for Texas to make its first-ever College Football Playoff.

With the leadership of Sam Ehlinger and the renovation of the defense with Chris Ash, this is the best chance Tom Herman has had in his four years.

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