5. Texas Longhorns
11-2 (7-1 SEC regular season)
What’s next: vs. No. 12 Clemson, Austin, Texas, Dec. 21, 4 p.m. ET
Head coach: Steve Sarkisian (fourth season, 36-16 at Texas)
About Sarkisian: The former Southern California head coach revived his career by calling plays for Nick Saban and national title contender Alabama in 2019-20. As a head coach, his only postseason wins (two) are in the Holiday Bowl and he’s 0-2 in bowl games at Texas and 0-1 in the College Football Football. The Longhorns lost to Washington 37-31 in the Sugar Bowl in January in a national semifinal game.
Resume
Texas finds itself being questioned about the quality of its victories even after taking Georgia to overtime in the SEC Championship. Two losses, both to Georgia, prevent Texas from a coveted bye week. There are zero wins on the Longhorns’ season resume against teams in the CFP Top 25 and will hear about totaling only 60 rushing yards in two defeats against the Bulldogs.
“This stings,” Sarkisian said Saturday night in Atlanta after Georgia’s 22-19 OT win. “But we get a chance to regroup in a couple of weeks and get in the College Football Playoff. I think we’re plenty good enough to go win it.”
Postseason history
Texas played for a national title in 2010, losing the BCS national championship game to Alabama, 37-21, and last won the title in the 2005 season behind Vince Young.
The Longhorns have four national championships in college football: 1963, 1969, 1970 and 2005.
The road to Atlanta
Texas starts the playoffs at home against ACC champion Clemson and a second conference champ, Arizona State (Big 12), would follow in the quarterfinals at the Peach Bowl.
No. 1 Oregon, which plays the winner of the 8-9 matchup between Tennessee and Ohio State, is among potential semifinals opponents.
Names to Know
OT Kelvin Banks Jr.
He was out against Georgia in the SEC title game and it showed up as a major disadvantage. QB Quinn Ewers faced big pressure, was sacked six times and intercepted twice.
Banks is a top-10 draft pick projection because of his smooth athleticism, size and upside.
EDGE Colin Simmons
A finalist for the award given to college football’s top freshman — the Shaun Alexander Award — he was second on the team in the regular season in sacks (7.0), tackles for loss (11.5), forced fumbles (2) and quarterback hurries (7). He had 36 total tackles (25 solo).
RB Quintrevion Wisner
The sophomore had a breakout game in the Red River Rivalry with 118 yards and a touchdown and came on strong in the second half of the season.
Wisner had a team-best 863 yards and averaged 4.9 yards per carry.
QB Quinn Ewers
He bounced back from a two-game absence recovering from an oblique injury to guide the Longhorns to the SEC title game but was under fire all game. He’s been plagued by turnovers in big games. Ewers had two turnovers Saturday and threw a pick-6 at Texas A&M in the must-win lead-in to the SEC title game.
He threw for 2,665 yards with 26 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 2024.
–Field Level Media