In a historic turn of events, the Texas football team has secured its first-ever spot in the College Football Playoff, entering the prestigious postseason tournament as the No. 3 seed.
Set to face off against the No. 2-ranked Washington team in the Allstate Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day, this matchup marks a significant rematch from last year’s Alamo Bowl, as first reported by The Daily Texan.
The Longhorns commenced the season at a respectable No. 11 in the AP Poll. Their meteoric rise began with a remarkable 5–0 start, highlighted by a stunning victory over the formidable No. 3-ranked Alabama in Tuscaloosa, propelling Texas to the No. 4 spot in the rankings.
The team kicked off the season with a dominant performance mirroring the school’s best opening since 2009, the last time they contended for a national championship.
However, in October, Texas suffered its first loss of the season, causing a drop to No. 8 in the rankings. The challenges continued as sophomore quarterback Quinn Ewers sustained a shoulder injury against Houston, impacting the team’s performance.
Despite securing victories, the Longhorns faced tighter contests.
In their final home game, Texas solidified its spot in the Big 12 Championship game and in the championship showdown, they triumphed, securing the conference title for the first time since 2009.
Reflecting on the team’s achievements, Coach Sarkisian expressed, “The past 24 hours have been a lot of highs around here. The cherry on top is an opportunity to go compete for national championships to get into the playoffs, and I think our guys have earned it. They’ve had a great season. I think we’re playing our best football right now at the right time,” as reported by The Daily Texan.