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Texas Football: Can the Longhorns become the next Alabama?

By Andrew Miller

AUSTIN, TX - SEPTEMBER 09: Head coach Tom Herman of the Texas Longhorns enters the stadium prior to the game against the San Jose State Spartans at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on September 9, 2017 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
AUSTIN, TX - SEPTEMBER 09: Head coach Tom Herman of the Texas Longhorns enters the stadium prior to the game against the San Jose State Spartans at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on September 9, 2017 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /
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Among the loftiest of goals for Texas football is to be at the top of the college football landscape by the time it faces Alabama in the next five years.

The recent announcing of the Alabama Crimson Tide taking on Texas football for the 2022 and 2023 seasons shook the college football landscape. Alabama is the current mecca of the college football world, and it presents what every program wants to become.

However, that was not always a thing. Once current Crimson Tide head football coach Nick Saban took over after a rough stint in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins, Alabama just started to win title after title. Saban could also easily become the most storied head coach in college football history when it’s all said and done.

The funny thing here is, especially when we’re talking about the Longhorns, is that it was the BCS National Championship in which star Texas quarterback Colt McCoy got injured that changed the fortunes of the Crimson Tide. That BCS National Championship for Saban created some momentum that did not stop, even until this past season.

Last year, Alabama knocked off the Georgia Bulldogs to claim the College Football Playoff National Championship. It’s the second time that Saban helped the Crimson Tide claim that particular title. The level of success that Alabama sustains at this moment is clearly unmatched by any other program and it’s not even close.

The Ohio State Buckeyes, Clemson Tigers, Auburn Tigers, etc. haven’t been able to matchup with the Crimson Tide lately. At times, Ohio State and Clemson were fortunate enough to knock off the Crimson Tide to win a National Championship.

However, the Horns haven’t been in the position of late to knock off Alabama in the College Football Playoff. Current Texas head football coach Tom Herman looks to put the Horns on the right course to get back to that level of national contention in the coming years.

The first thing that Texas needs to do to get back on the course to national contention in the College Football Playoff picture is win the Big 12. This is the first time in at least five years that the Horns have a legitimate chance to win the Big 12 Championship.

Numerous pundits have and will continue to place Texas in position to be in the 2018 Big 12 Championship Game. Notch that first step of making the Big 12 Championship Game this year, and Texas is well on its way to making a nationwide impact.

When Texas is great, the Big 12 is at its best. Competing in the top two of the conference standings this year creates enough momentum in the coaching staff around Herman that the Horns would be a popular pick for the College Football Playoff in 2019.

Next: Why the Longhorns would beat the Aggies if they played in 2018

The thought of Texas returning to the national stage comes at a great time when it faces the Crimson Tide so soon. Assuming the Horns will be back at the top of the college football world by then, Alabama will be in trouble. Texas also has some other huge non-conference games that could assist in the ascent to the top which should come soon.

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