There is a long way to go, but Texas is a clear College Football Playoff contender
I’ll say repeatedly that Sark and the Longhorns proved they’re a real College Football Playoff contender with this win over Alabama. This is the closest Texas has felt to being a title contender in the Playoff era.
Texas was clearly the better team compared to Alabama in this game. Sark and the Longhorns outgained Alabama by nearly 100 total yards. Texas also won the turnover battle, had more first downs, converted at a higher rate on money downs, and had more time of possession.
When the Longhorns hold the edge in that many key metrics, you know this team is clicking on all cylinders.
Above all else, that was the story in this win over the Tide. Texas looked like a national title contender because it clicked on all cylinders on both sides of the ball. Texas did have some slip-ups here and there, but it’s hard to fault this team for looking this good against a talented Alabama team on the road.
Sark and the Longhorns appear to have a favorable path to the College Football Playoff if it can win the Big 12 title this season. If Texas can make it through the rest of the regular season with one or no losses, it should be in a spot to make it to the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history.