Last season, the Texas Longhorns fell short of a third consecutive appearance in the College Football Playoff, something that hasn't sat quite right with the players.
In fact, star linebacker Colin Simmons thinks there would have been an entirely different National Champion if the Horns had received a bid to the CFP.
"Hell yeah, of course. If we would've made the playoffs, I definitely feel like that chip that we had on our shoulders, we would have took it, and we would've ran with it," Simmons said at SEC Media Days.
NEW: Colin Simmons believes Texas would've won it all if the Longhorns had made the College Football Playoff👀
— On3 (@On3) July 23, 2026
"Hell yeah, of course. If we would've made the playoffs, I definitely feel like that chip that we had on our shoulders, we would have took it, and we would've ran with… pic.twitter.com/59BS8XrK09
Of course, that chip might be even bigger after being left out of the playoffs last year. Now, as he heads into his first season as the true leader of the Texas defense, Simmons knows exactly what the expectation for the Longhorns is.
"Anything short of a national championship would be a disappointment. Because the standard is the standard and we know what the standard is inside that building," Simmons said.
A National Championship is only focus for Texas, Sarkisian, & Simmons
Simmons wasn't the only Longhorn at SEC Media Days echoing this sentiment, joined by Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian, who repeatedly laid into the fact that the standard on the 40 Acres is higher than anywhere else.
"We compete for championships. It doesn't matter what conference we're in... And this year's no different for us," Sarkisian said on SportsCenter.
Of course, the University of Texas boasts one of the winningest and most dominant college football programs in the history of the sport. That's something that the Horns have fallen short of over the last two decades.
No more, Sarkisian says.
Also read: The growth Steve Sarkisian has seen in Arch Manning is exactly what the Horns needed
"The expectations are always high within our organization," Sarkisian said at the podium. "They're higher than you would imagine. They're higher than they are on the outside world. Now, more than ever, external factors don't motivate us."
Sark went on to talk about the fact that he and the team and the players are "hungry" for more this season, something that reflected what Simmons was saying about the year being natty or bust for him.
"The standard is the standard," Sarkisian said. "We compete for championships every year. It doesn't matter if we are in the Big 12 or SEC; our goals don't change. We are competing for a SEC Championship and National Championship."
Obviously, the Horns have to get through their regular-season (non-conference and conference) schedule, a possible return to the SEC Championship game, and an entire College Football Playoff bracket before even reaching the National Championship game.
"We have a high standard in our building," quarterback Arch Manning said at the conference media days. "We're not gonna look too far into the future and just gonna take it day by day."
And, while talk is just talk, it certainly sounds like the Longhorns are feeling greedier than ever to bring the CFP trophy home to Austin.
Add us as a preferred source on Google