Texas Football: 3 overreactions after UT's CFP semis loss to UW

Texas will be a national contender in the SEC immediately

While this ending to the season definitely hurt knowing that Texas was just one completion away from beating Washington and making it to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, there is still plenty to feel good about for the Longhorns in 2024.

Sarkisian has this program trending firmly in the right direction after just three seasons as Texas's head coach. In just a couple of years, Sarkisian took the Longhorns from a five-win team to a Playoff squad winning a dozen games and a Power Five conference title.

Next year brings along the 12-team College Football Playoff. And with how good of a roster Texas is expected to have next season, the title hopes will be there in a big way for Sarkisian and the Longhorns in the first year competing in the SEC.

Texas proved it could hang with the best of the best this season by beating the No. 3 Alabama Crimson Tide on the road in Tuscaloosa by double digits. Now the Longhorns must prove they can do that consistently while playing SEC competition week in and week out in the fall of 2024.

Next season could be the best offense we've seen at Texas. The running back room will be loaded with blue-chip talent that goes four or five deep on the depth chart. The offensive line will probably be the best we've seen at Texas in a long time. Ewers should return.

And while Texas is expected to lose all three starting receivers to the NFL Draft this spring, Sarkisian and Chris Jackson have already started reloading at the position. Texas landed Matthew Golden via the transfer portal from Houston. And the pipeline of talent at wide receiver is very strong.

The defense will lose some key pieces to the NFL Draft. But the secondary should be much improved and linebacker can take a step forward too, despite the expected departure of All-Big 12 senior Jaylan Ford.