Texas Longhorns Left Out of College Football Playoff: A Case for Inclusion

The Texas Longhorns, despite a strong season, were not selected for the College Football Playoff (CFP), finishing ranked No. 13. Their exclusion has sparked debate, especially following the first round of the CFP, where teams they defeated performed poorly.

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The Longhorns concluded their regular season with a notable victory against the then-ranked No. 3 Texas A&M Aggies, marking their third win over a top 10 team this season. This achievement is significant as it had not been accomplished by any team since LSU in 2019. Additionally, Texas defeated the Oklahoma Sooners for the second consecutive year, maintaining a strong defensive performance that saw Oklahoma fail to score against them. These victories against direct rivals have led many to question the CFP committee's decision to exclude Texas in favor of Alabama and Miami, who both lost in their first-round matchups.

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Critics argue that the CFP committee's choice to omit Texas undermines the integrity of the playoff system, which is intended to feature the best teams. The Longhorns' performance against teams that were later eliminated—Oklahoma and Texas A&M—raises concerns about the criteria used for selection. The committee's decision has been further scrutinized in light of the first-round results, where the Oregon Ducks and Ole Miss Rebels dominated their opponents, the Tulane Green Wave and JMU Dukes, by a combined score of 92-44. This has led to questions about the inclusion of Group of 5 teams in the playoff, especially when they are outperformed by teams like Texas.

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While there have been no formal responses from the CFP committee regarding the exclusion of Texas, the sentiment among fans and analysts suggests a growing frustration with the selection process. Many believe that the committee should prioritize performance against top teams over rankings alone.

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There is a notable discrepancy regarding the criteria used by the CFP committee for team selection. While some sources suggest that Texas's overall record and victories against ranked opponents should have warranted inclusion, others argue that the committee's focus on rankings and perceived strength of schedule played a significant role in their decision.

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• “That's speculative, but in a postseason that's supposed to consist of the "12 best teams," not including Texas, which took down two of the teams that came out flat in their first round matchups, that ended up being an interesting decision by the CFP committee.” — Ylver Deleon-Rios, Sports Journalist

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The Longhorns are set to face the Michigan Wolverines in the Citrus Bowl on New Year's Eve, providing them an opportunity to end their season on a high note. The outcome of this game may influence perceptions of the Longhorns heading into the 2026 season and could impact future CFP selection discussions.

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