After shaking up the College Football Playoff picture on Friday, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian didn’t hesitate to let the committee know there should be a major change to the field.
Sarkisian’s No. 16-ranked Longhorns (9-3) handed No. 3 Texas A&M (11-1) its first loss of the season with a 27-17 home win sure to carry weight entering Tuesday’s CFP rankings reveal. Texas’ odds of joining the 12-team playoff field might not be the strongest, but Sarksian told reporters he believes they belong in the race, and not on the outside looking in after stunning the Aggies.
“I think we’re absolutely a playoff team,” Sarkisian said during his postgame press conference.
The Longhorns’ coach then went on to explain his biggest reason for his team’s case, comparing their regular season to that of the 2019 national champion LSU Tigers.
“We’re the first team since the 2019 national champion LSU team to beat three top-10 ranked teams in the same season during the regular season,” Sarkisian said. “Let’s just chew on that for a second.”
An up-and-down 2025 season has seen Texas earn wins against Texas A&M, Vanderbilt and Oklahoma, and a few notable losses against Georgia, Florida and Ohio State.
Will it be enough to convince the committee? That remains to be seen. For now, though, Texas has bragging rights against Texas A&M and head coach Mike Elko, who will likely lose sleep over the next few days replaying Texas’ celebration over in his head.
Speaking to the media following the Aggies’ loss to Texas, Elko was interrupted by loud cheers from the Longhorns and their fans.
“Can we close the door and run a professional press conference, please,” Elko demanded. “My gosh!”
For Longhorn fans, the scenes of joy spilling into the press room are a memory to savor. For Elko, the echoes of celebration are a reminder of just how intense this rivalry can be.
With the next set of rankings days away, the answer to whether the win over their in-state rival will be enough to push the Longhorns into the College Football Playoff will soon be known. But, until then, Sarkisian and Texas certainly walked out of their home stadium with a triumph that won’t be forgotten anytime soon.
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