The long-awaited College Football Playoffs have their participants, and to the surprise of many — and not so much for others — the Texas Longhorns didn’t make the main bracket. Arch Manning and his teammates will now need to focus on their upcoming bowl game, while also keeping an eye on what’s ahead.
But what were the main reasons Steve Sarkisian and his Longhorns missed out on the playoffs? Primarily their record, which included three losses — a significant factor at this stage — with the defeat against the Gators perhaps carrying the greatest weight in the final decision.
Manning’s first season as a starting quarterback unfortunately fell short of the desired results. As for his performance, the ups and downs were constant, making it an area he will need to work on moving forward.
From now on, the Longhorns will need to regroup, learn from their mistakes, and further strengthen their strengths. The transfer portal could present an excellent opportunity to boost the roster even more in preparation for next season.
Head coach Steve Sarkisian of the Texas Longhorns.
The College Football Playoffs know their contenders
Following the weekend’s conference championships, the CFP final rankings and bracket revealed the 12 teams competing for the national title in the newly expanded playoff format. The four highest-ranked conference champions—Indiana, Ohio State, Georgia, and Texas Tech—all earned a crucial first-round bye week.
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The initial four-game slate of the expanded playoff features several compelling matchups: the No. 5 seed Oregon will host JMU, perennial contenders Alabama and Oklahoma will clash, the Group of Five champion Tulane takes on Ole Miss, and the weekend is rounded out by Miami battling Texas A&M. These games mark the official start of the road to the National Championship.
The biggest absences
While the 12-team field is packed with contenders, the initial bracket revealed several significant omissions from college football’s elite. Most notably, traditional powerhouse Notre Dame missed the cut entirely, failing to secure an at-large bid after a challenging regular season.
Additionally, BYU Cougars and even dark-horse consideration Vanderbilt Commodores finished too far down the final rankings to secure a spot. Their absence underscores the intense competition and high bar set by the expanded playoff system, leaving several established programs watching the initial rounds from home.
