The Texas Longhorns are in the thick of the College Football Playoff conversation, and according to ESPN's Paul Finebaum, they might already have a ticket punched—even if they stumble again before December.
Speaking on The Matt Barrie Show, Finebaum made a passionate case for the Longhorns, suggesting that a 9-3 record would be more than enough to secure a playoff spot given the chaos we've seen across college football this season.
“Texas is a playoff team if they finish 9-3, they have a win in Tennessee, they beat Ohio State, and they won that game last night,” Finebaum said. He pointed to the sheer difficulty of their schedule as the reason they deserve grace.
“You know, if you’re looking for carnage, park yourself in Baton Rouge at Tiger Stadium because that’s where Alabama and Texas will next visit in terms of these monster games, and much will be determined.”
Finebaum didn't shy away from the Longhorns' imperfections. “It is a flawed team, but I’ll take it against a lot of the stuff I’ve seen around college football, and I dare say you will too.” He even argued, “I don’t know why Texas isn’t a legitimate 9-3 team, even if it loses to LSU.”
The Longhorns improved to 5-2 with a thrilling upset over then-No. 7 Ole Miss, but the road ahead is brutal. They still face Missouri, LSU, and Texas A&M—a gauntlet that could easily produce another loss or two.
Finebaum acknowledged the oddity of their schedule, noting, “Their schedule could not be weirder the way they play all these home games and then go on the road for the end of the season.” Yet he remains convinced that the combination of their wins and the overall college football landscape should be enough to earn them a spot.
Texas has already proven they can beat top-tier opponents, and their strength of schedule is among the toughest in the nation. With the expanded playoff format, a 9-3 SEC team with wins over Tennessee and Ohio State would be hard to ignore—especially when you consider the recent struggles of some other contenders.
Of course, the Longhorns still have work to do. They'll need to clean up mistakes and survive the SEC grind, but Finebaum's argument is gaining traction among fans who see the bigger picture.
As the season winds down, the debate over what makes a playoff team will only intensify. For now, Texas controls its own destiny, and a strong finish could make Finebaum look like a prophet.
