Texas Playoff Hopes Fade After Stunning Florida Loss

Segment Spotlight: Quick Hits From Pushing The Odds with Matt Perrault

Florida’s Upset Pushes Texas Closer to Missing the College Football Playoff

Did you fade Texas? I didn’t. After repeatedly saying I would fade Texas in big games, I didn’t think the Florida game was big enough. I thought Texas would win, even if the Longhorns failed to cover as double-digit home favorites. Instead, Florida beat Texas.

Texas is now one loss away from cashing my preseason ticket on the Longhorns missing the College Football Playoff. With three losses, they would be out.

If the bracket were assembled today, I believe Texas would be in because of its win over Ohio State. That victory carries significant weight despite the Longhorns’ two losses. A third loss, however, would be too much to overcome.

Ole Miss could hand Texas that third loss this weekend. Texas will need an at-large spot because it is not going to win the SEC. The committee’s decision could depend heavily on how it views the Ohio State victory, particularly if Ohio State wins the Big Ten.

Texas also needs Oklahoma and Florida to perform well. If both teams decline, those losses will become increasingly detrimental to the Longhorns’ résumé. Oklahoma’s loss to Kentucky already makes Texas’ loss to the Sooners look worse.

This was a huge loss for Texas, and I wish I had bet Florida. I have called Arch Manning one of the most overrated quarterbacks in quite some time, while Steve Sarkisian’s teams have repeatedly failed to deliver in key games.

Longhorns fans cannot believe Texas lost to Florida. The loss to Oklahoma came in the Red River rivalry, and Texas also could have lost to Ohio State before pulling off a comeback victory. The Longhorns did not cover that game, but they won.

The bet I wish I had made this weekend was Florida against Texas.