Texas football has to like where it starts in the first College Football Playoff rankings released Tuesday
How does Texas vs. Alabama at Royal-Memorial Stadium sound for a College Football Playoff matchup? As for some other CFP matchups, what about Indiana vs. Tennessee? Or Boise State at Ohio State? And Notre Dame at Penn State? Those are the projected first-round matchups based on the seedings from the initial CFP rankings released Tuesday. […]
How does Texas vs. Alabama at Royal-Memorial Stadium sound for a College Football Playoff matchup?
As for some other CFP matchups, what about Indiana vs. Tennessee? Or Boise State at Ohio State? And Notre Dame at Penn State?
Those are the projected first-round matchups based on the seedings from the initial CFP rankings released Tuesday. All of those are hypothetical, of course, as there is still a full month of football to be played. But at least we can keep the hype going on what promises to be a roaring finish to this hyped-up college football season.
When Texas jumped up to No. 1 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, UT coach Steve Sarkisian was adamant that the “polls are meaningless.” The CFP standings are the true measuring stick of where everyone stands.
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If the 12-team playoff bracket was slotted Tuesday night, No. 1 seed Oregon would face the Indiana-Tennessee winner in the Rose Bowl. No. 4 seed BYU would face the Ohio State-Boise State winner in the Fiesta Bowl.
On the other side of the bracket, No. 2 seed Georgia would meet the Penn State-Notre Dame winner in the Sugar Bowl. And No. 3 seed Miami would play the Texas-Alabama winner in the Peach Bowl.
The Longhorns can move up into the top four spots with a strong closing kick in November. Only conference champions can grab one of the top four spots. So based on Tuesday’s rankings, the CFP selection committee is expecting Oregon (Big Ten), Georgia (SEC), Miami (ACC) and BYU (Big 12) to win their respective leagues.
Texas officials have quietly already begun to take ticket orders from season ticket holders to determine first priority. The CFP sets all ticket prices, but schools can offer tickets to priority donors first.
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian believes the Horns are close to recapturing their September momentum. Saturday’s game against Florida is the first step in a critical stretch run.
“I just don’t want our guys to press,” Sarkisian said Monday. “We’re plenty good enough and we’ve got good enough players. We have good enough schemes. We’ve got enough balance to be a really electric offensive football team.
“And, yeah, we didn’t have a couple great weeks. That’s OK. We’re going to be all right and make sure that we got confidence to go do those things. So I don’t overdo it with them, because I just want them to know I believe in them, here’s why I believe in them and here’s what we’re going to do to ensure opportunities for them to go make some plays.”
