On Nov. 28, Texas accomplished more than a major upset over Texas A&M; they revived a playoff case that had been dismissed after lopsided defeats, uneven performances, and overblown preseason predictions. That victory—27–17, before a full-capacity crowd at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium—did more than snap A&M’s undefeated streak. It cracked open a possibility most assumed had already closed.

Now, influential figures are advocating for the Longhorns to seize that opportunity.

Tim Tebow: “They played five top-10 teams and went 3–2 — I think that’s enough for the CFP”

Speaking on SportsCenter, former Heisman winner Tim Tebow made his argument based not on loopholes, but on what the selection process ought to prioritize.

“Looking at their season… they faced five top-10 opponents. Their record against those teams is 3–2, with both defeats coming away from home,” Tebow explained. “There’s a valid case that they’re among the 12 strongest teams in college football right now.”

While he acknowledges the challenge: three losses create a steep hill to climb, and the Florida defeat remains a significant blemish, Tebow contends that the complete picture—the punishing schedule, the quality victories, and Texas’s performance down the stretch—gives the Longhorns a genuine case. Momentum, he emphasized, should carry weight.

Paul Finebaum says leaving Texas out would “be a disservice to our sport”

Paul Finebaum didn’t soften his stance or dance around the numbers. His position was direct: Texas deserves a College Football Playoff berth because they took on a demanding schedule, and excluding them for it would send the wrong message to the sport.

Following Texas’s upset of No. 3 Texas A&M, Finebaum highlighted their Week 1 matchup—a road game at Ohio State that other contenders avoided—as evidence the Longhorns have earned their place.

Steve Sarkisian didn’t wait long to make his case publicly, stating postgame that “It would be a disservice to our sport if this team is not a playoff team.”

During Saturday’s “SEC Nation,” Finebaum reinforced Sarkisian’s argument.

“Texas chose to travel to Ohio State for a marquee matchup. One of the season’s biggest games. If they’d scheduled Kennesaw State, like Indiana did, or Oklahoma State—one of the nation’s weakest teams—like Oregon did, we wouldn’t be having this conversation,” Finebaum said.

“As I see it, Texas belongs in the College Football Playoff despite their record.”

Joel Klatt: The 9-3 Longhorns are “absolutely alive” under the 12-team CFP model

FOX Sports analyst Joel Klatt echoed that reasoning. After the first CFP rankings placed Texas at No. 11, Klatt said that slot sent a message: the committee may be shifting toward valuing strength of schedule and nonconference ambition over spotless records.

“Texas as a 9-3, as the committee is telling us, is absolutely alive for the playoff,” Klatt said recently.

He added the path forward is clear: “They took the hardest schedule among contenders, played and beat multiple top-10 teams, and under the new 12-team format, strength schedule, plus big wins, plus respectable losses might trump perfection.” To Klatt, that’s more than enough ammunition.

From the SEC depth chart to national visibility — why slotting Texas might benefit the sport

Beyond individual voices, there’s a larger argument being made. With powerhouse SEC teams faltering and the Big Ten looking unstable, including a school like Texas, could stabilize the playoff picture while rewarding a program that took real risks. Their 2025 résumé is among the most dangerous: road loss to No. 1 Ohio State, home blowout loss to Florida, a competitive game against Georgia — then rebounding with statement wins over three top-10 teams, capped by the A&M upset. In a 12-team format built to reward bold scheduling and peak performance, that résumé checks a lot of boxes.

With Steve Sarkisian in rally mode, with three top-10 wins this season, and with vocal backing from analysts like Tebow and Klatt, Texas has done more than just make a late-season statement.

They’ve forced the debate. And in the murky final stretch of 2025, that might be all they need.

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