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No. 11 Texas is on a bye in Week 11 before getting set to play a game with huge implications for the SEC and College Football Playoff on Nov. 15 when it travels to play No. 5 Georgia. More News: LSU Linked to Ultimate Anti-Brian Kelly Candidate The Longhorns are 7-2 coming off an impressive 34-31 victory over then-No. 9 Vanderbilt at home. Texas lost its season opener on the road to then-No. 3 Ohio State and was defeated 29-21 by Florida on Oct. 4. Despite being ranked No. 11 when the CFP selection committee released its first rankings on Tuesday, Texas did not make the bracket of 12 teams because No. 14 Virginia and Memphis would get in ahead of the Longhorns via being projected conference champions. More News: Brian Kelly Made His Intentions Clear in Obtained LSU Firing Email Per Chip Brown of 247 Sports, industry sources believe Texas' upcoming game against Georgia should be viewed as a playoff game for the visitors. "This game (at Georgia) should have as much importance to Steve Sarkisian and his players as that game they won at Alabama (in 2023)," the source told Brown. "That win got Texas into the playoff ahead of Georgia, and this game in Athens could end up having the same kind of playoff importance." Even if Texas loses to the Bulldogs, industry insiders believe the program isn't out of the chase for a CFP spot. If the Longhorns beat Arkansas at home on Nov. 22 and split their contests against Georgia and No. 3 Texas A&M (on Nov. 28), Texas is expected to be the first SEC team to make the CFP despite earning three losses. "It's clear the committee isn't punishing Texas for going on the road to play Ohio State and losing to the team now ranked No. 1 in the country while breaking in a new quarterback," the source said. "If they (the Longhorns) can finish strong, they might even be able to lose close to either Georgia or A&M and still get in." Putting a three-loss Texas team into the CFP would surely cause drama in the college football world. While the Longhorns have another impressive win over then No. 6 Oklahoma on their resume, the program didn't exactly earn style points when it had to go to overtime to beat Kentucky and Mississippi State in back-to-back weeks. Regardless of Texas' inconsistent season thus far, what matters is how the team performs in November. If they lose to Georgia or the Aggies in a blowout, the Longhorns will likely fall out of the CFP chase.
