The Texas Longhorns have reached the College Football Playoff semifinals for the first time in their program's history.
Ranked at No. 3, Texas is set to face No. 2 Washington in the Sugar Bowl on January 1, 2024, at 7:45 p.m. CT. Concurrently, No. 1 Michigan will take on No. 4 Alabama in the Rose Bowl at 4 p.m. CT on the same day. The CFP National Championship game, featuring the victorious teams from these matchups, is scheduled for January 8 at NRG Stadium in Houston.
Expressing his confidence, Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian stated, "I feel good. I’ve always said if we get in, we can play with anybody in the country. Our versatility stacks up against just about anybody."
The Florida State Seminoles, despite being the first undefeated champion from a Power 5 Conference, were not selected for the playoff. Ranked No. 5 by the committee, they were edged out by No. 4 Alabama, who secured a 27-24 victory over the Georgia Bulldogs to claim the SEC championship. The committee's decision was influenced by Florida State's starting quarterback, Jordan Travis, suffering a season-ending injury.
CFP committee chairman Boo Corrigan, speaking on ESPN, emphasized the impact of Travis's absence on Florida State's offense, calling it "a big deal with the committee."
In their path to the playoff, the Longhorns dominated Oklahoma State 49-21 to clinch the Big 12 Conference title. Heading to the Southeastern Conference next year, Texas concluded their regular season with a resounding 57-7 win over Texas Tech, boasting a combined score of 106-28 in their last two games.
Sarkisian reflected on the team's achievements, stating, "Our guys have earned this, and we're playing our best football right now. This is the cherry on top, we get to go compete for a national championship."
Notably, Texas faced a setback last year, losing 27-20 to the Washington Huskies in the Alamo Bowl. Key players Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson had opted out of the game to prepare for the NFL Draft. Looking ahead to the upcoming challenge, Sarkisian acknowledged the strength of Washington, saying, "We’ve got our work cut out for us. Washington is a very good team, and it’s going to be a heck of a challenge."
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