Does Texas Football still have a chance at the CFP? Odds crash after Georgia ‘Disaster’

Do the Texas Longhorns still have a shot at the college football playoff? Before the Georgia game, the ESPN FPI playoff bracket predictor gave Texas a 64% chance if they lost to the Bulldogs yet still won its remaining two games. But the manner in which UT lost has seen those odds nose dive.

Saturday night’s 35-10 loss to Georgia in Athens was the worst loss of Texas coach Steve Sarkisian’s tenure in Austin. After the game, Sark and the Longhorns leaders knew they were thoroughly dominated.

“The fourth quarter was, for lack of better terms, a disaster,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said after the game. “We got beat 21-0 in the fourth quarter.”

“It was a disaster,” Texas defensive lineman Colin Simmons said. “We didn’t finish.”

“They kicked our butts in all three phases,” Taaffe said. “We messed up a lot of stuff.”

“I’m frustrated and disappointed we didn’t play better,” Texas quarterback Arch Manning said. “We just didn’t play well.”

While the Longhorns hung around until the fourth quarter, they were still out played from the beginning. Texas’ offensive line was pushed around all night by a Bulldogs defensive front that has been seen as UGA’s weakness all season.

UT’s defense played well for a long stretch in the middle of the game, but ultimately gave up 35 points and let Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton account for five touchdowns. The ‘Dawgs also ran for 128 yards on the Horns defense. While the defense is ahead of the offense, it has still been picked apart several times this season.

What did the loss do to Texas CFP chances? It crushed them.

When the computer models put Texas’ chances at 64% last week, it didn’t account for the Longhorns getting humiliated in Athens. But that’s what happened. UT will probably fall several spots, if not completely out, of this week’s the Top 25 rankings as most voters have no doubt completely lost faith Texas.

The computer model currently puts the Longhorns chances at the CFP at 20%. That’s behind the likes of Virginia, BYU and even North Texas. The computers don’t have faith Texas can win its final two games.

What if the Longhorns beat Arkansas and upset the Texas A&M Aggies? The odds aren’t 64% anymore. The ESPN FPI gives Texas a 45% chance to make the CFP if they win out.

Texas would need a lot of help and make a huge impression against the Aggies to have any shot at all. UT would be at the mercy of the CFP committee. The field is very crowded and 9-3 is probably not good enough to get into the bracket.

The most likely outcome to the Longhorns season will be an appearance in the Gator Bowl or something similar and an offseason filled with frustration and questions about the program’s health as a whole.