Can Texas Longhorns Earn No. 1 Seed in College Football Playoff?

Heading into the 2024 college football season, the Texas Longhorns face higher expectations than probably any other team in the country.

That's for good reason, as not only have the Longhorns made it to the College Football Playoff semifinals in each of the past two seasons, but they also have what is probably their best roster in the past few years. They return a good portion of last year's defense that was already one of the best in the country, while Arch Manning takes over an incredibly talented offense, albeit a young one.

The question on everyone's mind is, can the Longhorns live up to those sky-high expectations?

Texas Longhorns Projected as No. 1 Seed in CFP

Dec 21, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) against the Clemson Tigers during the CFP National playoff first round at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

In his latest College Football Playoff projections, CBS Sports' Brad Crawford predicted the Longhorns to win the SEC and claim the No. 1 seed in the CFP.

"Ranked No. 1 in the preseason AP Top 25 for the first time in program history, the Longhorns are under tremendous pressure," Crawford wrote. "Seizing the top seed in the playoff would mean Arch Manning and Texas won the landmine-filled SEC and Steve Sarkisian would have his best team yet on the Forty Acres. The opener at Ohio State could go a long way in earning that top seed if Texas is victorious against the defending national champions."

This would then have the Longhorns begin the CFP on New Year's Day at the Sugar Bowl, where they'd face the winner of No. 8 Texas Tech and No. 9 Miami in the quarterfinals. If they do happen to face the Red Raiders for the first time since leaving the Big 12, and since they became a recruiting powerhouse this offseason, that should be a fantastic, hate-filled game.

The Longhorns aren't concerned with having the No. 1 seed, though. The only thing that matters to them is the number next to their name at the end of the season.

“Getting the Tower lit up and getting a ‘1’ on the Tower is the ultimate (goal),”Sarkisian told ESPN's Rece Davis last month. “The hard part here is we’re so good in a lot of sports. Softball wins it this year, and they put the ‘1’ up. Swimming and diving wins the national championship, they put the ‘1’ up. A year ago, volleyball wins it, and they put the ‘1’ up. Women’s track and field, they put the ‘1’ up.

“As much as we’re doing some great things, at the end of the day, you want to be the one that’s taking the picture with your team with that Tower lit up with the ‘1.' That would be a great moment.”