Could the Texas Longhorns Become the First Ever Three-Loss Playoff Team?

After starting the 2025 season as the nation's top-ranked team and consensus favorite to win the national championship, the Texas Longhorns have seen their momentum go on a roller coaster ride of a lifetime.

After a season-opening loss to Ohio State and a midseason loss in "The Swamp" to the Florida Gators, the Horns found themselves in trouble early, with two losses before even hitting the midway point of the season.

However, that doesn't completely exclude Steve Sarkisian's team from the 12-team College Football Playoff.

So, You're Telling Me There's a Chance?

As the Horns gear up to face off against two top-five teams in their final three games, the No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs this weekend and the No. 3 Texas A&M Aggies to end the season, SEC Unfiltered's David Pollack stated a bold case that could result in the Longhorns making CFP history.

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) passes. — Nov 1, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) passes ahead of Vanderbilt Commodores defensive back Thomas Jones (9) during the second half at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

"If Texas beats Georgia or A&M, they're in the playoff," Pollack said Thursday morning. "The first ever three-loss team that's going to be in the playoffs."

Pollack backed his statement with the season-opening game against Ohio State, as well as the maturity of quarterback Arch Manning, saying that no team has brought better competition to the reigning national champions than the Longhorns.

"Texas didn't have to go across the country and play Ohio State," Pollack explained. "Nobody played them (Ohio State) better than Texas. 14-7, when Manning wasn't even close to the best version of Manning that we've seen. We've seen him get better."

Pollack's earlier statement is true; no team has qualified for the CFP with three losses and nothing else to speak for.

In the old days, most teams would practically be eliminated after two losses, but in the days of the 12-team playoff, one or two losses is acceptable.

Last season, the Clemson Tigers entered the CFP with a 10-3 record, but their victory in the ACC Championship over the SMU Mustangs, another playoff team, gave them a pass.

Given that the Longhorns are out of the conference championship picture, barring a total collapse from Georgia, Alabama, or Texas A&M, winning out is probably their only path to the postseason right now, and even if they were to win one of those games against the Bulldogs or the Aggies, their fate would still likely fall into the hands of a 12-person committee.

But as of now, the Longhorns would be locked and loaded into the playoffs, sitting at No. 10 in the AP poll, the coaches' poll, and the most recent CFP rankings.

The Longhorns and Bulldogs kick off from Athens this Saturday at 6:30 PM.